On January 16, 2026, Governor JB Pritzker signed the bipartisan Clean Slate Act (P.A. 104-0459), landmark legislation that will automate Illinois’ record-sealing process for individuals with certain non-violent convictions after a designated waiting period. Supporters say the new law will remove long-standing barriers to employment, housing and education for eligible Illinoisans who have completed their sentences.
The Clean Slate Act does not expand which offenses are eligible for sealing. Convictions for violent and serious crimes — including murder, sex offenses, domestic battery, DUI, stalking, Class X and other violent felonies, orders-of-protection violations and additional serious offenses — remain ineligible. Law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and courts will retain full access to sealed records, as will employers and licensing agencies in sensitive fields through Illinois State Police fingerprint-based background checks.
“For too long, we have been shutting doors for Illinoisans coming home from incarceration after serving their time for non-violent offenses,” Governor Pritzker said. “This bipartisan legislation is about empowering eligible people who seek a second chance to make their own choices about their future, giving them the best opportunity to come back home and get themselves on the right path.”
Automating a Complex and Uneven Process
Under current law, the record-sealing process varies across Illinois’ 102 counties and often requires individuals to file petitions, obtain legal representation and make court appearances — a process that can be costly, time-consuming and difficult to navigate. As a result, although roughly two million Illinoisans are eligible for record sealing under existing law, only about 6,000 complete the process each year.
The Clean Slate Act shifts that burden away from individuals by creating an automated system. After completing their sentence and a two-year waiting period for misdemeanors or a three-year waiting period for eligible felonies, qualifying records will be automatically sealed. Records related to dismissed or reversed charges, as well as the underlying arrests, will be sealed automatically at the conclusion of a case.
Illinois State Police will identify records eligible for automatic sealing and notify circuit clerks in all 102 counties through the statewide e-filing system. Circuit clerks will then seal the records and notify arresting agencies.
“To implement the Clean Slate Act, the Illinois State Police will begin a massive upgrade to the Criminal History Records Information System,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “The eligibility and timing criteria outlined in the Act will be incorporated into the system to protect public safety while significantly streamlining the process for the courts and those who are legally eligible for sealments.”
Economic and Community Impact
State leaders and advocates emphasized the economic and social benefits of automatic record sealing. Research from other states shows that individuals experience an average 22 percent wage increase within the first year after their records are sealed. Experts estimate the law could help Illinoisans reclaim up to $4.7 billion in lost wages annually.
Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton said the measure supports safer communities by helping people successfully reenter society. “We know that offering support for people leaving incarceration reduces recidivism,” Stratton said. “This bill will give Illinoisans a second chance to participate in society and open new opportunities to work, vote and secure housing.”
Oversight and Implementation Timeline
The Act establishes a Clean Slate Task Force, a five-year oversight body composed of legislators, agency representatives, advocates and members of the public. The task force will guide implementation, review best practices from other states and report annually to the General Assembly. Agencies will transition to the automated system over several years, with full implementation expected by 2029.
The estimated cost of the transition is approximately $20 million over five years, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly.
Broad Bipartisan Support
The measure was approved during the General Assembly’s fall veto session with bipartisan support and was endorsed by a wide range of lawmakers, law enforcement officials, advocates and business leaders.
“This law is not about charity. It’s not about forgiveness,” said House sponsor Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-Peoria). “This is about justice. This is about redemption.”
Senator Seth Lewis (R-Bartlett) said the Act strikes an appropriate balance. “This bipartisan effort shows we can come together to uphold public safety while also offering meaningful second chances,” he said.
Advocates stressed that automatic sealing ends punishment that extends far beyond a court-imposed sentence. “Clean Slate does not remove accountability,” said Marlon Chamberlain, executive director of the Illinois Coalition to End Permanent Punishments. “It simply acknowledges that at some point the punishment has to end.”
With the signing of HB 1836, Illinois becomes the 13th state to adopt a Clean Slate law, positioning the state to implement one of the most comprehensive automated record-sealing systems in the nation.
Critics of the new law contend that some crimes eligible for sealing are lesser crimes arrived at through plea agreements. Consequently, they argue that employers will be unaware of the criminal record of potential employees who committed more serious crimes.
Sources for this article included a press release from the Pritzker Administration and an article published by the Chicago Tribune.