Legislation would create “modern, automated system to seal Criminal Offender Record Information” (CORIs), clearing barriers to housing, employment, and more
If you have ever been charged with a crime in Massachusetts—say, for using fake ID in a clumsy attempt to buy booze back in high school—that potentially embarrassing information remains available through the state’s Criminal Offender Record Information database. If you apply for a job, or a bank loan, or try to secure housing, a CORI check can quickly dash those hopes. It’s a situation that’s familiar to more than a million adults in the commonwealth who have records for minor offenses or for cases that did not lead to conviction.
There is a way to seal those records, but the process can be cumbersome and covered in red tape, especially in Massachusetts. In an attempt to change that, organizers are hoping to follow a dozen other states including Minnesota, Pennsylvania, California, and Connecticut that have passed new “clean slate” laws, automating the process of sealing eligible arrest and conviction records. Clean slate advocates have long stated that public access to these types of records creates lifelong barriers to employment, housing, education, and economic stability—and they’re hoping to automate the sealing of eligible records for individuals who remain crime-free for a set period of time.
According to the Clean Slate Massachusetts Coalition (CSMA), newly proposed Massachusetts legislation would create “a modern, automated system to seal Criminal Offender Record Information (CORIs) as soon as current state laws allow.”
Right now, there are still several hurdles citizens must clear to seal CORIs in Mass. After submitting a petition, you’re given a hearing date. The state suggests you file a copy of your criminal record along with the package, but that requires yet another step depending on whether your case was in the purview of the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services, the Juvenile Court Department, or the Mass Probation Service.
New group forms to make it easier to seal criminal records
The CSMA coalition launched its campaign last week, with an open-house Zoom meeting detailing plans for 2025. Mass state Sen. Cindy Friedman and Rep. Mary Keefe, who co-sponsored bills H.1598 and S.979 to provide “easier and greater access to record sealing,” explained that they hoped the new laws would help people who have been shut out of jobs and housing due to their criminal history.
According to officials, the present system has backlogs and it takes three to four months to get a reply after submitting a sealing petition. An estimated 672,000 Massachusetts citizens could be affected if the new law is adopted.
The coalition, which comprises about 10 organizations including the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts and Progressive Mass, has also backed several “second chance” bills, including H.1493 (Rep. Fluker-Oakley) and S.998 (Sen. Gomez), which would “remove collateral consequences and protect the presumption of innocence.” Bills H.2326 (Rep. Fluker-Oakley) and S.1506 (Sen. DiDomenico) have also been filed to help “successful transition and re-entry to tomorrow for incarcerated persons.”
Mimi Ramos, the executive director of the New England Community Project, which is among those behind the measure, called the current process to seal records “outdated.” Jacqueline Velez, a single mother in Worcester, explained the impact of the antiquated policies on her life.
Struggling to make ends meet on unemployment while taking college classes years ago, Velez was arrested on charges of possession with intent to sell. She served six months in jail and was sentenced to five years on parole for what she concedes were poor choices. Now a mom of two working at the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts, another group behind the bill proposal, Velez recounted how hard life became following her release. After completing her associate degree in 2022, she now helps other people make the transition out of prison.
“Every job application, financial aid application, or housing application had that space to check if you had been convicted of a felony,” she said. “I had to lie to get help and out of everything I did—that’s what bothered me the most. I worried about losing custody, not being able to provide for my child.”
Sen. Cindy Friedman (4th Middlesex), a co-sponsor of the senate record-sealing bill, said she filed a similar bill in previous sessions. Speaking about this latest attempt, the senator called it “low hanging fruit” that is good for state competitiveness, as well as equity.
“We want people to stay in this state and prosper,” Friedman said. “This legislation is very clear about who it covers and what kind of offenses are covered. There’s also very little cost to making this happen.”
Businesses on board with CORI reform
During last week’s media availability, Rep. Keefe said it is important to educate people about the burden of carrying a record, saying that the legislation represented a top priority for her. But the chorus wasn’t just lawmakers and the usual advocates.
Jay Ash is the president and CEO of Massachusetts Competitive Partnership, a “small group of influential Massachusetts business leaders” that is focused on economic competitiveness and the many things that encompasses. Also a former secretary of Housing and Economic Development under Gov. Charlie Baker, Ash said both the MCP and he personally favor the “clean slate” legislation.
“This bill is important for us because it would expand the pool of talent available, which can, yes, deal with some labor shortages, but this is really about the entire commonwealth benefiting,” Ash said. “I talk to employers all the time who tell me they don’t much care for what someone did 10 or 15 years ago, and justice-impacted workers tend to be some of their best employees when they do decide to bring them on.”
Ash said the legislation was a key part of pursuing economic mobility and fair hiring practices in the state. “I believe personally that we’re better served helping people, reducing recidivism, and giving a hand rather than making them wait or struggle to get out of the cycle,” he added.
Nan Gibson, the executive director of the JPMorgan Chase PolicyCenter, said his company, which operates across 50 states, currently employs 3,000 people with criminal records that have no bearing on their jobs.
“Clean slate legislation is about more than clearing records—it’s about restoring dignity, creating opportunity, and unlocking potential,” Rahsaan Hall, president and CEO of Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, said in a media release. “By removing outdated barriers to employment, we’re opening doors for individuals ready to contribute and thrive, while fueling workforce development and strengthening our economy.”
This article is syndicated by the MassWire news service of the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism. If you want to see more reporting like this, make a contribution at givetobinj.org.
