House Judiciary Committee continues debate on S.12 sealing/expungement bill as law enforcement raises access concerns

The House Judiciary Committee on April 20 continued testimony on S.12, a bill that would change when and how criminal records may be sealed or expunged in Vermont, with the Attorney General's Office voicing support and law‑enforcement officials urging limits and clearer rules for investigatory access.

The Attorney General's Office, represented by Assistant Attorney General Todd Dale, told the committee it supports the bill’s goals. "The Attorney General's Office supports this reform bill," Dale said, adding that sealing and expungement expand access to education, housing and jobs and can help people reengage in community life. Dale noted the office runs two to four expungement clinics a year and has seen the practical effects of clearing records for individuals.

But law enforcement witnesses said the bill as drafted raises operational and legal concerns. Sheriff Mark Anderson, of Wyndham County and president of the Vermont Sheriffs Association, described a range of documents that law enforcement creates and relies on — citations, affidavits, discovery checklists, arrest custody records and use‑of‑force reports — and warned that removing routine access to those records could hamper agencies’ ability to defend against civil claims and to investigate ongoing criminal activity. "The lifeblood of law enforcement's paperwork" is central to agencies'…