Those looking at a fresh start with a clean background check will have to wait.
Gov. Ned Lamont’s office announced Tuesday that the state will begin wiping away previous criminal records under the “Clean Slate” law in the second half of next year. Some people say this delay is too long.
“I’m just trying to live a normal life like anyone else, like anyone else without a record," Mark Douglas said.
That’s always been on Douglas' mind. He’s looking to get previous non-violent misdemeanors wiped away as he continues to turn his life around under the “Clean Slate” law.
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“In general, a bill like this changes your life. It offers you gainful employment or any other heights you want to reach,” Douglas said.
Heights he’ll have to wait to reach.
Lamont’s office announced the erasing of misdemeanors and some felony records under the “Clean Slate” law signed in June would begin in the second half of next year.
His office said this would give time for upgrades to information technology systems at criminal justice agencies. Douglas says he lost out on a job simply because of his record.
“I was counting on that bill because I actually have confirmation from the job that I left if something like this happened, that I’d be able to get my job back,” he said.
Rodney Moore, a community advocate with New Haven Healthy Start who helped with the bill, says the law would allow nearly 300,000 people to see their records wiped clean.
A delay would mean barriers in life like getting jobs or buying a home.
“You’re going to affect so many people by delaying this Clean Slate opportunity,” Moore said.
Douglas believes it’s easier to get into trouble than to get out of it and has this message to the governor’s office.
“At what point do we break the cycle? Allowing these people to put these things behind them, it’s going to be a contribution to society,” he said.
Both men said they applaud the 44,000 people seeing their cannabis possession charges wiped away next month under a separate law and want to work with the governor’s office on making the same happen for the “Clean Slate” law.
