Palumbo: Clean Slate Law Will Make the State a More Dangerous Place to Live for Law Abiding New Yorkers

             New York State Senator Anthony Palumbo (R,C-New Suffolk), ranking member of the Senate Codes and Judiciary Committees, today released the following statement regarding Governor Hochul’s signing of Clean Slate Legislation into law.

            “Clean Slate is the latest pro-crime policy to be championed in Albany by out-of-touch politicians who care more about catering to the extremes of their Party than protecting the men and women they serve. Like previous ill-conceived policies such as Bail Reform and Raise the Age, Clean Slate will have an immediate and negative impact on public safety.  New York will become a more dangerous place for families and seniors to live, businesses to operate, and will exacerbate the already tremendous strains being placed on law enforcement. Under one-party rule, New York continues down a dangerous path, one that continues to put the rights of criminals above those of victims, law enforcement and the public good.”

            Senator Palumbo noted that this misguided law will automatically seal the criminal records of individuals convicted of certain crimes, including felonies, after a specified period of time. This new law will supersede proven existing mechanisms, such as certificates of good conduct, certificates of relief from civil disability, and expungement of records, which already provide avenues for ex-offenders to seek rehabilitation and reintegration into society. The most troubling aspect of Clean Slate is the prisoner doesn’t even have to engage in any efforts toward rehabilitation – they automatically get rewarded under this law.

            Some of the more serious crimes that would be sealable offenses under the new Clean Slate Law Include: Manslaughter, Vehicular Homicide (DWI-related crash causing death), Vehicular Assault (DWI-related crash causing serious physical injury), Gun felonies, Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, Making a Terroristic Threat, Residential Burglaries, Armed Robbery, Domestic violence felonies, Threatening or intimidating witnesses, Felony DWI for repeat offenses, Animal Abuse, Arson, Hate crimes, where the underlying offense is less than a class A felony and assaults, including: Gang Assaults and Assaults on Police Officers.