Florida Senate - 2012                                     SB 644
       
       
       
       By Senator Siplin
       
       
       
       
       19-00291-12                                            2012644__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to sealing and destroying certain
    3         criminal records; creating a procedure by which a
    4         person may seek a court order to seal and destroy an
    5         arrest record if the person is determined to be
    6         factually innocent of any charge arising out of the
    7         arrest; requiring that the appropriate law enforcement
    8         agency seal and destroy the arrest record under
    9         certain circumstances; requiring that the appropriate
   10         law enforcement agency notify the Department of Law
   11         Enforcement and other law enforcement agencies that
   12         participated in the arrest of the sealing and
   13         destroying of the arrest record; requiring that such
   14         agencies seal and destroy the arrest record; requiring
   15         that the appropriate law enforcement agency and the
   16         Department of Law Enforcement notify any local, state,
   17         or federal agency or any person or entity of the
   18         destruction of the arrest record; requiring that such
   19         agencies destroy the arrest record; providing that a
   20         petition to destroy an arrest record is deemed denied
   21         if the appropriate law enforcement agency or state
   22         attorney rejects it or does not respond within certain
   23         period after receipt of the petition; requiring that a
   24         petition for relief be heard within a certain time;
   25         providing for the burden of persuasion in a hearing to
   26         determine the factual innocence of a person;
   27         prohibiting the court from issuing a finding of
   28         factual innocence or an order to seal and destroy an
   29         arrest record unless a specified requirement is
   30         fulfilled; requiring that the appropriate court order
   31         the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over
   32         the offense, the Department of Law Enforcement, and
   33         any law enforcement agency involved in the arrest to
   34         seal and destroy the arrest record under certain
   35         circumstances; requiring that the court order the
   36         appropriate law enforcement agency and the Department
   37         of Law Enforcement to notify any agency, person, or
   38         entity in possession of the arrest record of the order
   39         to seal and destroy the arrest record; authorizing the
   40         court, under certain circumstances, to grant relief to
   41         a petitioner in a case in which an accusatory pleading
   42         has been filed; authorizing a person, under certain
   43         circumstances, to file for relief if there is no
   44         conviction; requiring that the law enforcement agency
   45         having jurisdiction over the offense from which the
   46         arrest arose issue a written declaration to the person
   47         arrested stating that it is the determination of the
   48         law enforcement agency that the person arrested is
   49         factually innocent of the charges for which the person
   50         was arrested; requiring that the Department of Law
   51         Enforcement furnish forms to be used by persons
   52         applying for the destruction of their arrest records
   53         or for the written declaration that they are factually
   54         innocent; requiring that any remaining records in the
   55         possession of the law enforcement agency bear the
   56         notation “exonerated” whenever a reference is made to
   57         the person arrested; prescribing a method by which the
   58         arrest records must be permanently obliterated;
   59         prohibiting an arrest record from being destroyed if
   60         the person arrested or a codefendant has filed a civil
   61         action against the officer or law enforcement agency
   62         that made the arrest or instituted the prosecution;
   63         authorizing the court to open a sealed record in a
   64         civil procedure under certain circumstances; limiting
   65         the persons who have access to the sealed arrest
   66         records; providing a time schedule during which a
   67         petition for relief may be filed; providing an
   68         effective date.
   69  
   70  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   71  
   72         Section 1. Sealing and destroying certain criminal
   73  records.—
   74         (1)(a)In a situation in which a person has been arrested
   75  but no accusatory pleading has been filed, the person arrested
   76  may petition the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over
   77  the offense to destroy his or her arrest record. A copy of the
   78  petition shall be served upon the state attorney of the circuit
   79  having jurisdiction over the offense.
   80         (b)The law enforcement agency, upon a determination that
   81  the person arrested is factually innocent, with the concurrence
   82  of the state attorney, shall seal the arrest record and the
   83  petition for relief under this section for 3 years following the
   84  date of the arrest. Thereafter, the law enforcement agency shall
   85  destroy the arrest record and the petition.
   86         (c)The law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the
   87  offense shall notify the Department of Law Enforcement and any
   88  law enforcement agency that arrested the petitioner or
   89  participated in the arrest of the petitioner of the offense for
   90  which the petitioner has been found factually innocent under
   91  this section of the sealing and destroying of the arrest record.
   92  The Department of Law Enforcement and any law enforcement agency
   93  so notified shall immediately seal the arrest record and the
   94  notice of sealing for 3 years following the date of the arrest.
   95  Thereafter, any law enforcement agency that has been notified
   96  shall destroy the arrest record and the notice of sealing.
   97         (d)The law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the
   98  case and the Department of Law Enforcement shall notify any
   99  local, state, or federal agency or any person or entity having
  100  possession of the arrest record of the destruction of such
  101  record. Each agency, person, or entity receiving the notice
  102  shall immediately destroy its arrest record and the notice,
  103  unless otherwise provided in this section.
  104         (2)(a)If the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction
  105  over the offense or the state attorney rejects the petitioner’s
  106  claim of factual innocence, or does not respond to the petition
  107  within 60 days after receiving the petition, the petition is
  108  deemed denied and shall be set for a hearing. The petition shall
  109  be heard in the circuit court having jurisdiction over the
  110  criminal offense that is the basis for the arrest. The matter
  111  shall be heard within 30 days after the petition is rejected or
  112  it is deemed denied. The state attorney and the law enforcement
  113  agency may present evidence to the court at the hearing.
  114         (b)Any claim of factual innocence made pursuant to this
  115  section may be heard and determined upon an affidavit, a police
  116  report, or any other evidence submitted by the parties which is
  117  material, relevant, and reliable.
  118         (c)In a hearing to determine the factual innocence of a
  119  party, the initial burden of persuasion rests with the person
  120  claiming his or her innocence to show that no reasonable cause
  121  exists to believe that the person arrested committed the offense
  122  for which the arrest was made. If the court finds that no
  123  reasonable cause exists to believe that the petitioner committed
  124  the offense, the burden of persuasion shifts to the state
  125  attorney and law enforcement agency to show that a reasonable
  126  cause exists to believe that the petitioner committed the
  127  offense for which the arrest was made.
  128         (d) The court may not issue a finding of factual innocence
  129  or an order to seal and destroy an arrest record unless the
  130  court finds that no reasonable cause exists to believe that the
  131  person arrested committed the offense for which the arrest was
  132  made.
  133         (e)1. If the court finds the person arrested to be
  134  factually innocent of the charges for which the arrest was made,
  135  the court shall order the law enforcement agency having
  136  jurisdiction over the offense, the Department of Law
  137  Enforcement, and any law enforcement agency that arrested the
  138  petitioner or participated in the arrest of the petitioner to
  139  seal the arrest record for 3 years following the date of the
  140  arrest. After the 3-year period, each law enforcement agency
  141  shall destroy the arrest record and the court order to seal and
  142  destroy the record.
  143         2. The court shall also order the law enforcement agency
  144  having jurisdiction over the offense and the Department of Law
  145  Enforcement to notify each local or state agency, person, or
  146  entity in possession of the petitioner’s arrest record of the
  147  court order to seal and destroy the record. Each such agency,
  148  person, or entity shall immediately destroy its arrest record.
  149  The court shall give the petitioner a copy of any court order
  150  concerning the destruction of the arrest record.
  151         (3)In a case in which a person has been arrested and an
  152  accusatory pleading has been filed but no hearing has been held,
  153  the court may, with the concurrence of the state attorney, grant
  154  the relief as provided in subsection (2) at the time of the
  155  dismissal of the accusatory pleading hearing.
  156         (4)In a case in which a person has been arrested and an
  157  accusatory pleading has been filed but no conviction has
  158  occurred, the defendant may, at any time after the court
  159  dismisses the charges, petition the court for an order finding
  160  the petitioner factually innocent of the charges for which the
  161  arrest was made. A copy of the petition shall be served on the
  162  state attorney of the circuit in which the accusatory pleading
  163  was filed at least 10 days before the hearing on the
  164  petitioner’s claim of factual innocence. The state attorney may
  165  present evidence to the court at the hearing. The hearing shall
  166  be conducted as provided in subsection (2). If the court finds
  167  the petitioner to be factually innocent of the charges for which
  168  the arrest was made, the court shall grant the relief as
  169  provided in subsection (2).
  170         (5)If a person is acquitted of a charge and it appears to
  171  the court that the person was factually innocent of the charge,
  172  the court shall grant the relief as provided in subsection (2).
  173  Thereafter, the arrest shall be deemed not to have occurred, and
  174  the person may accordingly answer any question relating to its
  175  occurrence.
  176         (6)In a case in which a person who has been arrested is
  177  granted relief pursuant to subsection (1), subsection (2),
  178  subsection (3), subsection (4), or subsection (5), the law
  179  enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the offense shall
  180  issue a written declaration to the person arrested stating that
  181  the agency has determined that the person is factually innocent
  182  of the charges for which the person was arrested and that the
  183  person is exonerated of all charges. Thereafter, the arrest
  184  shall be deemed not to have occurred, and the person may
  185  accordingly answer any question relating to its occurrence.
  186         (7)The Department of Law Enforcement shall furnish forms
  187  to be used by persons who apply for the destruction of their
  188  arrest records or for the written declaration that the persons
  189  are factually innocent.
  190         (8)Documentation of an arrest record contained in a police
  191  investigative report must bear the notation “Exonerated”
  192  whenever reference is made to the person arrested. The person
  193  arrested shall be notified in writing by the law enforcement
  194  agency of the sealing and destroying of the arrest record
  195  pursuant to this section.
  196         (9)A finding that a person arrested is factually innocent
  197  pursuant to subsection (1), subsection (2), subsection (3),
  198  subsection (4), or subsection (5) is not admissible as evidence
  199  in any action.
  200         (10)The destruction of an arrest record pursuant to
  201  subsection (1), subsection (2), subsection (3), subsection (4),
  202  or subsection (5) shall be accomplished by permanent
  203  obliteration of all entries or notations upon the record
  204  pertaining to the arrest, and the record shall be prepared again
  205  so that it appears that the arrest never occurred. However, if
  206  the only entries on the record pertain to the arrest and if the
  207  record can be destroyed without affecting other records, the
  208  document constituting the record shall be physically destroyed.
  209         (11)(a)A record may not be destroyed pursuant to
  210  subsection (1), subsection (2), subsection (3), subsection (4),
  211  or subsection (5) if the person arrested or a codefendant has
  212  filed a civil action against the officer or law enforcement
  213  agency that made the arrest or instituted the prosecution, and
  214  if the agency that is the custodian of the record has received a
  215  certified copy of the complaint in the civil action, until the
  216  civil action has been resolved.
  217         (b)A record sealed pursuant to this section by the court
  218  in a civil action, upon a showing of good cause, may be opened
  219  and submitted into evidence. The record is confidential and is
  220  available for inspection only by the court, jury, parties,
  221  counsel for the parties, and any other person authorized by the
  222  court. Immediately following the final resolution of the civil
  223  action, a record that is subject to subsection (1), subsection
  224  (2), subsection (3), subsection (4), or subsection (5) shall be
  225  sealed and destroyed pursuant to subsection (1), subsection (2),
  226  subsection (3), subsection (4), or subsection (5).
  227         (12)A petition for relief under this section may be filed
  228  up to 2 years following the date of the arrest or the filing of
  229  the accusatory pleading, whichever occurs later. On or before
  230  January 1, 2013, a petitioner may file for relief under this
  231  section for an arrest that occurred or an accusatory pleading
  232  that was filed no later than January 1, 2007. A time restriction
  233  on filing for relief under this section may be waived upon a
  234  showing of good cause by the petitioner and in the absence of
  235  prejudice.
  236         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.