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Rep. Hall helps advance historic expungement reforms
RELEASE|November 18, 2019
Contact: Matt Hall

State Rep. Matt Hall recently joined the Michigan House in approving a plan to expand Michigan’s expungement laws and give hundreds of thousands of residents with old criminal convictions a new opportunity to start fresh.

Hall, of Marshall Township, said the innovative proposal will make Michigan a leader in criminal justice reform.

“Many Michigan residents have made mistakes in the past, they’ve served their time and paid their debt to society. Still, their old criminal convictions are keeping them from earning a decent living, obtaining stable housing, and accessing education and training opportunities to help them get ahead” Hall said. “This plan is going to help remove that roadblock, so they can build a better future for their families.”

A University of Michigan Law School study published earlier this year found people whose criminal records are cleared tend to experience a sharp upturn in their wage and employment trajectories. On average, wages went up by 25 percent within two years of the expungement.
Hall said these reforms are in the best interest of public safety.

“Research shows that low-level offenders who have remained crime-free for three to five years are no more likely to commit a crime than anyone else. And a steady, well-paying job is one of the best ways to ensure people lead productive, crime free lives.”

Hall also said that many people who are eligible for expungement do not realize they are qualified, and others are deterred by the cost and time associated with the long and complicated process.

“We should make the process as simple as possible for people who have proven themselves worthy of a second chance by being a good citizen for 10 years or more by allowing automatic expungement.”

The plan Hall supported would:

  • Expand the number of people who qualify for expungement.
  • Require judges to expunge marijuana convictions if the behavior that led to the conviction is allowed under current law.
  • Make most traffic offenses eligible for expungement.
  • Shorten the eligibility period for expungement.
  • Establish automatic expungement for reasonable, non-violent offenses.

House Bills 4980-4985 and 5120 now advance to the Senate for further consideration.

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