Governor Matt Bevin recently signed House Bill 40 into law, also known as the Felony Expungement Bill. This bill allows some nonviolent felons a second chance by allowing them to petition a court to have portions of their criminal records cleared. This changes existing law.

The Senate revised the bill in late March to include language that forces eligible offenders to wait five years after serving their sentences, including parole, before requesting to have their records expunged. Violent crimes, crimes against children, or sex crimes are still not eligible for expungement under the new law.

“It is critical that there is an opportunity for redemption that there is an opportunity for second chances because America is a land that was founded on these principles,” Bevin said in an interview with WHAS 11.

The law will go into effect in late July.

The attorneys at Skeeters, Bennett, Wilson & Pike want to make sure you stay up-to-date with state law changes. Don’t hesitate to contact an attorney for more information on how House Bill 40 may affect you or your business.

 

Dustin joined the SBW&P team in 2010, coming to us from one of the oldest firms in Cincinnati. He earned his undergraduate degree from Bellarmine University, summa cum laude, and his law degree from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University, where he graduated cum laude. Dustin’s law practice includes personal injury law, medical malpractice law, business law including corporations, LLCs and business planning, real estate law, probate law, estate planning, employment law, and family law.