The White House Uplifts Second Chances
On Friday, March 29, President Biden issued a proclamation declaring April 2024 as Second Chance Month, marking the seventh consecutive year such a proclamation has been issued, with the first signed in 2018.
Since the first Second Chance Month proclamation was issued, twelve states have passed automatic record clearance laws that meet The Clean Slate Initiative’s (CSI) policy criteria, shifting the burden to the state to clear records once they become eligible. Our data model estimates that around 14 million people are eligible to receive full record clearance in those 12 states as a result of the Clean Slate legislation.
This year’s proclamation comes after CSI’s team has been in direct contact with the White House, advocating for Clean Slate at the federal level. Currently, there is no standard process for the clearance of federal records. There are very limited avenues for someone to clear a federal record, like when an arrest or conviction was found to be invalid or a clerical error was made, but those opportunities are comparatively rare. That’s why we’re pushing to pass H.R. 2930, the Clean Slate Act of 2023.
The Clean Slate Act of 2023, sponsored by Reps. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) and Nancy Mace (R-SC), creates a first-ever federal process that enables individuals to petition for clearance of low-level conviction records and establishes a streamlined system to automate sealing for eligible drug records for people who have completed their sentences and remained crime-free for a period of time.
During visits to the White House in January and March, members of our team met with President Biden’s office and Vice President Harris’s office to discuss the importance of Clean Slate legislation at the state and federal levels, and what the White House can do to support the growing momentum behind automatic record clearance.
Those visits were a great opportunity to ensure that Clean Slate efforts across the country are being recognized in the Executive Branch, which helps to create a united front in addressing the issue of arrest and conviction records. Sheena Meade, our CEO, was able to share her own story, bringing a first-hand account of the impact of records front and center for our nation’s leaders.
Arrest and conviction records cast a wide ripple effect. For decades, over-criminalization has prevented many of our family, friends, and neighbors from building a better life for themselves — and Second Chance Month is an opportunity to increase awareness about that. We commend President Biden for continuing the tradition of recognizing Second Chance Month and the efforts to ensure having a record is no longer a life sentence to poverty.
In commemorating Second Chance Month, President Biden's proclamation underscores the significance of providing individuals with opportunities for redemption and renewal. As we celebrate this proclamation, it's crucial for Congress to follow the lead of the twelve states that have passed Clean Slate legislation, thereby expanding access to second chances for millions of Americans. Together, through federal measures like the Clean Slate Act of 2023, we can empower individuals and families to overcome the barriers of past records, fostering brighter futures and stronger communities for all.