HB 2319

REFERENCE TITLE: sealing arrest records; misdemeanor designation
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
HB 2319
Introduced by
Representative
  Gress
AN
ACT
Amending sections 13-719, 13-911
and 32-1606, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to probation and
restoration of civil rights.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 13-719, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE13-719. Lifetime injunction; offenses; registration; previously sentenced
defendants
A. At the time of sentencing, on the request of the
victim or the prosecutor, the superior court shall
issue an injunction that prohibits the defendant from contacting the victim if
the defendant is convicted of any of the following offenses, whether completed
or preparatory:
1. A dangerous offense as defined in section 13-105
that is a felony.
2. A serious offense or violent or aggravated felony
as defined in section 13-706.
3. A felony offense included in chapter 14 or 35.1
of this title.
4. A felony offense as set forth in section 13-1204,
subsection B.
5. A felony offense as set forth in section 13-1424.
6. A felony offense as set forth in section 13-2923.
B. An injunction issued pursuant to subsection A of
this section is effective immediately and shall be served on the defendant at
the time of sentencing.
C. The court shall provide information to the
department of public safety to register the injunction with the national crime
information center and shall notify the victim of the injunction.
D. If the victim did not request an injunction at
the time of sentencing pursuant to subsection A of this section or the
sentencing occurred before September 24, 2022, the victim may submit a petition
to the superior court requesting an injunction
against a defendant who was sentenced for an offense listed in subsection A of
this section, and the court may not charge a fee for filing the
petition. A law enforcement agency shall serve an injunction issued
pursuant to this subsection at no charge to the victim.
E. An injunction that
is issued pursuant to this section does not expire and is valid for the
defendant's natural lifetime unless any of the following occurs:
1. The defendant
makes a showing to the court that either:
(a) The victim has died.
(b) The conviction has been dismissed, expunged or
overturned or the defendant has been pardoned.
2. The victim submits a written request to the court
for an early expiration. The court may hold a hearing to verify the
victim's request to dismiss the injunction.
F. Notwithstanding any other law, a conviction that
is designated a misdemeanor pursuant to section 13-604, set aside
pursuant to section 13-905 or designated a misdemeanor or sealed
pursuant to section 13-911 does not affect the validity of a lifetime
injunction that is issued pursuant to this section and does not prohibit a
victim from submitting a petition to the superior court
requesting a lifetime injunction. END_STATUTE
Sec. 2. Section 13-911, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE13-911. Sealing of arrest, conviction and sentencing records;
requirements; misdemeanor designation; fee; appeal; definition
A. A person may file a petition to seal all case
records related to a criminal offense if the person was:
1. Convicted of a criminal offense and has completed
all of the terms and conditions of the sentence that was imposed by the court,
including the payment of all monetary obligations and restitution to all
victims.
2. Charged with a criminal offense and the charge
was subsequently dismissed or resulted in a not guilty verdict at a trial.
3. Arrested for a criminal offense and no charges
were filed.
B. All case records that are sealed pursuant to this
section may be:
1. Alleged as an element of an offense.
2. If not designated a misdemeanor, used
as a historical prior felony conviction.
3. Admissible for impeaching any party or witness in
a subsequent trial.
4. Used to enhance the sentence for a subsequent
felony.
5. Used to enhance the sentence pursuant to sections
28-1381 and 28-1382.
6. Pleaded and proved in any subsequent prosecution
of the person by this state or a political subdivision of this state.
7. Used as a conviction if the conviction would be
admissible if the conviction was not sealed.
C. The person shall file a petition to seal all case
records in one of the following:
1. The court in which the person was convicted of an
offense.
2. The court in which an indictment, information,
criminal citation or complaint against the person was filed and the charges
were dismissed, the person was found not guilty or the person's conviction was
vacated, except that if the complaint was filed in a justice court and a
subsequent information was filed, the petition must be filed in the superior
court.
3. The court in which the person had an initial
appearance if charges were not filed.
4. The superior court in the county where a person
was arrested if the person did not have an initial appearance and no charges
were filed.
D. The court may not grant or deny a petition to
seal a person's case records until sixty calendar days after the court receives
the petition unless the court receives notice that both the prosecutor and all
victims who have made a request for postconviction notice do not object to the
petition. Unless the petitioner, prosecutor or victim requests a
hearing, the court may grant or deny a petition to seal case records without a
hearing. The court may dismiss a petition that does not meet the
requirements prescribed in this section without a hearing. The court
shall grant the petition if the court determines that granting the petition is
in the best interests of the petitioner and the public's safety. The
clerk of the court shall provide a copy of the petition to seal case records to
the prosecutor. The prosecutor may respond to the petition and
request a hearing.� The victim has a right to be present and heard at any
proceeding in which the defendant has filed a petition to seal case
records. If the victim has made a request for postconviction notice,
the prosecutor shall provide the victim with notice of the defendant's petition
and of the victim's rights under this section.
E. At the time of sentencing, the court shall inform
the person on the record that the person may be eligible to petition the court
for an order that seals all case records of the person's arrest, conviction and
sentence that are related to the offense pursuant to this section and shall
provide this notice in writing.� A person who was convicted of any eligible
offense may petition the court to seal the person's records of arrest,
conviction and sentence after the person completes all of the nonmonetary terms
and conditions of the person's sentence ordered by the court, and the following
period of time has passed since the person completed the nonmonetary conditions
of probation or sentence and was discharged by the court:
1. Ten years for a class 2 or 3 felony.
2. Five years for a class 4, 5 or 6 felony.
3. Three years for a class 1 misdemeanor.
4. Two years for a class 2 or 3 misdemeanor.
F. A person whose case records have
been sealed pursuant to subsection E of this section and who commits a
subsequent felony offense may petition the court pursuant to subsection E of
this section to seal the person's records of arrest, conviction and sentence
relating to the subsequent felony offense after the applicable period of time
prescribed in subsection E of this section for the subsequent felony offense
has expired and an additional five years have passed.
G. F. A
petitioner is required to have paid all fines, fees and restitution ordered by
the court at the time of filing the petition to be eligible to seal case
records pursuant to this section.
H. G. After
a petition to seal case records is filed, the court shall notify the department
of public safety and request the department to prepare and submit a report to
the court that includes all of the petitioner's state and federal arrests,
prosecutions and convictions and any other information that the court requests
or that the department believes will assist the court in making its
determination.� The director may charge the petitioner a fee that is determined
by the director for the investigation unless the petitioner is indigent or has
been found not guilty or the case was dismissed or not prosecuted and the
petition is filed pursuant to subsection C, paragraph 2 or 3 of this section.
I. H. If
the court grants a petition to seal case records:
1. The court shall issue an order sealing all
records relating to the petitioner's arrest, conviction and sentence and
directing the clerk of the court to notify the department of public safety and
the prosecutor of the sealing order.
2. On order of a court, the clerk of the court shall
seal all case records relating to the petitioner's arrest, conviction and
sentence.� A court order to seal case records pursuant to this section is
subject only to the disclosure requirements in this section and shall be
treated differently than a record that is sealed pursuant to any other statute
or court rule.� The clerk shall create and manage a system for sealing case
records pursuant to this section and for providing sealed case records to an
entity or person that is listed in subsection J  I of this section and that requests the record.� On the request
of an entity or person listed in subsection J  I of this section, the clerk shall provide the entity or person
with any sealed case records. The clerk may not provide sealed case
records pursuant to this section to any person or entity that is not listed in
subsection J  I of this
section.
3. The department of public safety shall designate
the case records as sealed within the department's records and inform all
appropriate state and federal law enforcement agencies of the
sealing. The department may not share or provide sealed case records
with any person or entity or for any purpose that is not listed in subsections
B and J  I of this section.�
The department may charge the successful petitioner a fee determined by the
director to research and correct the petitioner's criminal history record
unless the petitioner is indigent or has been found not guilty or the case has
been dismissed or not prosecuted and the petition is filed pursuant to
subsection C, paragraph 2 or 3 of this section.
4. The arresting and prosecuting agencies shall
clearly identify in each agency's files and electronic records that the
petitioner's arrest or conviction and sentence records are sealed.
5. A person whose records are sealed pursuant to
this section may state, in all instances, that the person has never been
arrested for, charged with or convicted of the crime that is the subject of the
arrest or conviction, including in response to questions on employment,
housing, financial aid or loan applications unless any of the following
applies:
(a) The person is submitting an application that
requires a fingerprint clearance card pursuant to title 41, chapter 12, article
3.1.
(b) The sealed case records involved a class 2 or
class 3 felony violation of chapter 34 of this title.
(c) The sealed case records involved burglary under
section 13-1506, 13-1507 or 13-1508, theft under section 13-1802
or organized retail theft under section 13-1819 from a residential or
nonresidential structure and the person is applying for a job that requires
entering into and performing services inside of a residential structure.
(d) The sealed case records involved child abuse
under section 13-3623 or aggravated assault under section 13-1204
and the person is applying for a job involving supervising, educating or
administering care to a minor.
(e) The sealed case records involved vulnerable
adult abuse under section 13-3623 and the person is applying for a job
involving supervising or administering care to a vulnerable adult or a person
who is at least sixty-five years of age.
(f) The sealed case records involved a violation of
section 5-395.01, 5-396, 5-397, 13-1814, 28-1381,
28-1382, 28-1383, 28-8282, 28-8284, 28-8286, 28-8287
or 28-8288 and the person is applying for a job involving the commercial
or private operation of a motor vehicle, boat or airplane.
(g) The sealed case records involved a violation of
chapter 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 or 23 of this title or telecommunication fraud under
section 13-3707 and the person is applying for a job involving
accounting, overseeing, transporting, handling or managing another person's
money or financial assets.
(h) The person is applying for a position with a law
enforcement agency, a prosecutor's office, a court, a probation department, a
child welfare agency as defined in section 8-501, the department of child
safety, the department of juvenile corrections or the state department of
corrections.
(i) The person is undergoing a background check for
the placement with that person of a child who is in the custody of the
department of child safety.
(j) The disclosure is required by a state or federal
law.
(k) The disclosure is required to comply with
program integrity provisions of medicare, medicaid or any other federal health
care program.
6. The person's employer is not liable for hiring or
contracting with the person as prescribed in section 12-558.03.
J. I. If
the person's case records are sealed pursuant to this section, the records
shall be made available for the purposes listed in subsection B of this section
and to the following:
1. The person whose records are sealed and any
attorney who has filed a notice of appearance on behalf of the person whose
records are sealed.
2. The victim in the case if the victim has
exercised victims' rights pursuant to section 13-4414.
3. Any of the following if the purpose relates to
the operation of the requesting party's official duties or internal hiring
practices, or both:
(a) A law enforcement agency.
(b) A prosecuting agency.� On request of a person
who is charged with a criminal offense or that person's attorney of record, a
prosecuting agency shall provide the sealed case records of any person whom the
prosecuting agency intends to call as a witness in that person's prosecution.
(c) A probation department or any agency that is
responsible for the preparation of a presentence report.
(d) A court.
(e) The department of child safety or a child
welfare agency as defined in section 8-501.
(f) The department of juvenile corrections.
(g) The state department of corrections or any other
correctional facility in this state.
(h) The clerk of the court or any department that is
responsible for maintaining court records.
K. J. This
section does not require the supreme court or the court of appeals to seal any
record.
L. K. If
the court denies a petition to seal case records, a person may not file a new
petition until three years after the date of the denial.
M. L. A
conviction for an offense that is committed in another jurisdiction and that if
committed in this state would not constitute an offense in this state may not
be used against the petitioner or prohibit the petitioner from having a record
sealed.� For the purposes of this section, the classification of an offense
committed in another jurisdiction has the classification that the offense would
have if committed in this state.
N. M. If
the petitioner has a charge pending or is charged with an offense after filing
a petition to seal case records pursuant to subsection C, paragraph 3 or 4 of
this section and the charge could result in a conviction that cannot be sealed
or that could extend the time to file a petition to seal case records, the
court may not grant or deny the petition until the court disposes of that
charge.
O. N. The
following offenses are not eligible to be sealed pursuant to this section:
1. A dangerous offense as defined in section 13-105.
2. A dangerous crime against children as defined in
section 13-705.
3. A serious offense or violent or aggravated felony
as defined in section 13-706.
4. Any offense that has either of the following as
an element of the offense:
(a) The discharge, use or threatening exhibition of
a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument.
(b) The knowing infliction of serious physical
injury on another person.
5. Sex trafficking pursuant to section 13-1307.
6. A class 2, 3, 4 or 5 felony offense that is
included in chapter 14 or 35.1 of this title.
P. O. This
section does not affect any of the following:
1. The right of the person whose case records are
sealed to appeal the conviction or sentence or to rely on it in bar of any
subsequent proceeding for the same offense.
2. The right of a law enforcement agency to maintain
an arrest and conviction record and to communicate information regarding the
sealed record of arrest or conviction to prosecuting agencies, courts,
probation departments and other law enforcement agencies for a purpose listed
in subsection J  I of this
section or in defense of a civil action that arises out of the facts of the
arrest or to the Arizona peace officer standards and training board solely to
assist the board in determining the fitness of a person to serve as a peace
officer, except that in any of these cases the information may not be disclosed
to any person or entity that is not listed in subsection J  I of this section.
3. The department of public safety or the board of
fingerprinting from considering a conviction that is sealed pursuant to this
section when evaluating an application for a fingerprint clearance card
pursuant to section 41-1758.03 or 41-1758.07, except that the board
of fingerprinting shall consider sealed case records as a mitigating
circumstance in determining whether to grant a good cause exception pursuant to
section 41-619.55.
4. A court from issuing a lifetime injunction
pursuant to section 13-719 or the validity of a lifetime injunction that
was issued pursuant to section 13-719.
P. NOTWITHSTANDING SUBSECTION A OF
THIS SECTION and section 13-604, at the time of filing a petition to
seal, if at least five years has passed since THE PERSON COMPLETED ALL OF THE
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE SENTENCE THAT were IMPOSED BY THE COURT, INCLUDING
THE PAYMENT OF ALL MONETARY OBLIGATIONS, the court shall permanently designate
a FELONY CONVICTION AS A CLASS 1 MISDEMEANOR IF THE PERSON WAS CONVICTED OF A
NONDANGEROUS CLASS 4, 5 OR 6 felony OFFENSE involving a violation of any of the
following offenses and THE OFFENSE did not involve a VICTIM:
1. Section 13-3402, if the
violation involves only the possession of peyote.
2. Section 13-3403, subsection
A.
3. Section 13-3404.01,
subsection A, paragraph 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 or subsection B, C, D
or E.
4. Section 13-3405, subsection
A if the violation involves an amount of marijuana that is under the threshold
amount.
5. Section 13-3407, subsection
A, paragraph 1.
6. Section 13-3408, subsection
A, paragraph 1.
7. Section 13-3415, subsection
A.
8. Section 28-1383, subsection
A, paragraph 1, 2 or 3
Q. For the purposes of this
section, "case records" means all records that pertain to a person's
arrest, conviction and sentence for a particular offense and that may be sealed
pursuant to this section.END_STATUTE
Sec. 3. Section 32-1606, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE32-1606. Powers and duties of board
A. The board may:
1. Adopt and revise rules necessary to carry into
effect this chapter.
2. Publish advisory opinions regarding registered
and practical nursing practice and nursing education.
3. Issue limited licenses or certificates if it
determines that an applicant or licensee cannot function safely in a specific
setting or within the full scope of practice.
4. Refer criminal violations of this chapter to the
appropriate law enforcement agency.
5. Establish a confidential program for monitoring
licensees who are chemically dependent and who enroll in rehabilitation
programs that meet the criteria established by the board. The board
may take further action if the licensee refuses to enter into a stipulated
agreement or fails to comply with its terms. In order to protect the
public health and safety, the confidentiality requirements of this paragraph do
not apply if the licensee does not comply with the stipulated agreement.
6. On the applicant's or regulated party's request,
establish a payment schedule with the applicant or regulated party.
7. Provide education regarding board functions.
8. Collect or assist in collecting workforce data.
9. Adopt rules to conduct pilot programs consistent
with public safety for innovative applications in nursing practice, education
and regulation.
10. Grant retirement status on request to retired
nurses who are or were licensed under this chapter, who have no open complaint
or investigation pending against them and who are not subject to discipline.
11. Accept and spend federal monies and private
grants, gifts, contributions and devises to assist in carrying out the purposes
of this chapter.� These monies do not revert to the state general fund at the
end of the fiscal year.
B. The board shall:
1. Approve regulated training and educational
programs that meet the requirements of this chapter and rules adopted by the
board.
2. By rule, establish approval and reapproval
processes for nursing and nursing assistant training programs that meet the
requirements of this chapter and board rules.
3. Prepare and maintain a list of approved nursing
programs to prepare registered nurses and practical nurses whose graduates are
eligible for licensing under this chapter as registered nurses or as practical
nurses if they satisfy the other requirements of this chapter and board rules.
4. Examine qualified registered nurse and practical
nurse applicants.
5. License and renew the licenses of qualified
registered nurse and practical nurse applicants and licensed nursing assistants
who are not qualified to be licensed by the executive director.
6. Adopt a seal, which the executive director shall
keep.
7. Keep a record of all proceedings.
8. For proper cause, deny or rescind approval of a
regulated training or educational program for failure to comply with this
chapter or the rules of the board.
9. Adopt rules to approve credential evaluation
services that evaluate the qualifications of applicants who graduated from an
international nursing program.
10. Determine and administer appropriate
disciplinary action against all regulated parties who are found guilty of
violating this chapter or rules adopted by the board.
11. Perform functions necessary to carry out the
requirements of the nursing assistant and nurse aide training and competency
evaluation program as set forth in the omnibus budget reconciliation act of
1987 (P.L. 100-203; 101 Stat. 1330), as amended by the medicare
catastrophic coverage act of 1988 (P.L. 100-360; 102 Stat.
683). These functions shall include:
(a) Testing and registering certified nursing
assistants.
(b) Testing and licensing licensed nursing
assistants.
(c) Maintaining a list of board-approved
training programs.
(d) Maintaining a registry of nursing assistants for
all certified nursing assistants and licensed nursing assistants.
(e) Assessing fees.
12. Adopt rules establishing acts that may be
performed by a registered nurse practitioner or certified nurse midwife, except
that the board does not have authority to decide scope of practice relating to
abortion as defined in section 36-2151.
13. Adopt rules that prohibit registered nurse
practitioners, clinical nurse specialists or certified nurse midwives from
dispensing a schedule II controlled substance that is an opioid, except for an
implantable device or an opioid that is for medication-assisted treatment
for substance use disorders or as provided in section 32-3248.03.
14. Adopt rules establishing educational
requirements to certify school nurses.
15. Publish copies of board rules and distribute
these copies on request.
16. Require each applicant for initial licensure or
certification to submit a full set of fingerprints to the board for the purpose
of obtaining a state and federal criminal records check pursuant to section 41-1750
and Public Law 92-544. The department of public safety may
exchange this fingerprint data with the federal bureau of investigation.
17. Except for a licensee who has been convicted of
a felony that has been designated a misdemeanor pursuant to section 13-604 or 13-911, revoke a license of a person, revoke the
multistate licensure privilege of a person pursuant to section 32-1669 or
not issue a license or renewal to an applicant who has one or more felony
convictions and who has not received an absolute discharge from the sentences
for all felony convictions three or more years before the date of filing an
application pursuant to this chapter.
18. Establish standards to approve and reapprove
registered nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist programs and
provide for surveys of registered nurse practitioner and clinical nurse
specialist programs as the board deems necessary.
19. Provide the licensing authorities of health care
institutions, facilities and homes with any information the board receives
regarding practices that place a patient's health at risk.
20. Limit the multistate licensure privilege of any
person who holds or applies for a license in this state pursuant to section 32-1668.
21. Adopt rules to establish competency standards
for obtaining and maintaining a license.
22. Adopt rules to qualify and certify clinical
nurse specialists.
23. Adopt rules to approve and reapprove refresher
courses for nurses who are not currently practicing.
24. Maintain a list of approved medication assistant
training programs.
25. Test and certify medication assistants.
26. Maintain a registry and disciplinary record of medication
assistants who are certified pursuant to this chapter.
27. Adopt rules to establish the requirements for a
clinical nurse specialist to prescribe and dispense drugs and devices
consistent with section 32-1651 and within the clinical nurse
specialist's population or disease focus.
28. Issue registrations to administer general
anesthesia and sedation in dental offices and dental clinics pursuant to
section 32-1272 to certified registered nurse anesthetists who have
national board certification in anesthesiology.
C. The board may conduct an investigation on receipt
of information that indicates that a person or regulated party may have
violated this chapter or a rule adopted pursuant to this
chapter. Following the investigation, the board may take
disciplinary action pursuant to this chapter.
D. The board may limit, revoke or suspend the
privilege of a nurse to practice in this state granted pursuant to section 32-1668.
E. Failure to comply with any final order of the
board, including an order of censure or probation, is cause for suspension or
revocation of a license or a certificate.
F. The president or a member of the board designated
by the president may administer oaths in transacting the business of the board.
END_STATUTE