Why Hawaiʻi Needs A ‘Clean Slate’ Law
Hawaiʻi officially declared this April as Second Chance Month with a proclamation from Gov. Josh Green on March 31.
As individuals who have been through and seen loved ones experience the justice system firsthand, we both know that our experiences don’t end after arrest, conviction, or sentence. When one person carries the burden of a record, the impact is felt across their children, kūpuna, and extended family, disrupting relationships that are essential to healing and stability.
Our problem with records is vast, and the harmful consequences that result can follow you for decades. Immediately screening out applicants with records is a common practice by employers, landlords, and universities. When this happens, doors are shut to jobs, housing, and education before they are even given the chance to open.
In Hawai’i, more than one in four adults has an arrest or conviction record, and the barriers that result do not affect all communities equally. Native Hawaiians are disproportionately impacted at every stage of the criminal legal system — from arrest to incarceration to parole. This means that while they’re 24% of Hawai‘i residents, they’re 39% of the incarcerated population.
Hundreds of thousands of adults in Hawai‘i are living with records that have no path for clearance. The current process has extremely narrow eligibility, denying relief to people who pose no risk to public safety.
This reveals two connected challenges: Hawai‘i has both a second-chance problem and an access problem.
All of these problems are why we proudly support Clean Slate policy as the solution for Hawaiʻi’s outdated record shielding system. Clean Slate laws — which have already passed in 13 states, plus Washington, D.C. — streamline existing record clearance processes by automating them and expanding the current criteria for who is eligible.
The Clean Slate Initiative estimates a proposed law like this in Hawaiʻi would potentially clear records for approximately 231,000 Hawai‘i residents after a crime-free waiting period. This ensures that relief is applied consistently and equitably while maintaining strong public safety safeguards.
As a community, we have a kuleana to ensure that people are supported in returning to contribute to their families and communities instead of permanently defined by past mistakes. When parents can access better employment, children benefit from improved nutrition, stable housing, and opportunities to live in safer neighborhoods with better schools.
Not only that, but Hawaiʻi is uniquely well-positioned to implement Clean Slate. We already centralize data in both the state repository and the courts, and also have systems for updating, storing and sharing data that have resulted in good data quality that’s accurate, complete, and usable.
Hawaiʻi’s lawmakers have already started to take steps that indicate they agree a state-initiated and automated process is worth the investment. The state created a Clean Slate Expungement Task Force in 2024 “to develop a state-initiated record clearing program” and the task force is preparing to announce its recommendations in November. We urge lawmakers to put forward comprehensive legislation in 2027 that fully embraces state initiated record clearance.
In many ways, Clean Slate reflects the spirit of ho‘oponopono — making things right, restoring relationships, and allowing people to move forward in harmony with their community. Clean Slate is about more than clearing records — it’s about restoring balance, strengthening ʻohana, and ensuring that every person has the opportunity to contribute to a thriving Hawaiʻi.
