CORI Reform - House Bill 1416

The Public Safety Act of 2007-2008, as it is being called, would update the process for sealing Criminal Offender Registration Information (CORI), update the CORI Database within the Criminal History Systems Board, implement anti-discrimination protections, update the process for distribution of CORI’s, update the Juvenile CORI System, expand participation in re-entry programs, and develop a “Certificate of Commitment to Rehabilitation”.

While all of that is quite a mouthful the basics of the bill are as follows:

• Reduces the waiting period for sealing CORI’s from 15 years to 7 years for a Felony Conviction
• Reduces the waiting period for sealing CORI’s from 10 years to 3 years for a Misdemeanor
• Makes the sealing of CORI’s for non-conviction cases semi-automatic
• Gives the opportunity for persons opposed to the sealing to be heard by a Judge
• Allows purging of erroneous convictions
• Defines the refusal of a job license, training slot or other action against a person bases solely on the presence of a CORI as an Act of Discrimination unless the applicant’s CORI lists one or more recent convictions that are substantially related to the position be applied for.

The bill is currently before the Joint Committee on Judiciary; no action has been taken since the public hearing in September 2007.

Click here to return to Legislative Advocacy main page.