After failing to pass any major legislation to deal with the state’s housing crisis this state legislative session, Albany Democrats on Friday did manage to get one major item over the finish line: a bill that would seal criminal conviction records after a certain period of time.
The legislation, coined the “Clean Slate Act,” finally passed both houses of the legislature on June 9, after years of lawmakers and advocates failing to pass it.
If enacted, Clean Slate would automatically close-out conviction records for those who’ve served out their sentences: three years after completing one’s sentence for misdemeanors and eight years after release from incarceration for felonies. In order to be eligible, individuals must also not have any current pending criminal charges or be out on parole or supervised release.
Those convicted of most Class A felonies, such as murder and kidnapping, would not have their records sealed.
The measure is designed to make it easier for those who’ve paid their debts to society to rebuild their lives, by making it easier to access employment opportunities and find housing without facing discrimination.
“There are millions of people across the state who have served their sentences, completed parole and are now ready to move on with their lives,” Assembly Member Catalina Cruz (D-Queens), the bill’s lower chamber sponsor, said in a statement.
“I am proud to have sponsored this legislation that gives them the opportunity to start a new chapter,” she added. “Who can argue against giving someone a second chance when they’ve already paid their dues to society?”
The legislation passed with the support of four of the city’s district attorneys — Alvin Bragg in Manhattan, Eric Gonzalez in Brooklyn, Melina Katz in Queens and Darcel Clark in the Bronx — and business groups like the Partnership for New York City.
But while Governor Kathy Hochul has signaled support for some version of Clean Slate, she hasn’t said whether she’ll sign the legislation into law.
The Legal Aid Society, in a statement after Clean Slate was approved, urged the governor to expeditiously sign it into law.
“This is a moment for the millions of New Yorkers who have been forced to suffer under the cloud of a criminal conviction that has long impeded their ability to secure employment, housing, educational opportunities, benefits and other critical needs,” the group said. “With the stroke of a pen, Governor Kathy Hochul can end this nightmare and transform the lives of so many of our clients and their families for the better, and we urge her to act without any further delay.”
