Following decades of overcriminalization, between 70 million and 100 million Americans—1 in 3—now have some type of criminal record. In Louisiana, the most incarcerated place in the world, we know that thousands of Louisianans struggle with access to jobs, housing, and education due to criminal records that follow them for their entire lives.

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Louisiana also has some of the most expansive expungement law in the country. The problem? With the highest filing fees in the nation ($550 to $650) and a process so confusing that most people have to hire a lawyer, most people cannot afford to get an expungement. Even though they've served their time. Even though they have no new convictions.

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Clean Slate Legislation would shift the burden from the expungement seeker to the government to initiate the expungement, automatically, after waiting periods that are already provided in the law. 

 

In 2021, we worked with Representative Ted James to introduce legislation to ensure that everyone who is legally entitled to expungement under current Louisiana law would get their record expunged by the government. Unfortunately the bill died after last minute opposition by the State Police, which receives a portion of the fees paid by expungement seekers.  We are planning to return in 2022 with new legislation.  Check back here for updates on that effort.