Privacy Protections Criminal Justice Records

Subject to limited exceptions, current law requires that a victim's name and identifying information be deleted from criminal justice records released to the public if the person was a victim of certain sexual offenses. The act permits the release of unredacted records to the named victim, victim's designee, or victim's lawful representative.

Subject to limited exceptions, current law requires that a child's name and identifying information be deleted from criminal justice records released to the public if the child was a victim of or witness to a criminal offense. The act permits the release of unredacted records to the office of the state public defender, the office of the alternate defense counsel, the office of respondent parents' counsel, the office of the child's representative, municipal attorneys, county attorneys, and a named child victim's lawful representative. This release requirement must be implemented by July 1, 2024.

The act clarifies that changes in 2023 to the law related to records of child victims and child witnesses apply to records pertaining to offenses committed on or after January 1, 2024. For records pertaining to earlier offenses, the law in effect prior to January 1, 2024 applies.

APPROVED by Governor February 20, 2024

EFFECTIVE February 20, 2024
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)