ALBANY, NY – Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R,C-Pulaski) issued the following statement on the Clean Slate Act, which was signed into law today by Governor Hochul. The Clean Slate Act automatically seals criminal records for most misdemeanors and felonies after a set time. This measure blocks prospective employers, roommates, landlords and others from accessing those records.
“For a Governor who claims that her number one priority is protecting the people of New York, she sure has a funny way of showing it. We all believe in second chances, but unilaterally sealing criminal records is hardly the way to go about it. The bill prioritizes those who have broken the law while once again disregarding the victims impacted by their actions.
New York State already had processes in place for judges to seal criminal convictions. But without input from judges, victims or prosecutors, Albany Democrats took it upon themselves to hide vicious and violent crimes from background checks. Convictions for manslaughter, attempted murder, gang assault, attempted kidnapping, burglary, robbery – and many others – will essentially be swept away with the stroke of the governor’s pen.
The overwhelming majority of New Yorkers identify crime as a problem. And for those New Yorkers, the Clean Slate Act represents the latest step in the wrong directions. This is yet another pro-criminal, misguided policy from the people intent on dismantling law and order and removing individual accountability.”
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