SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — State lawmakers could pass a plan this spring to automatically seal records for people convicted of nonviolent felonies. Felony convictions currently eligible for expungement could be automatically sealed by a circuit court judge or the Illinois State Police.
Many people may not know that April is national Second Chance Month, raising awareness about the long-term consequences of criminal convictions and opportunities people can have if they get a second chance at life after completing their sentences or public service.
Illinois House Assistant Majority Leader Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-Peoria) has been working on a clean slate policy for six years. Gordon-Booth told WAND News that she was inspired to work on the legislation after hosting multiple expungement summits in Peoria.
“I’ve watched individuals take more than a year to get to a place when they start the process and get to the end of it,” Gordon-Booth said. “Many people lose faith that things can actually change for them.”…