The Legal Aid Society is lauding Governor Kathy Hochul for signing the Clean Slate Act into law at a ceremony earlier today in Brooklyn.

Legal Aid has long been an advocate for the critical legislation that will automatically seal conviction records for more than 2.3 million New Yorkers — a disproportionate number of whom are from low-income communities of color.

“This is a moment for the millions of New Yorkers who have been forced to suffer under the cloud of a criminal conviction that has long impeded their ability to secure employment, housing, educational opportunities, benefits, and other critical needs,” said Tina Luongo, Chief Attorney of the Criminal Defense Practice at The Legal Aid Society.

“With the stroke of a pen, Governor Kathy Hochul has ended this nightmare and transformed the lives of so many of our clients and their families for the better,” they continued. “The Legal Aid Society lauds bill sponsors Senator Zellnor Myrie and Assembly Member Catalina Cruz for championing Clean Slate, and we urge lawmakers to build on this success next session by passing other needed measures to overhaul our unjust and punitive criminal legal system.”

Marvin Mayfield, former Director of Organizing at the Center for Community Alternatives, who is pictured above, passed away earlier this year. He was the lead organizer of the Clean Slate campaign and a fierce advocate and organizer of countless other legislative initiatives aimed at reforming the criminal legal system in New York State.