Bill Would Allow Certain Convictions To Be Sealed For First-Time Offenders

DENVER (CBS4) - Colorado lawmakers are hearing a bill that would allow people convicted of 400 different crimes to have their records sealed.

Supporters of the bill argue people who make one mistake should have the chance to move on with their lives with a clean slate.

The legislation only applies to misdemeanors, but opponents say the convictions that could be sealed include things like trafficking nuclear material and corruption by a public official.

"Not all misdemeanors are created equal, so you can't throw blanket over them and say we're going to treat them all same way -- whether or not you seal a hunter who does or does not wear his orange vest is not as important to me as whether or not you seal or don't seal a public official convicted of public corruption, or gang member convicted only of gun possession," Tom Raynes with the Colorado District Attorney's Council told lawmakers.

As first written the bill would have allowed people guilty of domestic violence and third-degree assault to seal their first convictions. But the bill's sponsors amended it to prevent the sealing of those convictions.