This column originally appeared in The Alpena News on April 28, 2021
We all have made mistakes and bad decisions at some point in our lives. Been at the wrong place at the wrong time. Acted recklessly or impulsively, especially in our teens and early 20s, when our brains are still developing and we’re particularly prone to testing our boundaries. And many of us have had other struggles that have impacted and influenced our behavior, including financial struggles and substance use problems and other mental health challenges.
For a lot of people, these decisions mostly live on in our own memories. We were able to move on, put the past behind us and learn from our mistakes. But for too many Michiganders whose particular mistakes came with a criminal record, the ability to move on has been a lot harder.
Luckily, a new state law that took effect this month is going to help with that.
The Michigan League for Public Policy, Safe & Just Michigan, and a number of other partner organizations worked with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to help pass the Clean Slate legislation expanding and automating adult criminal record expungement. The new Clean Slate law expands eligibility to petition for an expungement of an adult criminal record in several ways, and creates a new process that will automatically seal certain nonviolent conviction records if a person has remained conviction-free for a period of time (seven years for misdemeanors, 10 years for felonies).
The expanded eligibility to petition for an expungement of a criminal conviction took effect on April 11, 2021. This change permits a person with no more than one felony or two misdemeanor convictions on their record to petition a court to remove their conviction(s) from the public record. The automatic expungement for certain offenses is expected to take effect on Dec. 30, 2022.
The new law makes most traffic offenses, which are 50% of all criminal cases in Michigan, eligible for expungement for the first time. The Clean Slate law also creates a special process for people with marijuana convictions to apply for expungement if the conduct at issue would be legal under current law. Unlimited misdemeanors may be expunged and the new law counts multiple convictions that occurred as part of “one bad night” as one conviction. DUIs are not eligible for expungement under Clean Slate, but lawmakers are currently considering bipartisan legislation to address those convictions.
A criminal record has been a huge impediment to work, housing, education and other resources that are too often taken for granted. The Michigan League for Public Policy has been advocating for expanded and automatic criminal record expungement for years as a way to help improve the lives of thousands of justice-involved individuals and their families, promote racial equity and justice, and improve economic security. But Clean Slate will also benefit our communities and economy overall, strengthening our workforce as a whole and supporting our businesses.
In order for this law to be as effective as possible, eligible justice-involved individuals need to know about it.
Safe and Just Michigan has a lot of good information on Clean Slate available at safeandjustmi.org. Attorney General Dana Nessel has put together a helpful webpage, michigan.gov/agexpunge, that includes checklists that walk you through the expungement process and a timeline of when the different laws take effect. Michigan Legal Help also has free resources available for people who need a lawyer or legal advice at michiganlegalhelp.org.
Gov. Whitmer also recently announced a $4 million investment in the Clean Slate Pilot program at all Michigan Works! Agencies to help local residents with expungement efforts. The Michigan Works! Northeast Consortium covers Alpena and seven other northeast Michigan counties and can be reached at nemcworks.org and 989-733-8548.
We are all more than our biggest mistakes, and the new Clean Slate law will help thousands more residents clear their record and build a better life. And the League will keep advocating for other criminal justice reforms to better support our residents and their families.
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
