State lawmakers have passed a sweeping Clean Slate Bill Thursday - erasing the criminal histories of
300,000 residents.
The criminal records would be
automatically erased if the offender stayed out of trouble.
Dawn
Grant-Lockley, a licensed therapist, says her record still follows her.
"When I got a
job, I was harassed," she says.
Supporters
say the bill is watered-down. Lawmakers removed more than a dozen crimes
including class-C felonies - plus sexual assaults, strangulation, violent gun
offenses and crimes against children, the elderly and the disabled.
It was Democrats
who demanded the changes.
"When we look
at child pornography, that crime is usually a tell that someone is looking to
abuse a child," says state Rep. Liz Linehan.
It means New
Britain resident Manuel Sandoval, convicted sexual assault two decades ago,
will keep his criminal record.
"According to
the system once a crook always a crook, like people never change their
lives," he says.
Gov. Ned Lamont says he’s “inclined” to sign the trimmed-down
version of the bill, but he won’t commit until he takes a closer look at which
crimes would be erased automatically.
"I've suggested maybe we start with misdemeanors and work from there," he says.
If enacted, affected records wouldn’t be automatically erased until January of 2023.
Those who've lived
with a record for years are begging for a fresh start.
"I, and so
many other people that have convictions, deserve a second chance," says
Grant-Lockley.