Mayfield Supports Measure Automatically Sealing Records for Certain Prior Offenses

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – This week, state Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan, helped lead the effort to pass the Clean Slate Act, an automatic record sealing approach for certain, previously incarcerated individuals. 

“The hardships that previously incarcerated individuals face upon their return, such as mental health concerns and difficulties with employment and housing, contribute greatly to poverty and recidivism,” Mayfield said. “This legislation is a step in the right direction to ensuring that they live fulfilling lives following their return from prison because it will expedite the process of acquiring a job, house and other important resources by automatically sealing records of certain offenses.”

The Mayfield-backed Senate Bill 1784 transitions the sealing process for certain criminal and petty offense records from a petition-based process to an automatic one. It does not fully guarantee that a record will be sealed, but it starts the process for qualified cases. Specific cases, such as, but not limited to, bodily harm and murder, sex offenses, no contact orders, robbery and class x felonies are unqualified for sealing. 

Senate Bill 1784 specifically deals with sealing records, not expunging them. Law enforcement and prosecutors will still be able to access records, if necessary, in the future. 

The Mayfield-backed measure received bipartisan support, and has returned to the Senate for concurrence.