SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The Illinois Senate Criminal Law Committee passed a bill Wednesday to automatically seal records for people convicted of nonviolent felonies.
Felony convictions currently eligible for expungement could be automatically sealed by a circuit court judge or the Illinois State Police.
State lawmakers passed legislation in 2017 to allow certain offenders with nonviolent felony convictions to apply for expungement. Yet, each of the state's 102 counties have addressed the record sealing process differently.
Sponsors believe it is past time for a streamlined process to open doors to job opportunities and allow people who served time to rebuild their lives.
"The automatic sealing of records does not apply to Class X felonies, sex offenses, homicides, robbery, residential burglary, burglary, or organized retail crime," said Sen. Elgie Sims (D-Chicago). "Any crimes that are already excluded from the petition process will remain excluded in the automatic sealing process."
Senate Republicans said they oppose the plan because they believe records should be unsealed for the public to know someone's history.
The Illinois Retail Merchants Association and Illinois Manufacturers' Association support the proposal. It is also rare to see law enforcement organizations and grassroots advocates working together to get the clean slate plan across the finish line.
House Bill 1836 passed out of the Senate Criminal Law Committee on a partisan 6-3 vote. It now heads to the Senate floor for further consideration.
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