The case for a clean slate: States are stepping up

The headlines out of Washington may shift by the hour, but the real work of expanding opportunity and strengthening communities continues — often far from the Capitol. 

Across the country, people want the same basic things: a fair shot to work, support their families and move forward. And as federal action slows, states are increasingly stepping up with practical, bipartisan reforms that expand access to jobs, stabilize families and make communities safer. In an era defined by gridlock, state leadership is showing what meaningful progress looks like.

One of the clearest examples is the growing momentum behind “clean slate” legislation — policies that clear eligible criminal records for those who have completed their sentences and stayed on track. These reforms recognize a simple truth: A past mistake should not become a lifetime barrier to employment, housing or stability. 

For the National Urban League, clean slate aligns directly with our D3 strategy — defend democracy, demand diversity, defeat poverty — because criminal records often block civic participation, limit diverse hiring and undermine economic mobility. Clean slate policies remove these barriers and unlock opportunity in ways that strengthen families, communities and our broader economy.

This work is core to our mission to advance equity and opportunity. Our 92 affiliates in 36 states are deeply engaged in clean slate efforts, bringing local expertise and community relationships to the table.

This moment demands leadership that produces results. Families are facing rising costs. Employers are struggling to find workers. And many communities still live with the consequences of outdated policies that keep people on the sidelines long after they’ve paid their debt to society. When policymakers remove unnecessary barriers and support genuine second chances, the benefits show up not only in individual lives but across entire local economies in the form of safer neighborhoods, stronger workforces and healthier communities.

At its core, this work is about whether our systems reflect what people need to thrive. Everyone deserves the chance to earn a living, support their families and participate fully in civic life. At a time when businesses are searching for talent and local economies are rebuilding, it makes little sense to keep capable people from contributing simply because old policies have not been updated.

Across the country, state leaders are choosing to move past stale debates and focus on reforms that help people rebuild their lives. What’s emerging is not a partisan agenda but a shared recognition that public policy should reward work, promote stability and reflect the belief that people can change. Progress doesn’t always come from sweeping national legislation; often it comes from states choosing to modernize systems that have held too many people back for too long.

We don’t have to guess what works. States are already demonstrating that well-designed reforms can improve public safety, expand opportunity and reduce barriers that keep people from contributing to their communities. The details differ from state to state, but the direction is clear: modernize systems that are outdated and misaligned with the realities families face.

Oklahoma provides a powerful example. After passing clean slate-related reforms in 2022, lawmakers strengthened and refined the policy in 2024, demonstrating a commitment to making reform work in practice — not just in principle. Maryland has also stepped up, expanding eligibility for expungement by reversing a court ruling that permanently disqualified people who had ever violated probation. That change reflects a basic truth: People can complete their sentences, rebuild their lives and still face barriers that make stability harder to achieve.

Pennsylvania shows what long-term commitment looks like. After helping lead the way with the first Clean Slate law, the state has now advanced to what’s being called “Clean Slate 3.0,” expanding eligibility again because the results have been so clear and so positive. And Illinois has recently joined the growing list of states moving this work forward. Massachusetts has the opportunity to lead the next chapter, with both Urban League affiliates — the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts and the Urban League of Springfield — working alongside partners to build a strong bipartisan path forward.

Opportunity is not an abstract concept. It allows families to build stability, young people to imagine a future and communities to thrive. When states remove barriers that hold people back, they strengthen the interconnected pillars of jobs, health, education, housing and civic life.

States are proving that meaningful reform is not only possible — it is already happening. They are demonstrating what leadership looks like in this moment: focused on results, grounded in fairness, and committed to building communities where more people can contribute and succeed.

The path forward is clear. The question now is whether we will choose to keep moving.

Marc H. Morial is president and CEO of the National Urban League, the nation’s largest historic civil rights and urban advocacy organization.

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