Maryland Rally Will Highlight Need for Clean Slate & Fair Chance Housing

Annapolis, MD — Advocates from across Maryland will rally outside the statehouse in Annapolis this evening, urging lawmakers to prioritize legislation that reduces barriers to opportunity for people who have earned a second chance after making a mistake and being held accountable.

The event will spotlight:

• The Maryland Clean Slate Act (HB 360/SB 483), a proposal that would automate the record-sealing process and remove outdated records from most background checks, reducing red tape and barriers to employment, housing, as well as
• The Fair Chance Housing Act, a proposal that would limit the use of background checks in rental application processes and increase access to stable housing, which has been shown to decrease crime and increase public safety.

A diverse coalition of organizations that support Clean Slate and Fair Chance Housing organized the event, including: Clean Slate Maryland,  Out for Justice, Public Justice Center, Center for Urban Families, University of Baltimore’s Center for Criminal Justice Reform, Shore Legal Access, BUILD Baltimore, and We Our Us, among others.

About Clean Slate

Clean Slate legislation has been passed in 13 states and Washington, D.C., and new polling shows broad support among Marylanders. In a January 2026 poll, Gonzales Research & Media Services found that 59% of respondents favor the proposal, with support spanning the political spectrum: 70% of Democrats, 59% of Independents, and 37% of Republicans.

According to The Clean Slate Initiative, 1 in every 4.6 adults in Maryland (22%) has an arrest or conviction record. Under this proposal — sponsored by Delegate David Moon (D-Montgomery), the House Majority Leader, and Sen. Mike McKay (R-Western Maryland) — an estimated 407,000 adults with an eligible record would have their eligible records sealed through an automated process, removing barriers to employment, housing, and stability while protecting public safety.

About Fair Chance Housing

The Fair Chance Housing Act – sponsored by Delegate Robbyn Lewis (D-Baltimore) and by Senator Shaneka Henson (D-Anne Arundel) – would place some limits on how landlords use background checks, so housing decisions are based on whether someone can be a good tenant today. This is a practical, common-sense update that allows landlords to screen tenants while ensuring people are not shut out of housing forever because of past mistakes. By modernizing these rules, lawmakers can help more Marylanders secure stable housing and strengthen communities across the state.

Research has found that a conviction history is not a good predictor of housing success. Further, most people with a conviction in their past do not have another conviction and many background checks include wrong, old, or misleading information, so a previous conviction is not an effective prediction of future behavior.

Quotes in Support of Clean Slate

Terry Speaks, Leadership Development Organizer at Out For Justice and a leader in the Clean Slate Maryland coalition:

“Hundreds of thousands of people in Maryland are currently eligible to have all or part of their record sealed. However, most don’t pursue it because our current process is costly, confusing, and overly bureaucratic. Automating this process would help the state proactively remove inequitable barriers, reduce employer-driven discrimination, and support full reintegration into society for justice-impacted individuals.”  

Meredith Girard, Executive Director of Shore Legal Access and a leader in the Clean Slate Maryland coalition:

“As we help people navigate the complicated court process for sealing records, it’s clear that folks are working hard to build a better life after making a mistake and want nothing more than a fair chance at being able to support themselves and their families. Second chances should be within reach for everyone who earns it, regardless of how much money one makes or whether they live on the Eastern Shore or in the Baltimore-D.C. metro area. An automated record sealing process would cut the red tape and make the process fairer for everyone.”

Sheena Meade, CEO of The Clean Slate Initiative

“The enthusiasm for Clean Slate in Maryland mirrors what we’re seeing across the country: The momentum for Clean Slate is growing. These bills are a common-sense bipartisan win for legislators. There’s an opportunity now to build on the success lawmakers and Governor Moore have already made to ensure people have pathways to earn a second chance after making a mistake. It’s an easy cause to get behind, and I am inspired by the work being done by community leaders across Maryland.”

Quotes in Support of Fair Chance Housing

Minister Thomas Anderson, a leader with BUILD (Baltimoreans United In Leadership Development), a broad-based and non-partisan coalition of 50 religious congregations and non-profits:

“More than a million people across Maryland face barriers to housing because of their past records. I should know. I’ve experienced it more than once – paying for rental applications that inevitably ended up in rejection. At BUILD, we’ve heard hundreds of more stories similar to mine. The time is now to pass the Fair Chance Housing Act and end this kind of discrimination. This legislation, paired with Clean Slate here in Maryland, will be transformative.”

John Bae, Director of the Opening Doors initiative at the Vera Institute of Justice:

"People with conviction histories face barriers when trying to secure housing. This lack of housing impacts public safety and contributes to the cyclical relationship between housing insecurity and criminal justice system involvement. We call on the Maryland General Assembly to pass the fair chance housing law so people with conviction histories in Maryland have a chance at stability.”

Albert Turner, Attorney at the Public Justice Center:

“The Public Justice Center (PJC) has time and time again represented returning citizens who struggle to find housing because of their criminal record.  This unnecessary barrier limits returning citizens’ ability to transition from incarceration to full participation in society. Formerly incarcerated people are nearly ten times more likely to experience homelessness than the general public, with Black Marylanders disproportionately affected. While Maryland is investing in expanding housing development, that effort must be paired with policies that actually connect people to housing. Allowing returning citizens to demonstrate their reliability as renters—without bias clouding the application process—is both morally right and fiscally responsible. Data has shown that providing stable housing costs less than relying on emergency shelters, incarceration, and emergency healthcare. Passing the Fair Chance in Housing Act is a critical step toward ensuring stable housing for all Marylanders.”

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