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Missouri Expungement Fees Could Violate State Constitution

Seal of the State Auditor
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KBIA

Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway says a law to allow more people to request criminal record expungements and raise application fees could violate the state Constitution.

Galloway warned Tuesday that a 2016 law could go over limits on lawmakers raising fees without a public vote.

But that depends on whether an estimated net of more than $146 million in revenue materializes once the law is fully implemented in fiscal year 2019.

The law takes effect in January. It will allow more people to apply to expunge criminal records and shorten the waiting period for doing so. It raises application fees from $100 to $250.

Springfield Republican Sen. Bob Dixon sponsored the measure and says researchers overestimated potential expungement applications. He says he "seriously doubts" it will violate revenue limits.

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