California Senate Bill 1038 is currently awaiting consideration by the state legislature. If it is approved and signed by Governor Brown, juveniles who have been convicted of crimes may have more opportunities to put their criminal pasts behind them.

Past criminal convictions can haunt a juvenile. Proponents of the bill argue that juveniles with a criminal record will have an easier time as law-abiding members of society if their juvenile criminal records are not available to the public. Though juvenile records can already be sealed for certain crimes, this proposal would make the sealing of these records even more robust.

Not all criminal convictions would be sealed. Only records for certain juvenile crimes would be sealed from public view. Crimes like murder, kidnapping and a wide variety of sex crimes would not be subject to the new law. Current law allows law enforcement officials to object to the sealing of any juvenile criminal records but the new proposal would revoke that opportunity. This may grant many young people an opportunity to make a fresh start.