SB117 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Linda Coleman-MadisonSenator

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

Criminal procedure, expungement, further provided to include youthful offenders, cost of expungement petition further provided, Secs. 15-27-2, 15-27-4 am'd.

Summary

SB117 broadens expungement to more types of records, adds new limits and fees, and changes how expunged records are handled and used in court and by agencies.

What This Bill Does

The bill expands expungement to include certain misdemeanor offenses, traffic violations, municipal ordinance violations, and some non-violent felony offenses, under specific time and conduct conditions. It creates new limits on how many expungements a person can receive, including unlimited expungements in some categories and restricted counts in others. It also adds rules about admissibility of expunged records in court (including an in-camera hearing), and increases the filing fee with specified distribution to various funds; it sets data handling, retention, and access rules for expunged records and provides for indigent waivers. The act also clarifies it does not override certain existing expungement rules and becomes effective a few months after passage.

Who It Affects

• Individuals who have past charges or convictions (misdemeanors, traffic violations, municipal ordinances, or eligible non-violent felonies) and may qualify for expungement under the new rules.
• Criminal justice agencies, the judiciary, prosecutors, and local governments, which will handle the new filing fees, archiving requirements, record retention, and limited data sharing associated with expungements.

Key Provisions

• Expands expungement eligibility to include certain misdemeanor offenses, traffic violations, municipal ordinances, and non-violent felonies, under specified conditions.
• Adds Section 15-27-2.1 establishing how many expungements a person may receive (unlimited in some categories; one expungement for certain provisions; two for others) and defines that one expungement covers all charges from the same arrest.
• Adds Section 15-27-21 allowing a certified expungement record to be admissible in court, with an in-camera hearing to determine admissibility, subject to evidentiary rules.
• Sets an administrative filing fee (listed as $300, with a possible reference to $500) to be paid at filing, and describes how the fee is distributed to various funds and offices; provides indigent relief options.
• Specifies record handling: once expunged, records are archived and stored by state agencies with restricted access; prohibits transmitting expunged records to the FBI repository and requires redaction in civil matters where applicable.
• Provides for the act to be effective on the first day of the third month after passage and applies alongside existing expungement sections without superseding them.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Expungement