A bipartisan plan to reform issues within Michigan’s Clean Slate expungement process was announced. The Clean Slate legislation was signed into law in 2020 and expanded expungement eligibility. Under that law, a person must not have an additional conviction in the waiting period between a conviction and expungement eligibility. Therefore, a conviction in the waiting period cannot be expunged simultaneously with the original conviction. Thus, in almost 70% of cases, multiple applications need to be filed, putting a strain on the legal system and delaying employment, housing, and educational opportunities for individuals seeking expungement.
Key Points:
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- The legislation was introduced by Representative Graham Filler (R-St. Johns) and Representative Kara Hope (D-Holt).
- The package aims to simplify the petition process, eliminate unnecessary delays, and help more residents benefit from the opportunities that expungement can provide.
- It aims to fix a major issue in the current system dealing with how convictions during the waiting period are handled, which causes delays and extra paperwork.
- Under the legislation, individuals seeking expungement can file a single application for all eligible convictions.
Next Steps:
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- House Bills 5957 and 5958 were referred to the House Criminal Justice Committee for consideration.
