Reform history
The Clean Slate movement, year by year.
Since 2018, 20 states in this timeline have passed legislation to automatically clear at least some eligible records. This page shows how that reform spread and where momentum still sits.
First law
Pennsylvania marked the first statewide Clean Slate statute in this timeline.
Active states
These states have enacted a live automatic-clearance pathway.
Pending states
These entries reflect introduced or scheduled expansions still in motion.
Why it matters
Automatic relief exists because manual expungement failed most people.
Clean Slate laws remove the petition barrier. Instead of expecting people to find the right forms, pay filing fees, and navigate court procedure alone, the state clears eligible records when the legal conditions are met.
Petition systems underperformed
Before automatic relief systems, record clearing usually depended on legal paperwork, fees, and procedural confidence. The reform push shifted more of that burden onto the system instead of the individual petitioner.
Automation changes the default
Automatic sealing or expungement makes relief more like a system responsibility instead of a legal scavenger hunt. That changes how people reach jobs, housing, and education after a case is eligible for relief.
Coverage still varies
Clean Slate is not one uniform model. Some states cover only lower-level offenses, some rely on sealing rather than expungement, and some still leave major exclusions in place.
Timeline
The reform path so far
Use the timeline to see when each state entered the movement, whether the law is active yet, and how the reform spread after Pennsylvania opened the door.
Legislative timeline
Clean Slate reform by year
A running view of which states have enacted reform and which still have pending implementation dates.
Total states
20
All states currently represented in the timeline.
Active
15
States with reform already in effect.
Pending
5
States with delayed effective dates or implementation.
Clean Slate Act(Act 56 of 2018)
Enacted
Jun 28, 2018
Effective
Jun 28, 2019
First state to pass Clean Slate legislation. Automatically seals certain non-violent misdemeanors and second/third-degree felonies after 10 years crime-free.
Utah Automatic Expungement Act(HB 431)
Enacted
Mar 28, 2019
Effective
Feb 1, 2022
Automatic expungement for acquittals, dismissals, and certain misdemeanors after waiting periods.
Criminal Record Expungement Act(HB 547)
Enacted
Jun 14, 2019
Effective
Jun 14, 2019
Allows expungement of arrests not leading to conviction and certain misdemeanors/felonies after waiting periods.
Consumer Background Record Check(AB 1076)
Enacted
Oct 8, 2019
Effective
Jan 1, 2022
Automatic record relief for arrests without conviction and certain eligible convictions. First major automatic expungement system in populous state.
Clean Slate Law(A2879)
Enacted
Dec 18, 2019
Effective
Jun 15, 2020
Expanded expungement eligibility and added automatic expungement for marijuana offenses.
Second Chance Act(S 562)
Enacted
Jul 2, 2020
Effective
Dec 1, 2021
Automatic expungement for dismissed charges and acquittals. Expanded eligibility for petition-based expungement.
Clean Slate Act(HB 5042)
Enacted
Jun 23, 2021
Effective
Jan 1, 2023
Automatic erasure of criminal records after completion of sentence and waiting period. Covers most misdemeanors and Class D felonies.
Clean Slate Law(HB 4980-4985)
Enacted
Oct 1, 2021
Effective
Apr 11, 2023
Automatic expungement begins April 2023. Up to 2 felonies and 4 misdemeanors can be set aside automatically.
Clean Slate Act(HB 380)
Enacted
Dec 29, 2021
Effective
Jan 1, 2024
Automatic expungement for eligible misdemeanors after 7 years and certain felonies after 10 years.
Automatic Criminal Record Expungement(SB 397)
Enacted
Jan 1, 2022
Effective
Jul 1, 2023
Automatic expungement for Class C felonies (7 years), Class A/B misdemeanors (5 years), and Class C misdemeanors (1 year).
Clean Record Act(HB 3316)
Enacted
May 4, 2022
Effective
Nov 1, 2022
Automatic expungement for nonviolent offenses. Covers arrests not resulting in charges and certain misdemeanors/felonies.
Clean Slate Act(H.534)
Enacted
May 26, 2022
Effective
Jul 1, 2024
Automatic expungement for qualifying crimes after waiting periods. System implementation underway.
Clean Slate Act(HB 22-1214)
Enacted
Jun 3, 2022
Effective
Jan 1, 2024
Automatic sealing for civil infractions, petty offenses, drug misdemeanors, and certain other eligible offenses.
Automatic Record Sealing(HB 1055)
Enacted
Feb 24, 2023
Effective
Jul 1, 2024
Automatic sealing for certain misdemeanor convictions and arrests without conviction.
Clean Slate Bill(SB 166)
Enacted
Mar 29, 2023
Effective
Jan 1, 2026
Automatic expungement for Class D felonies and misdemeanors after waiting periods. Implementation scheduled for 2026.
Virginia Cannabis Control Authority(HB 2312)
Enacted
Mar 31, 2023
Effective
Jul 1, 2025
Automatic sealing of marijuana-related offenses. Broader automatic expungement legislation pending.
Record Sealing Law(Act 488)
Enacted
Apr 10, 2023
Effective
Jan 1, 2024
Automatic sealing for eligible nonviolent offenses after waiting periods.
Clean Slate Act(S7551A)
Enacted
May 12, 2023
Effective
Nov 16, 2024
Automatic sealing of most convictions after 3-8 year waiting periods. Covers misdemeanors (3 years) and felonies (8 years).
Clean Slate Act(SF 3035)
Enacted
May 19, 2023
Effective
Jan 1, 2025
Automatic expungement for qualifying offenses. Implementation begins January 2025.
Clean Slate Act(HB 2096)
Enacted
Jun 9, 2023
Effective
Jun 30, 2026
Automatic sealing for eligible offenses. Full implementation expected by 2026, with automatic sealing of dismissals/acquittals beginning 2029.
FAQ
Common Clean Slate questions
These are the recurring questions behind the timeline: what counts as Clean Slate, which state started it, and what kinds of records automatic relief usually reaches.
What does this timeline track?
This timeline tracks statewide Clean Slate and automatic criminal-record relief laws in this site’s reform dataset, plus whether each law is active or still pending implementation.
Which state passed the first Clean Slate law?
Pennsylvania was the first state in this timeline to pass statewide Clean Slate legislation, in 2018.
How many states are in the reform timeline?
20 states in the current reform timeline have passed active or pending Clean Slate-style legislation.
What does your state do?
Use the timeline for context, then read the actual state guide.
Clean Slate momentum is national, but eligibility rules are still jurisdiction-specific. The next step is checking what your own state allows today.
The movement is broad. The filing path is still local.