Amendments to the Expungement Statutes (Part 10)

N.J.S.A. 2C:52-15 is amended to read as follows:

2C:52-15. a. Except as provided in subsection b. of this section, if an order of expungement of records of arrest or conviction under this chapter is granted by the court, all the records specified in said order shall be removed from the files of the agencies which have been noticed of the pendency of petitioner’s motion and which are, by the provisions of this chapter, entitled to notice, and shall be placed in the control of a person who has been designated by the head of each such agency which, at the time of the hearing, possesses said records. That designated person shall, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, ensure that such records or the information contained therein are not released for any reason and are not utilized or referred to for any purpose. In response to requests for information or records of the person who was arrested or convicted, all noticed officers, departments and agencies shall reply, with respect to the arrest, conviction or related proceedings which are the subject of the order, that there is no record information.

b. Records of the Probation Division of the Superior Court related to restitution, a fine, or other court-ordered financial assessment that remains due at the time the court grants an expungement may be retained as confidential, restricted-access records in the Judiciary’s automated system to facilitate the collection and distribution of any outstanding assessments by the comprehensive enforcement program established pursuant to P.L.1995, c.9 (C.2B:19-1 et al.) as ordered by the court. The Administrative Director of the Courts shall ensure that such records are not released to the public. Such records shall be removed from the Judiciary’s automated system upon satisfaction of court-ordered financial assessments or by order of the court.

The word “insure” was changed to “ensure” in the above-quoted expungement sub-section. Ensure usually refers to making certain that something happens. Insure usually refers to the issuance of an insurance policy. Sub-section (b) was added to allow for outstanding fines to be collected without disclosure of the underlying offense(s) once an expungement is granted.