Clean Slate Laws and Pardons

Clean Slate Laws are associated with a campaign by civil rights groups and fair chance advocates to automatically remove certain criminal records from public view, allowing applicants to have their past criminal records expunged.

Pardons are issued by government officials and allow a person to be relieved of some or all of their legal consequences which are the
result of their criminal convictions. Pardons can be granted on an individual basis or they can be issued as a blanket pardon, which covers a larger groups of individuals. In the past few years, governors of several states and President Biden have issued blanket pardons for low level or minor marijuana offenses.

The intention for both the Clean Slate Laws and Pardons is to remove obstacles that make it harder for ex-offenders to find a job. These policies aim to give people a second chance at employment and housing.

Enter your information below to view a map depicting locations that have statewide and/or local Clean Slate laws or have blanket pardons for marijuana charges that impact employers. Below the map, you’ll find a summary of each Clean Slate law or an outline of the marijuana convictions that were pardoned.

This information is presented for general educational purposes and is provided solely for the convenience of its readers. It is not a substitute for legal advice. Consultation with qualified legal counsel is recommended for all matters of employment law.