LANSING, Mich., Oct. 1, 2024 — State Reps. Kara Hope (D-Holt) and Graham Filler (R-DeWitt) recently introduced bipartisan legislation to fix issues with “Clean Slate” laws.
The Clean Slate legislation was signed into Michigan law in 2020 and expanded expungement eligibility. Under current law, a person must not have an additional conviction in the waiting period between a conviction and expungement eligibility. Therefore, a conviction in the waiting period cannot be expunged simultaneously with the original conviction.
“This bipartisan legislation provides a technical fix to existing clean slate laws to lessen the strain on the judicial system and eliminate barriers for Michiganders seeking expungement,” said Hope.
Almost 70% of clients that participate in Project Clean Slate have a conviction in the waiting period, meaning that multiple applications for expungement need to be filed due an additional conviction. This puts a strain on the legal system and delays employment, housing and educational opportunities for individuals seeking expungement.
“Expungement is a powerful tool for Michigan citizens to move forward with their lives and get employment opportunities,” said Filler. “I’m thankful for this bipartisan legislation that makes a much-needed technical fix to Michigan’s nation-leading expungement law.”
Safe & Just Michigan, an organization dedicated to promoting community safety and criminal justice reform, supports this legislation.
“Allowing any conviction during the waiting period to block a prior conviction from being sealed has proved to be unnecessary, harsh in application and inconsistent with the purpose of the Clean Slate law,” said John Cooper, executive director of Safe & Just Michigan. “Over 450,000 convictions are currently being blocked from sealing through the automatic process. In many cases, a low-level misdemeanor is preventing a more serious conviction from being sealed. Safe & Just Michigan applauds the bill sponsors for taking action to fix this situation.”
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