(1) Notwithstanding any law dealing generally with the preservation and destruction of public records, the department shall adopt rules to provide for the expunction of a nonjudicial record of the arrest of a minor who has successfully completed a diversion program for a misdemeanor offense.

(2) As used in this section, the term:

(a) “Diversion program” means a program under s. 985.12, s. 985.125, s. 985.155, or s. 985.16 or a program to which a referral is made by a state attorney under s. 985.15.

(b) “Expunction” has the same meaning ascribed in and effect as s. 943.0585, except that:

1. Section 943.0585(6)(b) does not apply, except that the criminal history record of a person whose record is expunged pursuant to this section shall be made available only to criminal justice agencies for the purpose of:

a. Determining eligibility for diversion programs;

b. A criminal investigation; or

c. Making a prosecutorial decision under s. 985.15.

2. Records maintained by local criminal justice agencies in the county in which the arrest occurred that are eligible for expunction pursuant to this section shall be sealed as the term is used in s. 943.059.

(3) The department shall expunge the nonjudicial arrest record of a minor who has successfully completed a diversion program if that minor:

(a) Submits an application for diversion expunction, on a form prescribed by the department, signed by the minor’s parent or legal guardian, or by the minor if he or she has reached the age of majority at the time of applying.

(b) Submits to the department, with the application, an official written statement from the state attorney for the county in which the arrest occurred certifying that he or she has successfully completed that county’s diversion program, that his or her participation in the program was based on an arrest for a misdemeanor, and that he or she has not otherwise been charged by the state attorney with, or found to have committed, any criminal offense or comparable ordinance violation.

(c) Has never been, before filing the application for expunction, charged by the state attorney with, or found to have committed, any criminal offense or comparable ordinance violation.

(4) Expunction or sealing granted under this section does not prevent the minor who receives such relief from petitioning for the expunction or sealing of a later criminal history record as provided for in ss. 943.0583, 943.0585, and 943.059, if the minor is otherwise eligible under those sections.

History.—s. 8, ch. 2001-125; s. 10, ch. 2001-127; s. 66, ch. 2004-267; s. 117, ch. 2006-120; s. 35, ch. 2010-117; s. 3, ch. 2013-98; s. 24, ch. 2013-116; s. 45, ch. 2014-162; s. 3, ch. 2016-42; s. 6, ch. 2018-127; s. 79, ch. 2019-167.