Colorado Senate bill aims to automatically seal non-violent criminal records

Colorado Politics: More than one million Coloradans with criminal records could have their records automatically sealed under a bill introduced in the Colorado Senate on Tuesday.

Senate Bill 22-099 would implement an automatic sealing process for non-violent criminal records, including civil infractions, by expanding an existing automatic sealing process exclusive to certain drug offenses. The legislation would apply to those who are eligible to request record sealing under the current system, meaning they have finished their sentence, completed a required waiting period and have not committed another criminal offense.

This comes as Colorado, and the United State at large, is in the midst of a pandemic-induced labor shortage. In July 2021, 7.7% of jobs in Colorado were unfilled — an all-time high for the state, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Supporters of the bill, dubbed the Clean Slate Act, say it will help address the labor shortage by removing a barrier to employment, education and housing for residents with criminal records.

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