Gordon-Booth Passes Clean Slate Act, Would Automatically Seal Records for Certain Offenses, Helping to Remove Barriers

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – To help give individuals with previous convictions a fresh start, state Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, led passage of the “Clean Slate Act” Friday. The proposal updates an existing petition process for court record sealing by making it automatic, helping to remove a barrier for jobs, housing and other opportunities.

“This is impactful legislation that is going to further healing and positively help more individuals who have done their time start the next chapter in their life,” Gordon-Booth said. “Previous records, especially those for low level offenses, have too often served as a form of permanent punishment. Not only does this measure make it easier for records to be sealed, it helps those who did not realize this was an option available to them.”

Gordon-Booth’s Senate Bill 1784 transitions the sealing process for certain criminal and petty offense records from a petition-based process to an automatic one initiated by the Illinois State Police. It does not guarantee that a record will be sealed, it only initiates the process for qualified cases. Certain cases, such as, but not limited to, murder, sex offenses, bodily harm, no contact orders, class x felonies and robbery do not qualify for sealing.

Senate Bill 1784 applies specifically to sealing records, not expunging them. Records that are sealed, while off limits to the public, may still be accessed by law enforcement and prosecutors, if necessary, in the future.

Timelines for the sealing process vary on offense.

“I appreciate the bipartisan support this measure received, and for the work from advocates and business groups to make this measure a reality,” Gordon-Booth said. “This is going to help a lot of communities.”

Senate Bill 1784 will now head back to the Illinois Senate for concurrence. For more information, please contact RepJGordon@gmail.com.