State Campaigns

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, 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.

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 in this update 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. Learn more in this update by Caitlin Dunklee, CSI Campaign Strategist.

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. Learn more in this update from Ryan Ewing, 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.

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. Read more in this guest contribution by Tracie Burkhart, someone whose life would have been impacted by this important legislation.

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 update from Erik Altieri.

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.

This year marks the seventh consecutive year recognizing April as Second Chance Month.

Ensuring people with an arrest or conviction record have meaningful second chances is important. And in recent years, Clean Slate legislation has emerged as a powerful tool to ensure everyone has a shot at redemption.

The Clean Slate Initiative’s bipartisan endeavor has been successful in passing and implementing laws that automate government record-sealing processes to automatically seal records for those who are eligible.

We need your help to ensure the progress continues.

Use our Second Chance Month Toolkit to show your support of Clean Slate efforts this month. We invite you to use the content in our toolkit as-is or as inspiration for your own content throughout Second Chance Month.