Clean Slate Maine is a bi-partisan organization working in Maine to pass and implement Clean Slate laws and expand who is eligible for record sealing.
Clean Slate Maine is a bi-partisan organization working in Maine to pass and implement Clean Slate laws and expand who is eligible for record sealing.
Sponsored by Senator Talbot Ross of Portland
In 2022, the Maine State Legislature enacted a system that allows individuals to petition the courts to seal certain misdemeanor records. Those with eligible convictions can seek relief once four years have passed since they finished their sentence and provided they have no other convictions or deferred cases[1]. The legislative intent was to offer relief to folks that have earned a second chance. In practice, very few people have been able to access record relief under Maine’s current record sealing system. From January 1 to September 9, 2024, 18 motions were filed for record sealing of which six were granted, 11 were denied, and one was declared moot[2].
Most people work hard, contribute to their families, and support their communities. Yet, a conviction cuts a job seeker’s chances of getting a callback or job offer by nearly 50 percent[3]. Mainers deserve access to safe and stable housing, but 90 percent of landlords use background checks when selecting tenants[4]. The intent of Maine’s record clearing has not been realized, as people who have served their time and demonstrated change continue to face barriers.
[1] MRS Title 15, Chapter 310-A. Post- Judgement Motion to Seal Criminal History Record.
[2] Report: Criminal Records Review Committee, December 2024. State of Maine 131st Legislature, Second Regular Session. Office of Policy and Legal Analysis.
[3] Pager, Devah. “The Mark of a Criminal Record.” American Journal of Sociology, vol. 108, no. 5, March 2003, pp. 937‑975.
By passing LD 1911, An Act to Automatically Seal Criminal History Record Information for Certain Crimes, we can provide an estimated 163,000 Mainers with an earned second chance by fully and automatically sealing their records[1]. We can open the door to good jobs, housing, education, and stability. We can give people the chance to move forward without forever being defined by something in their past.
Clean Slate is a fair shot at redemption. Maine has the opportunity to create a streamlined, automated record-sealing process that would break down obstacles and promote dignity for working families. Tell your legislators to vote yes on LD 1911 and enact a record sealing system that truly works for Mainers that have earned relief.
This bill creates an automated system to seal certain arrest or conviction records for individuals who meet specific requirements and have remained crime-free for a period of time, eliminating barriers within the petition-based process, which leaves a shot at redemption out of reach for most who have earned it.
Once people meet the requirements, eligible criminal history records would be sealed and no longer accessible through public record searches, which is consistent with current Maine law.
[1] https://www.cleanslateinitiative.org/state-data-factsheets/maine
