Hochul signs bill that may seal millions of criminal records

The “Clean Slate Act,” one of the most significant bills passed by the state Legislature this year, was hailed by supporters as helping people with criminal records move forward with their lives by gaining housing, employment and other opportunities.

Since becoming governor, Hochul has made crime reduction a major priority. At a bill-signing ceremony on Thursday, Hochul argued that her signing of the Clean Slate Act was not inconsistent with those efforts.

Hochul said some in law enforcement supported the bill because it would reduce recidivism, giving people with past criminal records the chance to move into the workforce, rather than facing rejection from employers due to years-old convictions.

“Give them a home, let them have independence again,” Hochul said. “Have the dignity of a job – it means everything to people. This is after they’re already paid their debt to society … If they can’t take care of themselves and their families, what alternatives do they do? It cycles people back the streets.”

Under the new law, misdemeanors will be sealed three years after the end of a person’s incarceration, or – if no prison term was served – their sentencing. For felonies, records would be sealed eight years after a conviction or the end of a prison sentence. The sealing would only occur if a person is not convicted of any other crime before those time periods have lapsed.

Murder, sex crimes and most Class A felonies would be excluded from the new law’s sealing requirements.

Less-serious types of convictions would be newly sealed when a person applies for a job or housing. But law enforcement would continue to have full access to records of a person’s prior convictions. And full criminal background records will remain available to employers hiring…