2009 Kansas Code
Chapter 21 CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS
Article 46 SENTENCING
21-4619. Expungement of certain convictions, arrest records and diversion agreements.

21-4619

Chapter 21.--CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS PART III.--CLASSIFICATION OF CRIMES AND SENTENCING Article 46.--SENTENCING

      21-4619.   Expungement of certain convictions, arrest records and diversion agreements. (a) (1) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c), any person convicted in this state of a traffic infraction, cigarette or tobacco infraction, misdemeanor or a class D or E felony, or for crimes committed on or after July 1, 1993, nondrug crimes ranked in severity levels 6 through 10 or any felony ranked in severity level 4 of the drug grid, may petition the convicting court for the expungement of such conviction or related arrest records if three or more years have elapsed since the person: (A) Satisfied the sentence imposed; or (B) was discharged from probation, a community correctional services program, parole, postrelease supervision, conditional release or a suspended sentence.

      (2)   Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c), any person who has fulfilled the terms of a diversion agreement may petition the district court for the expungement of such diversion agreement and related arrest records if three or more years have elapsed since the terms of the diversion agreement were fulfilled.

      (b)   Except as provided in subsection (c), no person may petition for expungement until five or more years have elapsed since the person satisfied the sentence imposed, the terms of a diversion agreement or was discharged from probation, a community correctional services program, parole, postrelease supervision, conditional release or a suspended sentence, if such person was convicted of a class A, B or C felony, or for crimes committed on or after July 1, 1993, if convicted of an off-grid felony or any nondrug crime ranked in severity levels 1 through 5 or any felony ranked in severity levels 1 through 3 of the drug grid, or:

      (1)   Vehicular homicide, as defined by K.S.A. 21-3405, and amendments thereto, or as prohibited by any law of another state which is in substantial conformity with that statute;

      (2)   driving while the privilege to operate a motor vehicle on the public highways of this state has been canceled, suspended or revoked, as prohibited by K.S.A. 8-262, and amendments thereto, or as prohibited by any law of another state which is in substantial conformity with that statute;

      (3)   perjury resulting from a violation of K.S.A. 8-261a, and amendments thereto, or resulting from the violation of a law of another state which is in substantial conformity with that statute;

      (4)   violating the provisions of the fifth clause of K.S.A. 8-142, and amendments thereto, relating to fraudulent applications or violating the provisions of a law of another state which is in substantial conformity with that statute;

      (5)   any crime punishable as a felony wherein a motor vehicle was used in the perpetration of such crime;

      (6)   failing to stop at the scene of an accident and perform the duties required by K.S.A. 8-1602, 8-1603 or 8-1604, and amendments thereto, or required by a law of another state which is in substantial conformity with those statutes;

      (7)   violating the provisions of K.S.A. 40-3104, and amendments thereto, relating to motor vehicle liability insurance coverage; or

      (8)   a violation of K.S.A. 21-3405b, prior to its repeal.

      (c)   There shall be no expungement of convictions for the following offenses or of convictions for an attempt to commit any of the following offenses: (1) Rape as defined in K.S.A. 21-3502, and amendments thereto; (2) indecent liberties with a child as defined in K.S.A. 21-3503, and amendments thereto; (3) aggravated indecent liberties with a child as defined in K.S.A. 21-3504, and amendments thereto; (4) criminal sodomy as defined in subsection (a)(2) or (a)(3) of K.S.A. 21-3505, and amendments thereto; (5) aggravated criminal sodomy as defined in K.S.A. 21-3506, and amendments thereto; (6) indecent solicitation of a child as defined in K.S.A. 21-3510, and amendments thereto; (7) aggravated indecent solicitation of a child as defined in K.S.A. 21-3511, and amendments thereto; (8) sexual exploitation of a child as defined in K.S.A. 21-3516, and amendments thereto; (9) aggravated incest as defined in K.S.A. 21-3603, and amendments thereto; (10) endangering a child as defined in K.S.A. 21-3608, and amendments thereto; (11) aggravated endangering a child as defined in K.S.A. 21-3608a, and amendments thereto; (12) abuse of a child as defined in K.S.A. 21-3609, and amendments thereto; (13) capital murder as defined in K.S.A. 21-3439, and amendments thereto; (14) murder in the first degree as defined in K.S.A. 21-3401, and amendments thereto; (15) murder in the second degree as defined in K.S.A. 21-3402, and amendments thereto; (16) voluntary manslaughter as defined in K.S.A. 21-3403, and amendments thereto; (17) involuntary manslaughter as defined in K.S.A. 21-3404, and amendments thereto; (18) involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs as defined in K.S.A. 21-3442, and amendments thereto; (19) sexual battery as defined in K.S.A. 21-3517, and amendments thereto, when the victim was less than 18 years of age at the time the crime was committed; (20) aggravated sexual battery as defined in K.S.A. 21-3518, and amendments thereto; (21) a violation of K.S.A. 8-1567, and amendments thereto, including any diversion for such violation; (22) a violation of K.S.A. 8-2,144, and amendments thereto, including any diversion for such violation; or (23) any conviction for any offense in effect at any time prior to the effective date of this act, that is comparable to any offense as provided in this subsection.

      (d)   When a petition for expungement is filed, the court shall set a date for a hearing of such petition and shall cause notice of such hearing to be given to the prosecuting attorney and the arresting law enforcement agency. The petition shall state: (1) The defendant's full name;

      (2)   the full name of the defendant at the time of arrest, conviction or diversion, if different than the defendant's current name;

      (3)   the defendant's sex, race and date of birth;

      (4)   the crime for which the defendant was arrested, convicted or diverted;

      (5)   the date of the defendant's arrest, conviction or diversion; and

      (6)   the identity of the convicting court, arresting law enforcement authority or diverting authority. Except as provided further, there shall be no docket fee for filing a petition pursuant to this section. On and after July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, the supreme court may impose a charge, not to exceed $10 per case, to fund the costs of non-judicial personnel. The charge established in this section shall be the only fee collected or moneys in the nature of a fee collected for the case. Such charge shall only be established by an act of the legislature and no other authority is established by law or otherwise to collect a fee. All petitions for expungement shall be docketed in the original criminal action. Any person who may have relevant information about the petitioner may testify at the hearing. The court may inquire into the background of the petitioner and shall have access to any reports or records relating to the petitioner that are on file with the secretary of corrections or the Kansas parole board.

      (e)   At the hearing on the petition, the court shall order the petitioner's arrest record, conviction or diversion expunged if the court finds that:

      (1)   The petitioner has not been convicted of a felony in the past two years and no proceeding involving any such crime is presently pending or being instituted against the petitioner;

      (2)   the circumstances and behavior of the petitioner warrant the expungement; and

      (3)   the expungement is consistent with the public welfare.

      (f)   When the court has ordered an arrest record, conviction or diversion expunged, the order of expungement shall state the information required to be contained in the petition. The clerk of the court shall send a certified copy of the order of expungement to the Kansas bureau of investigation which shall notify the federal bureau of investigation, the secretary of corrections and any other criminal justice agency which may have a record of the arrest, conviction or diversion. After the order of expungement is entered, the petitioner shall be treated as not having been arrested, convicted or diverted of the crime, except that:

      (1)   Upon conviction for any subsequent crime, the conviction that was expunged may be considered as a prior conviction in determining the sentence to be imposed;

      (2)   the petitioner shall disclose that the arrest, conviction or diversion occurred if asked about previous arrests, convictions or diversions:

      (A)   In any application for licensure as a private detective, private detective agency, certification as a firearms trainer pursuant to K.S.A. 2009 Supp. 75-7b21, and amendments thereto, or employment as a detective with a private detective agency, as defined by K.S.A. 75-7b01, and amendments thereto; as security personnel with a private patrol operator, as defined by K.S.A. 75-7b01, and amendments thereto; or with an institution, as defined in K.S.A. 76-12a01, and amendments thereto, of the department of social and rehabilitation services;

      (B)   in any application for admission, or for an order of reinstatement, to the practice of law in this state;

      (C)   to aid in determining the petitioner's qualifications for employment with the Kansas lottery or for work in sensitive areas within the Kansas lottery as deemed appropriate by the executive director of the Kansas lottery;

      (D)   to aid in determining the petitioner's qualifications for executive director of the Kansas racing and gaming commission, for employment with the commission or for work in sensitive areas in parimutuel racing as deemed appropriate by the executive director of the commission, or to aid in determining qualifications for licensure or renewal of licensure by the commission;

      (E)   to aid in determining the petitioner's qualifications for the following under the Kansas expanded lottery act: (i) Lottery gaming facility manager or prospective manager, racetrack gaming facility manager or prospective manager, licensee or certificate holder; or (ii) an officer, director, employee, owner, agent or contractor thereof;

      (F)   upon application for a commercial driver's license under K.S.A. 8-2,125 through 8-2,142, and amendments thereto;

      (G)   to aid in determining the petitioner's qualifications to be an employee of the state gaming agency;

      (H)   to aid in determining the petitioner's qualifications to be an employee of a tribal gaming commission or to hold a license issued pursuant to a tribal-state gaming compact;

      (I)   in any application for registration as a broker-dealer, agent, investment adviser or investment adviser representative all as defined in K.S.A. 17-12a102, and amendments thereto;

      (J)   in any application for employment as a law enforcement officer as defined in K.S.A. 22-2202 or 74-5602, and amendments thereto; or

      (K)   for applications received on and after July 1, 2006, to aid in determining the petitioner's qualifications for a license to carry a concealed weapon pursuant to the personal and family protection act, K.S.A. 2009 Supp. 75-7c01 et seq., and amendments thereto;

      (3)   the court, in the order of expungement, may specify other circumstances under which the conviction is to be disclosed;

      (4)   the conviction may be disclosed in a subsequent prosecution for an offense which requires as an element of such offense a prior conviction of the type expunged; and

      (5)   upon commitment to the custody of the secretary of corrections, any previously expunged record in the possession of the secretary of corrections may be reinstated and the expungement disregarded, and the record continued for the purpose of the new commitment.

      (g)   Whenever a person is convicted of a crime, pleads guilty and pays a fine for a crime, is placed on parole, postrelease supervision or probation, is assigned to a community correctional services program, is granted a suspended sentence or is released on conditional release, the person shall be informed of the ability to expunge the arrest records or conviction. Whenever a person enters into a diversion agreement, the person shall be informed of the ability to expunge the diversion.

      (h)   Subject to the disclosures required pursuant to subsection (f), in any application for employment, license or other civil right or privilege, or any appearance as a witness, a person whose arrest records, conviction or diversion of a crime has been expunged under this statute may state that such person has never been arrested, convicted or diverted of such crime, but the expungement of a felony conviction does not relieve an individual of complying with any state or federal law relating to the use or possession of firearms by persons convicted of a felony.

      (i)   Whenever the record of any arrest, conviction or diversion has been expunged under the provisions of this section or under the provisions of any other existing or former statute, the custodian of the records of arrest, conviction, diversion and incarceration relating to that crime shall not disclose the existence of such records, except when requested by:

      (1)   The person whose record was expunged;

      (2)   a private detective agency or a private patrol operator, and the request is accompanied by a statement that the request is being made in conjunction with an application for employment with such agency or operator by the person whose record has been expunged;

      (3)   a court, upon a showing of a subsequent conviction of the person whose record has been expunged;

      (4)   the secretary of social and rehabilitation services, or a designee of the secretary, for the purpose of obtaining information relating to employment in an institution, as defined in K.S.A. 76-12a01, and amendments thereto, of the department of social and rehabilitation services of any person whose record has been expunged;

      (5)   a person entitled to such information pursuant to the terms of the expungement order;

      (6)   a prosecuting attorney, and such request is accompanied by a statement that the request is being made in conjunction with a prosecution of an offense that requires a prior conviction as one of the elements of such offense;

      (7)   the supreme court, the clerk or disciplinary administrator thereof, the state board for admission of attorneys or the state board for discipline of attorneys, and the request is accompanied by a statement that the request is being made in conjunction with an application for admission, or for an order of reinstatement, to the practice of law in this state by the person whose record has been expunged;

      (8)   the Kansas lottery, and the request is accompanied by a statement that the request is being made to aid in determining qualifications for employment with the Kansas lottery or for work in sensitive areas within the Kansas lottery as deemed appropriate by the executive director of the Kansas lottery;

      (9)   the governor or the Kansas racing and gaming commission, or a designee of the commission, and the request is accompanied by a statement that the request is being made to aid in determining qualifications for executive director of the commission, for employment with the commission, for work in sensitive areas in parimutuel racing as deemed appropriate by the executive director of the commission or for licensure, renewal of licensure or continued licensure by the commission;

      (10)   the Kansas racing and gaming commission, or a designee of the commission, and the request is accompanied by a statement that the request is being made to aid in determining qualifications of the following under the Kansas expanded lottery act: (A) Lottery gaming facility managers and prospective managers, racetrack gaming facility managers and prospective managers, licensees and certificate holders; and (B) their officers, directors, employees, owners, agents and contractors;

      (11)   the Kansas sentencing commission;

      (12)   the state gaming agency, and the request is accompanied by a statement that the request is being made to aid in determining qualifications: (A) To be an employee of the state gaming agency; or (B) to be an employee of a tribal gaming commission or to hold a license issued pursuant to a tribal-gaming compact;

      (13)   the Kansas securities commissioner or a designee of the commissioner, and the request is accompanied by a statement that the request is being made in conjunction with an application for registration as a broker-dealer, agent, investment adviser or investment adviser representative by such agency and the application was submitted by the person whose record has been expunged;

      (14)   the Kansas commission on peace officers' standards and training and the request is accompanied by a statement that the request is being made to aid in determining certification eligibility as a law enforcement officer pursuant to K.S.A. 74-5601 et seq., and amendments thereto;

      (15)   a law enforcement agency and the request is accompanied by a statement that the request is being made to aid in determining eligibility for employment as a law enforcement officer as defined by K.S.A. 22-2202, and amendments thereto; or

      (16)   the attorney general and the request is accompanied by a statement that the request is being made to aid in determining qualifications for a license to carry a concealed weapon pursuant to the personal and family protection act.

      History:   L. 1978, ch. 120, § 28; L. 1979, ch. 90, § 7; L. 1980, ch. 102, § 2; L. 1980, ch. 103, § 1; L. 1981, ch. 158, § 2; L. 1982, ch. 139, § 2; L. 1984, ch. 39, § 35; L. 1985, ch. 48, § 15; L. 1986, ch. 129, § 1; L. 1987, ch. 292, § 24; L. 1988, ch. 315, § 2; L. 1989, ch. 96, § 1; L. 1990, ch. 105, § 1; L. 1992, ch. 239, § 247; L. 1993, ch. 253, § 16; L. 1993, ch. 291, § 186; L. 1994, ch. 291, § 48; L. 1995, ch. 251, § 15; L. 1996, ch. 214, § 27; L. 1998, ch. 131, § 5; L. 2001, ch. 185, § 1; L. 2002, ch. 163, § 2; L. 2004, ch. 149, § 1; L. 2005, ch. 168, § 2; L. 2005, ch. 186, § 9; L. 2005, ch. 186, § 10; L. 2006, ch. 32, § 21; L. 2006, ch. 171, § 4; L. 2007, ch. 110, § 58; L. 2008, ch. 162, § 2; L. 2009, ch. 116, § 11; July 1.