House bill would eliminate expungement fee for Illinoisans wrongfully arrested, convicted

By Dylan Sharkey

02/18/2022

House bill would eliminate expungement fee for Illinoisans wrongfully arrested, convicted

TAGS: criminal justice reform, expungement, Illinois

Bill would let wrongly arrested clear their names without paying

01/28/2020

Expungement and sealing fees cause individuals with erroneous criminal records to have a hard time moving forward with their lives.

TAGS: Cook County, crime, criminal justice, decriminalization, expungement, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, JB Pritzker, overcriminalization, records, restore my good name

2019 laws in review, Illinois lawmakers passed both nice and naughty bills

12/20/2019

The Illinois General Assembly passed over 600 new laws in 2019. Some helped taxpayers, but many more hurt as they spent $85 billion while doing little to fix the pension crisis.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, capital plan, consolidation, Cook County, corruption, expungement, free speech, gas tax, government unions, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, JB Pritzker, lawmakers, Luis Arroyo, Martin Sandoval, Open Illinois Checkbook, progressive income tax, record sealing, Springfield, tax hikes, taxes, transparency, vehicle registration

New Illinois law ends $120 fee to clear false criminal records in Cook County

By Vincent Caruso

08/09/2019

A bill signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker will renew a pilot program in Cook County that waives fees for the expungement or sealing of criminal records for those who have been wrongfully accused of a crime.

TAGS: Arthur Turner, criminal justice reform, expungement, Jacqueline Collins, JB Pritzker

Illinois lawmakers pass marijuana legalization

By Vincent Caruso

05/31/2019

A bill that would legalize recreational marijuana in Illinois is en route to the highest office in the state.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, expungement, Kelly Cassidy, legalization, licensing, marijuana, regulations

Illinois Senate unanimously votes to help wrongfully accused clear their name

04/05/2019

Illinois state senators voted 53-0 to extend a pilot program that would waive the fee to expunge or seal records for those wrongfully arrested or charged with a crime in Cook County.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, expungement, Jacqueline Collins

Illinoisans sentenced to life as ex-cons, even after offenses are no longer crimes

By Vincent Caruso

03/25/2019

Illinois lawmakers’ approach to some minor criminal offenses has evolved, but not their treatment of the related criminal records that can haunt someone for life. A pair of bills could change that.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, expungement, Justin Slaughter, Laura Fine

Marijuana convictions soon might come off Illinois criminal records

By Vincent Caruso

11/30/2018

Illinoisans convicted of possession of cannabis prior to the state’s 2016 decriminalization law could see those crimes expunged under a bill passed by the Illinois House.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, decriminalization, expungement, marijuana

Bill to expunge marijuana convictions passes House committee

By Brendan Bakala

04/26/2018

House Bill 2367 would allow those convicted of marijuana possession before Illinois decriminalized marijuana to petition for expungement of their guilty plea or criminal conviction.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, Drug Paraphernalia Control, expungement, Illinois’ Cannabis Control, La Shawn Ford, marijuana

The gift of a second chance

By Amy Korte

12/18/2017

Illinois has started to embrace second chances for people who have been through the criminal justice system.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, expungement, record sealing