CLE Event: The New York Clean Slate Act: Second Chances and Community Impact

COURSE DETAILS

Formerly incarcerated persons traditionally faced the reality that the end of their sentence and release from prison did not mean the freedom to reenter society with access to its rights and privileges. Instead, they faced the deprivation of civil rights and access to benefits such as housing, education, employment, vocational licenses, and other rights that average citizens take for granted. The enactment of the Clean Slate Act, signed into law on November 16, 2024, is a major step toward removing the barriers that prevented millions of formerly incarcerated persons from accessing the opportunities they need to successfully reenter society and contribute to their families and the community.

Our panelists include persons who advocated for a Clean Slate Act; persons who worked on its implementation; and persons who currently assist those applying. They will discuss the details of the enactment of the Clean Slate Act; the various steps in determining eligibility; the importance of the law; its economic, public safety, and general impacts; the exclusions; how the Clean Slate Act differs from expungement and sealing; and restrictions on who has access to records of former incarceration.

Attendees will take away from the program:

• Understand the Impact of the Clean Slate Act: Learn how the law is transforming reentry opportunities by reducing barriers to housing, education, employment, occupational licensing, and other critical opportunities for eligible individuals.
• Navigate Eligibility and Application Requirements: Gain a clear understanding of the eligibility criteria, application process, timelines, and the steps individuals must take to benefit from the Clean Slate Act.
• Recognize the Broader Community Benefits: Explore the economic, public safety, workforce, and family-stability impacts of expanding access to opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals.
• Differentiate Clean Slate Relief from Other Record Remedies: Understand the key differences between Clean Slate protections, expungement, and record sealing, including the rights, limitations, and outcomes associated with each.
• Learn About Limitations, Exclusions, and Record Access: Identify which offenses or situations may be excluded from relief, who can access criminal records after relief is granted, and the protections and restrictions established under the law.

FACULTY

Senator Zellnor Myrie, NYS Senate sponsor of Clean Slate Act;  Rinku Kapoor, Attorney NYCLA; Clai Henry, ADA Kings County District Attorney; K.B. White, Legal Action Center.