Clean Slate Act of 2025

Automatic record sealing for specific crimes: Individuals convicted of certain Federal nonviolent marijuana offenses or specific offenses under section 404 of the Controlled Substances Act will have their records sealed automatically one year after fulfilling all sentence requirements (Section 2, Sec. 3560(b)(1)).

Protection for those acquitted: Individuals who are acquitted or exonerated of a Federal offense will have their records sealed automatically within 60 days (Section s 2, Sec. 3560(b)(2)(A)).

Protection from disclosure requirements: People with sealed records are not required to disclose the existence of that record or information within it, and they are protected from prosecution for perjury or false statements regarding that information (Section 2, Sec. 3560(c)(2)).

Background check protections: Sealed records and the information within them will not be included in background checks, with specific exceptions (Section 2, Sec. 3560(c)(3)).

Right to petition for nonviolent offenses: Eligible individuals convicted of covered nonviolent offenses have the right to file a petition for a sealing order in district court (Section 2, Sec. 3560A(b)(1)).

Legal assistance for petitioners: District courts are required to appoint counsel to represent a petitioner during the petition process (Section 2, Sec. 3560A(c)(9)).

Financial accessibility: The bill establishes a process for indigent petitioners to obtain a waiver of any fees required to file a sealing petition (Section 2, Sec. 3560A(c)(7)).

Employer protection: Employers are granted immunity from liability for claims arising out of an individual's misconduct if the misconduct relates to the portion of the criminal record that was sealed (Section 2, Sec. 3560(i) and Sec. 3560A(f)).

Exclusions from sealing: Individuals convicted of offenses related to treason, terrorism, national security, or sex offenses are not eligible for the automatic sealing process (Section 2, Sec. 3560(a)(1)(A) and (D)).

Restrictions on specific nonviolent offenses: The definition of a "nonviolent offense" excludes several crimes such as murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault, robbery, and arson (Section 2, Sec. 3560(a)(3)).

Limited access for law enforcement and employers: Certain employers, specifically those involving law enforcement, national security, or handling controlled substances, can still access sealed records during background checks (Section 2, Sec. 3560(c)(4)(A)).

Waiting period for denied petitions: If a court denies a sealing petition, the individual must wait two years before they can file a new petition for the same offense (Section 2, Sec. 3560A(5)).