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2 Million Illinois Residents Could Have Convictions For Nonviolent Crimes Automatically Sealed Under New Law
Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the Clean Slate Act into law on January 16, 2026, creating one of the most comprehensive automatic record-sealing systems in the country and aiming to help people who have completed their sentences move forward with their lives. The legislation shifts the burden of initiating record sealing from individuals to the state, streamlining a process that previously required petitions and court appearances. While the law does not expand which records are eligible, it will systematically seal qualifying records after mandatory waiting periods and eliminate much of the red tape that has kept many people from applying. Supporters say the Act will open doors to work, housing and education for hundreds of thousands of people, with implementation beginning in the coming years.
'Clean Slate' Law Helps Former Inmates Find Work While Boosting Illinois’ Economy
This piece highlights how Illinois’ Clean Slate Act helps people rebuild workforce participation and strengthens the state’s economy, alongside other reader opinions on politics and culture.
Advocates Cheer New Illinois Law That Seals Non-Violent Convictions 3 Years After Completing A Sentence
Illinois lawmakers have enacted a new Clean Slate law to automatically seal records for people with non-violent offenses three years after finishing their sentence, expanding access to jobs, housing, and loans beginning in 2029.
2 Million Illinois Residents Could Have Convictions For Nonviolent Crimes Automatically Sealed Under New Law
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has signed the Clean Slate Act, a bipartisan law to automate the sealing of eligible records for people who have completed their sentences for non-violent offenses, expanding access to employment, housing, and education by removing procedural barriers.
