Illinois reached a milestone at the end of 2020, as Governor JB Pritzker announced that nearly 500,000 non-felony cannabis arrest records have been expunged by Illinois State Police. He also announced that he has pardoned 20,000+ convictions.

Per the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act of 2019, the state legalized marijuana and created a slew of remedies to help people previously impacted by convictions, arrests, and charges for marijuana use. One of these stipulations is that all records created between 2013 and 2019 be expunged by the start of 2025. ISP is officially 4 years ahead of schedule for these automatic expunctions. Though county clerks are still processing the expunctions at a local level, it is complete at the state level by ISP.

Speaking on the injustices that people of color have experienced by racist drug policies that disproportionately targeted minority communities, Governor Pritzker noted the following:

“We will never be able to fully remedy the depth of that damage. But we can govern with the courage to admit the mistakes of our past—and the decency to set a better path forward. I applaud the Prisoner Review Board, the Illinois State Police, and our partners across the state for their extraordinary efforts that allowed these pardons and expungements to become a reality.”

Other states pale in comparison to the reparations Illinois has made to those whose lives have been upended by drug charges. They are on a mission to correct historic wrongdoings, and we’re hopeful that other states will follow suit with automatic expunctions for substances that are now widely legalized.

If you have a small drug charge you think is hindering your success, Easy Expunctions can help. Sign up for a free background report so we can see what exactly is on your record, and what we may be able to eliminate using our record-clearing software.

Major improvements are soon to arise in Virginia with the help of Delegate Sally Hudson of District 57. Hudson recognizes significant faults within the system, and offers a list of solutions by sponsoring several bills that will put an end to a number of issues that threaten the socio-economic stability in Virginia. The new laws will lessen the consequences for simple drug possession, ease court debts, offer solutions to Virginia’s disorderly unemployment system, and increase regulations placed on VA landlords.

The first bill on Hudson’s list would reduce the penalty for simple drug possession from a felony charge to a misdemeanor. Hudson prioritizes this bill for obvious reasons:

“Right now, you can spend up to a decade in prison if you have a simple possession charge, so if we cap it at a misdemeanor, it means that the sentence can’t be longer than a year. “

Hudson is also backing H.J. 530, a companion bill that will launch a study to examine and evaluate the potential benefits of full decriminalization of simple possession in VA.

More progressive moves are being made with the introduction of H.B. 1895 and H.B. 2040. H.B. 1895 will extend the grace period before interests begin to arise on court cases, as well as put an end to ridiculous fines, fees, and interest that continue to criminalize poverty in the state. Previous laws suggest that an individual’s economic situation should determine their ability to move forward, something that contradicts the sole ideology our country was built on. Hudson expresses greater concerns regarding classist barriers with H.B. 2040, a bill that would place stricter regulations on employers who neglect to respond to the Virginia Employment Commision (VEC), as well as require the VEC to presume a claimant is entitled to benefits unless an investigation proves otherwise.

Lastly, Hudson makes a point to crack down on illegal eviction or unfair housing practices occurring when a landlord bypasses the formal process and acts on his/her own terms by locking the tenant out, turning off the water or heat, or any other irrational actions.

These propositions are long overdue, but still as necessary as ever. By giving a voice to individuals who have been stuck in stagnancy because of criminal charges, unemployment, or housing problems, Hudson offers hope to a number of Virginia citizens who have been ignored for decades.

There is hope for a better future. Get in touch with Easy Expunctions today for the second chance you deserve.

Hope is on the way to the city of Detroit. Detroit is expanding Project Clean Slate, a program that will expunge qualified individuals’ criminal offenses. This expansion will become law on April 11, which will increase the types of crimes eligible for expungement. This new expansion offers hope to many Detroit residents to find employment and improve their lives.

Established in 2016, Project Clean Slate is a program that allows the city of Detroit to act as a lawyer on behalf of residents who have criminal records in their effort to receive an expungement. Under the new law, applicants can receive expungement for up to two felony cases and four misdemeanors, excluding murder cases, rape, driving under the influence, or a driving offense in which someone was killed.

Project Clean Slate will help remove the negative stigma associated with individuals with a criminal record by wiping their slates clean. An expungement is a positive and uplifting event for individuals who have struggled with the barriers of having a criminal record. These individuals are very talented and capable people who, in a different situation, would easily be able to obtain higher-paying jobs. Detroit understands the importance of expungements and wants to help those who have paid their dues to move on with their lives.

Criminal records can create a huge barrier for those looking for employment and housing. By allowing for more housing and job opportunities, not only will these individuals’ lives be improved, but so will the city of Detroit. The expansion of Project Clean Slate will create opportunities to rebuild the city. Detroit, along with its residents, is in for a new and improved city and is ready to get records expunged.

If you’re struggling to obtain housing, employment, licenses, and other opportunities because of your criminal record, we can help. Reach out to Easy Expunctions to see if there’s anything on your record that we can erase with our record-clearing software.

In a recent State of the State address, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham expressed her intent to legalize marijuana in 2021. She largely noted that legalizing and taxing the substance would generate some much-needed revenue for the state, as well as create jobs that many desperately need as COVID-19 has caused widespread job losses.

“I have no interest in another year of thousands of New Mexicans eager to get to work and make their future in this industry being told ‘no,’ just because that’s easier than doing the hard work to get to ‘yes.’ When we emerge from this pandemic, we can have the same old economy, with the same old boom-and-bust future, or we can roar back to life, breaking new ground and fearlessly investing in ourselves, in the limitless potential of New Mexicans. I know which future I prefer, and we can begin building it this year.”

Not only would a marijuana industry create many jobs, but it would also allow for those who haven’t been able to find work because they have old marijuana charges on their records to apply. With legalization typically comes new methods of obtaining expunctions—many states have even enacted automatic expunctions for smaller amounts of the substance.

Governor Grisham also noted that in the last two years, they have issued almost 700 hemp licenses. That means that there is already several million square feet of commercial growing space already available, which would help a legal marijuana industry thrive right at its inception.

There are 5 known pieces of marijuana-related legislation on New Mexico’s slate this year, and we hope that lawmakers put the same emphasis on clearing past charges that they do on the potential cash cow of tax dollars.

If you’re struggling to move on from a marijuana arrest, charge, or conviction, we might be able to clear it from your record so you can start fresh. Make the first move by signing up for a free background check from Easy Expunctions so we can get an idea of what’s on your record and what we can clear.

Utah could be seeing some serious criminal justice reform this year. With the start of the session, Utah lawmakers have seen 52 law enforcement and criminal justice reform bills. With this many bills filed, it is going to be difficult to cover everything in a single session, but it shows the importance and determination of changing the criminal justice system.

Members of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization were protesting on Monday for less government decisions in the reform of policy. They want to see more community involvement and do not trust only politicians to oversee the process. In regards to the 52 reform bills already filed, they believe it is a step in the right direction, but would like community members to have a louder voice.

The process of turning a bill into law is a lengthy endeavor, and with so many bills on the docket this session, not all will be taken into consideration. The docket includes reforms to riot amendments, police oversight, reporting use of force, releasing shooting footage sooner, and many others. While Utah lawmakers may have the answers to some of the present issues, there is the risk of developing new problems or not addressing certain stakeholders. Unified Police Department deputy chief Chris Bertram is confident that enacting more K9 training and allowing new agencies to have access to an officer’s previous disciplinary records are the two issues that have the best chance at becoming law.

With the upcoming legislation containing a long list of bills about criminal justice reform and law enforcement, we’re hopeful that Utah joins other proactive states and takes important steps toward changing the system.

At Easy Expunctions, we know that the cards are stacked against you when it comes to criminal justice. Once you’re in the system, it’s hard to get out, and even harder to escape the stigma of past charges. We might be able to help—reach out to one of our experts to see if our record-cleaning software could work for you.