In 2021, GHIAA worked with allies from CONECT and ACLU-CT to fight for and win passage of Clean Slate legislation, which was signed into law that spring. Once implemented, this policy will automatically erase some criminal convictions of people who have returned to the community after incarceration and who remain crime-free for 7-10 years. This is a critical step toward racial justice, given the racism that persists throughout the criminal legal system. People whose records have been erased will then be able to access higher education, employment, and housing—basic human needs that will help them and their families stay on the right track.

Frustratingly, the implementation of Clean Slate has been delayed repeatedly, leaving tens of thousands of people stuck waiting for the rights that should be theirs. CONECT, ACLU-CT, and GHIAA continue to press for full and prompt implementation of the law.