November 16 marked the one-year anniversary of NY Governor Hochul signing the state’s Clean Slate Act, which is among the nation’s most expansive and inclusive legislation to seal old conviction records. What does that mean, and what comes next? Learn more in this update from Clean Slate New York partners at the Center for Community Alternatives.

The 12 states that have already passed Clean Slate laws are the proof in the pudding: the momentum behind Clean Slate is fueled by the state partners who propel it forward every day. Get the latest updates on our active campaign states in this blog post by Erik Altieri, Interim Director of Campaigns.

The Clean Slate Initiative’s mission includes not only passing Clean Slate policies but also ensuring they are implemented so that automatic record clearance becomes a reality for millions of people in America. While clearing arrest and conviction records can include technical hurdles, those hurdles aren’t insurmountable — especially with the right people at the table.

That’s why The Clean Slate Initiative (CSI) is pulling together the right mix of experts to learn how to address any implementation hurdles and build upon learnings from states as we go. One of those valued partnerships is with Code for America.

Following the Maryland Clean Slate coalition’s official launch in early January, the state partners were hard at work pushing progress forward. At the end of January, the Maryland Clean Slate Act of 2024 was introduced in both chambers with bipartisan support and strong legislative champions. Learn more about the bills, and the Maryland campaign, in this blog post from Ryan Ewing, Campaign Strategist.

Connecticut’s Clean Slate law, signed by Governor Ned Lamont in 2021, was initially slated to go into effect last year but faced unexpected delays that caused the full implementation to be pushed to 2024. Now the state’s Clean Slate implementation is moving forward. Learn more in this blog post by Caitlin Dunklee, CSI Campaign Strategist.

The Pennsylvania state legislature passed HB 689, legislation that builds on the state’s groundbreaking 2018 Clean Slate law by expanding access to second-chance opportunities for people with felony convictions. The bill passed with broad bipartisan support and was immediately signed into law earlier today by Governor Josh Shapiro.

Our team put together this year’s annual report to provide our donors, supporters, allies, and partners with a comprehensive and interactive overview of the work we tackled in 2023. Read more in this end of year recap from our CEO, Sheena Meade.

Clean Slate Delaware has created a resource to help adults with Delaware records navigate their path to a brighter future. Clean Slate Delaware’s expungement hub is a brand new resource sharing all the current & upcoming details on how to obtain an expungement of an arrest or conviction record in the state of Delaware. Learn more in this blog post from Ryan Ewing, CSI Campaign Strategist.

Start spreading the news. New York’s on its way. And while the song that says, “If I can make it there, I'm gonna make it anywhere,” is referring to New York City, the same determined spirit is held by people across the Empire State - from Buffalo to Long Island, Brooklyn to the Plattsburg, and everywhere in between…

“After years of sustained advocacy and strong public demand, New York is on the path to ensuring that a past mistake will not forever foreclose the opportunity for people to build a better life for themselves and their families.

“Soon, millions of New Yorkers will no longer be defined by their records…

It might be spooky season, but automatic record sealing isn’t a scary topic. Read more from Chelsea Murphy, Campaign Strategist.

During the 2023 SCJA annual conference held in mid-September, CSI hosted a panel titled “Blank Pages, Bright Futures: Streamlining Record Clearance for a Clean Slate.” Learn more about our presentation in this blog post by Jesse Kelley, Senior Policy Strategist.

This year Texas lawmakers missed an opportunity to advance a Clean Slate policy that would have improved the lives of more than three million Texans, offering a meaningful opportunity for a second chance after obtaining an arrest or conviction record. Read more in this guest blog post by Tracie Burkhart, someone whose life would have been impacted by this important legislation.

“We applaud New York lawmakers for reaching an agreement and supporting this common-sense policy. Over 2.3 million people have a record in New York, but only .2% of eligible people have cleared their records under the current system. This Clean Slate bill will automatically clear records for anyone who is eligible, helping more New Yorkers gain a second chance at a better future…

Minnesota just became the 11th state to pass legislation that meets The Clean Slate Initiative’s criteria for “Clean Slate” legislation. Read more in this blog post.

In partnership with the Clean Slate Initiative, SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics, conducted an analysis of record clearance policies in 11 states, and put their findings together in a report that outlines what’s working, what needs work, and where states can go from here.

On April 11, 2023, the automatic expungement provision of Michigan’s Clean Slate law went into effect. On day one, the law is projected to help over 1 million people clear their records fully or in part — learn more in this guest blog post by John Cooper, CEO of Safe & Just Michigan.

Second Chance Month aims to raise awareness about the importance of ensuring people have access to meaningful opportunities after obtaining an arrest or conviction record. Clean Slate policies have created the largest impact of second chance efforts in recent years, made possible by sustained bipartisan support at the state and federal levels. As a result, over one million people in America have received a second chance through automated record sealing of eligible arrest or conviction records. Millions more are in line to have their record automatically sealed as additional states implement policies already signed into law and more states continue to advance additional Clean Slate legislation.

In September 2022, California became the eighth state to enact a Clean Slate law when Governor Gavin Newsome signed Senate Bill 731 (SB 731). The bill expands automatic and petition-based record sealing for a range of offenses, which opens the door for record relief for over a million people.

On June 3, 2022, the New York State Legislature adjourned its legislative session without enacting The New York Clean Slate Act (S1553/A6399), a measure that would have automated the sealing of certain conviction records