Advocates Applaud Maryland’s Victory for Second Chances

Today, Maryland lawmakers took a significant step toward justice and opportunity by passing the Expungement Reform Act of 2025 (SB 432). This legislation dismantles outdated barriers to expungement, offering thousands the chance to rebuild their lives and contribute fully to their communities. SB 432 clarifies that probation violations should not disqualify people from having otherwise eligible records sealed, which has been the state’s practice since a Circuit Court for Montgomery County ruling in 2022, Expungement Petition Of Abhishek.

Sheena Meade, CEO of The Clean Slate Initiative, released the following statement in response to this step forward for the state of Maryland:

"This is a meaningful victory for Maryland's families and economy. No one should be forever stigmatized and locked out of opportunities based on a past mistake, especially after doing what society requires of them to earn redemption. With SB 432, Maryland’s legislature affirms that redemption is possible; economic opportunity should no longer be out of reach for the more than 1 million Marylanders with an arrest or conviction record. We commend Governor Wes Moore for his work to expand access to second chances in Maryland and hope to see to his leadership on automated record sealing in the future.

"As we applaud this step forward, we encourage Maryland’s leaders to build on this progress toward a fairer, more efficient legal system — one that strengthens Maryland’s economy rather than hinders it and cuts out the needless red tape that prevents every eligible Marylander from having a fair shot at a second chance."

To learn more about Clean Slate in Maryland, visit cleanslatemaryland.org.