PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — People convicted of multiple nonviolent crimes in Rhode Island may soon be able to have those offenses erased from public records.
In a 61-12 vote on June 9, state representatives advanced House Bill 7079, which would expand eligibility for expungement to include individuals with multiple felony and misdemeanor convictions.
Currently, Rhode Island law only permits first-time offenders to ask the court to remove a single felony conviction, as long as the following requirements are met:
- Conviction was not for a violent crime
- More than 10 years have passed since completing last sentence
- No convictions nor arrests for any felony or misdemeanor in the past 10 years
- No pending criminal proceedings
- Exhibited good moral character
Under the proposed legislation, those with up to five misdemeanor convictions and no felonies, as well as those with up to four felony convictions, would be allowed to seek expungement…