HB 1651-S2 - DIGEST
(DIGEST AS ENACTED)

Provides that the legislature: (1) Declares it is the policy of the state that the interest in juvenile rehabilitation and reintegration constitutes compelling circumstances that outweigh the public interest in continued availability of juvenile court records; and

(2) Intends that juvenile court proceedings be openly administered but, except in limited circumstances, the records of these proceedings be closed when the juvenile has reached the age of eighteen and completed the terms of disposition.

Requires a court to hold regular sealing hearings during which the court shall administratively seal an individual's juvenile court record unless the court receives an objection to sealing or the court notes a compelling reason not to seal, in which case, the court shall set a contested hearing to be conducted on the record to address sealing.

Requires the administrative office of the courts to ensure that the superior court judicial information system provides prosecutors access to information on the existence of sealed juvenile records.

Requires records maintained by a court or law enforcement agency to be automatically destroyed within ninety days of becoming eligible for destruction.