Illinois 'Clean Slate Act' Now Law

- The law is projected to inject an estimated $4.7 billion in lost wages back into the Illinois economy annually. Research indicates that individuals with sealed records experience an average wage increase of 22% within the first year of their record being cleared. - Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the bill, which was championed by chief sponsors State Representative Jehan Gordon-Booth and State Senator Elgie Sims. It received bipartisan support and was endorsed by a coalition including business groups and law enforcement officials. - An estimated 1.74 to 2 million Illinois residents will be eligible for automatic record sealing under the new law. Previously, fewer than 6,000 people a year successfully navigated the petition-based process, a pace that would have taken over 150 years to clear all eligible records. - The automatic sealing applies to qualifying non-violent convictions after a waiting period of two years for misdemeanors and three years for felonies following the completion of a sentence. Records for dismissed or reversed charges will be sealed automatically when the case concludes. - The law specifically excludes serious and violent offenses from automatic sealing, such as murder, sex offenses, domestic battery, DUIs, stalking, and Class X felonies. Law enforcement, courts, and certain employers in sensitive fields will retain access to sealed records through fingerprint-based background checks. - Implementation of the automated system will be phased. While some provisions shortening waiting periods begin on June 30, 2026, the Illinois State Police will begin the process of automatically identifying and sealing records by 2029. - Illinois is the 13th state to create an automated record clearance process, shifting the burden from the individual to the state government.