State Campaigns

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.

In a short time, we’ve gone from being an ambitious campaign to a rapidly-growing organization, and there’s so much more to come. Learn more in this update about The Clean Slate Initiative’s growth.

In September 2022, California became the eighth state to enact a Clean Slate law when Governor Gavin Newsome signed Senate Bill 731 (SB 731). The bill expands automatic and petition-based record sealing for a range of offenses, which opens the door for record relief for over a million people.

On June 1, 2022, the New York State Senate passed Clean Slate legislation that will automate the record sealing process for certain offenses, allowing more New Yorkers to earn a living, support themselves and their families, and positively contribute to their communities.