“I applaud the State Legislature’s passage of the Clean Slate Act that can help improve communities, public safety, and our economy. This bill can open pathways to success for the more than 2 million New Yorkers with an old conviction record who have been blocked from access to employment, housing, education, and other economic opportunities. With the increased participation in our workforce and society created by this legislation, New York is estimated to take in an additional $7 billion annually in state earnings, boosting our economy and recovery from the pandemic. The evidence is clear that when people with old records trying to move forward in their lives have economic opportunities, recidivism is decreased and public safety is improved. I thank Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and the bill’s sponsors for their leadership, as well as the advocates whose hard work and persistence advanced this legislation to the finish line.”

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