Tuesday is a day to celebrate 400,000 Michiganders. That’s the number of people with past misdemeanor convictions that will see their criminal convictions automatically expunged.
Those criminal records can really hurt people looking for housing and jobs.
For example, Comerica Park has a capacity of 41,000. If you fill that place 10 times, you get the idea of the number of lives changing overnight.
“Well, it is a great idea,” said expungement candidate Todd Farnum. “A lot of people like me got in trouble as youthful offenders. They are condemned to this for the rest of their lives.”
Farmum’s convictions for misdemeanors decades ago could be off his record permanently by Tuesday (April 11). Convictions a lifetime ago have hurt his chances for some jobs he was up for.
Farnum was on the road working Tuesday. He pulled over and spoke with Local 4 on Facetime.
If his record is expunged Tuesday night, he said he would be elated.
“I’ll feel elated,” Farnum said. “It is a huge burden off my back that has been on there for decades.”
State lawmakers passed what’s called the clean slate legislation in 2020 leading to Tuesday.
Michigan State Police ran a database starting Tuesday that will automatically expunge misdemeanors off records that are at least seven years old and some felonies that are at least 10 years old.
“It’s huge, it is huge,” said attorney Todd Perkins.
Perkins says what the state is doing will change thousands of people’s lives regarding jobs, housing, and more.
“You are going to see people who are going to take advantage of opportunities for employment, and vast other things, including travel,” Perkins said.
By Wednesday, the state will have expunged tens of thousands of criminal records.
Farnum will check to see if his slate is clean by checking the state website first thing in the morning.
“Fingers crossed, I will be checking first thing when it is available,” Farnum said.
Checking on your status will cost you $10, which you pay right at the website.