Today the New York Senate passed the Clean Slate Act, a bill that would automatically seal the criminal records of many of the 2.3 million New Yorkers with conviction histories. Misdemeanor records would be sealed after three years and felonies after seven years. The bill is now before the Assembly.
Ames Grawert, senior counsel in the Justice program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, had the following comment:
“Passing the Clean Slate Act puts New York State at the head of a nationwide movement centered on creating real second chances for people who have been involved with the criminal justice system.
“By automatically sealing criminal records, the law will help millions of New Yorkers access better jobs and stable housing — particularly Black and Latino New Yorkers who have been disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system and policies that shut them out of better opportunities.
“We urge the Assembly to pass this legislation and Governor Hochul to sign without delay.”
Additional resources:
- “Written Testimony Submitted to the New York Senate Standing Committee on Codes [about automatic expungement],” by Ames Grawert, May 6, 2022
- “The Clean Slate Act Can Build a More Prosperous New York,” Brennan Center report, January 14, 2022
- “Poverty and Mass Incarceration in New York: An Agenda for Change,” Brennan Center report, February 23, 2021
