LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The first of three community meetings to inform Kentuckians about the Clean Slate Act was held on Tuesday. Two Clean Slate bills were introduced during this year’s legislative session but got little traction with lawmakers; both would establish an automatic expungement process for eligible misdemeanors and some Class D felonies.

What You Need To Know

  • Two Clean Slate Act bills were introduced during this year’s legislative session. Both would establish an automatic expungement process for eligible misdemeanors and some Class D felonies

  • If legislation passes to automate the process, more than 500,000 people would be eligible for full record relief, according to Clean Slate advocates

  • Senate Bill 218 and House Bill 569 were both proposed during this year’s legislative session to create an automatic expungement process; neither bill was voted on by the legislature

  • More town halls are planned to spread awareness of efforts to get a Clean Slate Act passed in Kentucky — one in Lexington and another in Ashland

James Sweasy was convicted when he was 19 years old. He says he knows firsthand how hard it is to move forward in life with a criminal record.

“I carried that with me through most of my life. It’s tougher to get jobs and make money, move up in a company,” said Sweasy. 

Sweasy got his record expunged five years ago, but he says it wasn’t an easy process.

“When I finally was eligible for expungement, then I had to go through a whole process where they tell you, okay, you need to go hire a lawyer, you need to go do all of these different things,” explained Sweasy. 

Senior Director of National Campaigns at Dream.Org Amanda Hall says having a record should not be a life sentence to poverty.

“There’s things like financial barriers. You know, it costs money to file for an expungement. And people who are really fighting to get their lives back. That money matters to them. So the only real difference is that this one would automate that,” said Hall. 

According to the Clean Slate Coalition, which includes the Louisville Urban League, the ACLU of Kentucky and other organizations, if legislation passes to automate the process, more than 500,000 people would be eligible for full record relief. 

“That’s how many people now are eligible for expungement and haven’t went through that process.That’s thousands of second chances. That’s thousands of new leases on lives, thousands of barriers torn down,” said Hall.

Both Hall and Sweasy say these people are more than the mistakes they have made.

“You know, we’re not asking for anything extra. We’re just asking for that opportunity to fully be a community, citizen, to fully be a Kentuckian,” said Hall.

“This right here helps folks get on with their life, be a productive member of society, helps businesses grow. It adds to our workforce,” said Sweasy. 

Senate Bill 218 and House Bill 569 were both proposed during this year’s legislative session to create an automatic expungement process; neither bill was voted on by the legislature.

Future Clean Slate Act town hall meetings are:

Lexington Town Hall
November 11th, 6:00 p.m. ET
Voices of Hope Community Center
644 N. Broadway Rd 40508

Ashland Town Hall
December 10th, 6:00 p.m. ET
Ashland Train Depot
99 15th St, Ashland, KY 41101

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