People convicted of crimes when they were kids will have more leniency to expunge their records under a new bill nearly unanimously passed by House lawmakers this past week.
Right now, someone can get their criminal record scrubbed if they didn’t commit more than one misdemeanor as a kid and stayed out of trouble for five years. Any more than that and they’re not eligible.
The new bill from Rep. Kim Williams (D-Newport) would allow someone to have committed up to two misdemeanors and still be eligible for the program.
Those with one felony conviction that’s not deemed violent would also qualify.
The Public Defender’s Office introduced a similar bill late last session that stalled amid opposition from the state Department of Justice.
It now awaits a committee hearing in the state Senate.