WASHINGTON, D.C. — A Republican Florida congresswoman is sponsoring legislation to help states streamline the process of sealing or expunging records for low-level crimes. It’s part of a bipartisan package of Fresh Start legislation introduced on Capitol Hill. 

What You Need To Know

  •  A group of bipartisan lawmakers introduced "Fresh Start" and "Clean Slate" bills on Capitol Hill

  •  Rep. Laurel Lee is sponsoring the Fresh Start Act in the House

  •  Similar bills have been introduced during previous sessions of Congress

"I worked for many years in our community, in the criminal justice system, as a federal public defender, a federal prosecutor, and later as a judge. So, I had the opportunity to really experience criminal justice policy and how our system works, and where it needs improvement," said Republican Rep. Laurel Lee of Florida.

Lee is the lead House sponsor of the ‘Fresh Start Act’ with Democratic Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove of California. It would allow states to apply for grants to help carry out automated expungement and record-sealing laws.

"What we found is that in many states, even where a person is eligible for expungement, there are administrative barriers or costs that are making it really difficult for them to go through the process," Lee said. 

Advocates for the legislation say roughly one in three Americans has been arrested or convicted of a crime, and that many who have turned their lives around still face barriers in accessing education, employment and housing because of their criminal records. 

Lee is also co-sponsoring the ‘Clean Slate Act’ with Democratic Rep. Lucy McBath of Georgia. It would authorize the federal government to begin an automatic process to seal low-level, nonviolent federal offenses including marijuana-related charges. 

Similar legislation has been introduced in the past without passing out of Congress, but Lee says there is an opportunity to make inroads this time. 

"Back during his first term, President Trump actually designated ‘Second Chances Month.’ So he has demonstrated an interest in helping us work on common sense criminal justice policies that are good for individuals, they're good for communities. And, so I'm very hopeful that between his leadership and the bipartisan process that we have here in the House, that we're going to make substantial progress this Congress," Lee said. 

Lee says the next step is to seek hearings on the legislation by the Judiciary Committee, which she, McBath, and Kamlager-Dove are members of. 

Democratic Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky have introduced the Senate version of the 'Clean Slate Act.'