Harris praises legislation opening Clean Slate to thousands of Pennsylvanians

Rep. Jordan A. Harris    October 23, 2020 | 11:32 AM

HARRISBURG, Oct. 21 – State Rep. Jordan Harris, D-Phila., House Democratic Whip, praised House Bill 440, legislation that passed the House today and will open Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate program to hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians.

“Pennsylvania’s groundbreaking Clean Slate program has already removed over 35 million low-level criminal records from public view, giving people a second chance at a job, an education or housing,” Harris said. “This legislation will continue giving people a second chance at success and I’m incredibly appreciative for the leadership of Chairwoman Joanna McClinton, who’s been pushing this legislation for years, as well my continued work with Representative Sheryl Delozier and Governor Tom Wolf on criminal justice reform.”

H.B. 440 contains language that eliminates repayment of fines and fees as a barrier to criminal record sealing as well as allows for criminal record sealing for those who are fully acquitted.

Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate program, passed in 2018, automatically seals criminal records of Pennsylvanians who meet certain criteria and has been called a national model for other states to emulate. Over 1 million Pennsylvanians have had their criminal records sealed since the Clean Slate program began.

The bill now goes to Wolf to be signed into law.

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