California is the first state to seal almost all past convictions on criminal records. It’s for those who complete their sentence and don’t commit another crime for only four years.
The bill will automatically seal conviction and arrest records for most ex-offenders who are not convicted of another felony for four years after completing their sentences and any parole or probation. Records of arrests that don’t bring convictions also would be sealed.
The bill would apply to offenses like domestic violence.
This law also permits individuals with violent or serious felony records to petition courts to order their criminal records sealed. Sealing these records will make them unavailable to most employers through a background search, although school districts may still access these records for teacher credentialing or employment decisions.
This is one of many new laws that began Saturday. Others include allowing gun makers to be sued in civil court, giving breeding pigs more room in their pens, a crackdown on retail theft, and a change to how toll fees are assessed.