Pa. first state with ‘clean slate’ law
By EMILY BENNETT
ebennett@yourmvi.com
Pennsylvanians previously convicted of lower-level criminal convictions will have their court records sealed to the public, under a new state law.
The bill arrived as an effort to curb recidivism and poverty for individuals previously convicted — and to enhance the economy by producing more workers, lawmakers said. The sealing is only applicable to individuals who have committed non-violent misdemeanors or who have had an acquittal or dismissal or a summary offense that was last active 10 years ago.
This “clean slate” legislation received consistent bi-partisan support from Pennsylvania lawmakers, and only received two votes for no, and no dessensions.
A proposed federal Clean State Act, H.R. 2348, is in the works and has sponsorship from Congressman Guy Reschenthaler, R-Peters Township, and Delaware Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester. This proposed federal law would automatically seal the records of those convicted of non-violent drug crimes and provide a labor-saving, streamlined process for individuals to petition courts to seal their records if they are not an individual who is automatically considered for the sealing.
Legislators noted this process by no means expunges the convictions, but instead shields them from the public eye in an attempt to give individuals a second chance as a law-abiding American citizen, void of any obstacles standing in the way of their productivity in society.
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