A new Illinois law will go into effect in 2014 that will allow more people convicted of crimes to petition for expungement. The new law will allow people convicted of certain Class 3 and 4 felonies to seal the records.
The current Illinois expungement law does not allow Class 3 felonies to be expunged and only a few drug related Class 4 felonies can be expunged.
This new law will allow a former offender to gain employment, apply for housing, and move forward with their life without the fear that his or her conviction will hinder their ability to achieve their goals. The new law, House Bill 3061, passed both the Illinois House and Senate in May, and was signed into law by Governor Quinn in August of this year.
The law goes into effect on January 1, 2014.
I think this is great!