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ALBANY – Controversial “Clean Slate” laws will no longer allow murder convictions and other serious felonies to get sealed after Albany Democrats tweaked invoice language on Monday.
The proposal would enable convicted folks to use to have their crimes nixed from their data after they serve their sentences, parole, and probation in addition to a interval of three years for misdemeanors and eight years for felonies.
Narrowing the scope of the invoice, which additionally exempts intercourse crimes, comes as Albany Democrats close to a last deal on passing the invoice earlier than the scheduled finish of the 2023 legislative session on Friday.
“This is the closest we’ve ever been on Clean Slate,” state Sen. Zellnor Myrie (D-Brooklyn), who’s sponsoring the invoice, instructed reporters final week.
“The unprecedented stage of help has by no means crescendoed because it has proper now. So … I’m cynically cautiously optimistic that we’ll get this achieved.”
Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz (D-Queens), who’s carrying the invoice in her chamber, didn’t present instant remark.
Sex crimes have been ineligible underneath the earlier model of the invoice, which additionally contains carve-outs for legislation enforcement, courts, district attorneys, faculties, and the DMV to entry data whereas screening job candidates.
The record of exemptions will now embody all Class A felonies apart from drug crimes whereas much less critical felonies like manslaughter will stay eligible for sealing.
Gov. Kathy Hochul has expressed help for signing the invoice into legislation as soon as it passes the state Legislature.
But the invoice, which has help from organized labor and Big Business, has confronted criticism in latest weeks for permitting the overwhelming majority of convictions to be tucked away from the prying eyes of potential employers as a part of efforts to present convicted folks a second likelihood.
“There’s no finish to Democrats’ pro-criminal policymaking. Second likelihood is necessary, however folks have the best to make knowledgeable choices,” Assembly Minority Leader William Barclay (R-Fulton) instructed The Post final week. “Clean Slate can be one other victory for profession criminals, and one other loss for public security in New York.”
This is a growing story.
