North Carolina Second Chance Act

North Carolina passed it’s Second Chance Act at the end of 2020 in an effort to prevent certain records of offenses to be developed during a background investigation for employment purposes. The law expands the list of individuals who will qualify for an expungement of certain criminal offenses. Described as a “clean slate” bill, the legislation expands the eligibility to expunge records for multiple nonviolent misdemeanor convictions after seven years have transpired with out any criminal offenses.

North Carolina is one of the few states that has automated the expungement of certain dismissed or “not guilty” charges. Studies have shown that second chance groups throughout North Carolina that assist individuals with previous criminal history’s to obtain housing and employment opportunities have been very successful in their efforts to rehabilitate offenders. There are high expectations that the clean slate bill will bring even more success to these programs.