After Five Years of Business-Backed Advocacy, Governor Kehoe Signs Clean Slate Reforms Into Law

WASHINGTON, July 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed SB 1421 into law, which included a bipartisan "Clean Slate" measure that establishes an automated process to identify and expunge eligible low-level drug offenses for thousands of Missourians. Working in partnership with the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice, business leaders and employers were among the most vocal supporters of the reform, calling it both a practical workforce solution that removes unnecessary barriers between qualified workers and open jobs, and an important first step toward fixing a costly and inaccessible expungement process that has left many Missourians effectively trapped by an old record.

"Businesses across Missouri spent years calling for Clean Slate because they've seen firsthand how qualified workers can be held back by old records and an expungement process that is simply too hard to navigate. This reform will help ensure thousands of Missourians get a fair chance to move forward and reenter the labor force — and that's a win for workers, employers, and communities across the state," said Maha Jweied, CEO of the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ).

For over five years, more than 20 Missouri businesses and chambers advocated for Clean Slate through public testimony, statements, letters, and media commentary. Their support highlighted Missouri's persistent labor shortage — which is exacerbated when expungement-eligible criminal records remain visible on employer background checks long after job seekers qualify for relief — and the potential economic impact of an automated expungement process, including an estimated $2.3 billion in increased annual wages statewide. Their leadership, alongside that of local organizations, advocates, policy experts, justice-impacted individuals, and faith leaders, also underscored an underlying issue of fairness: fewer than 1% of individuals who are legally eligible for record relief ever receive it.

Missouri now joins a growing list of states adopting targeted Clean Slate policies aimed at removing barriers to employment, housing, and economic opportunity. "Missouri employers know that fair hiring is good for business and good for public safety. The passage of Clean Slate, with strong backing from the business community, shows that business leadership on workforce policy reform is a powerful tool to unlock talent, strengthen our communities, and boost our economy," said Kara Corches, President & CEO of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

"Clean Slate passed in Missouri because people across the state — including leaders in the business community — understood what's at stake: when people have access to work, housing, and opportunity, everyone benefits. That same commonsense momentum is building across the country, and it's helping move record sealing reform from an idea to a reality for millions of people," said Sheena Meade, CEO of The Clean Slate Initiative.

About the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ)

RBIJ is an award-winning international nonprofit that empowers companies to advance justice and opportunity in public policy, workplaces, and modern culture. Since our founding in 2018, we've activated over 800 businesses across dozens of policy reform campaigns, inclusive hiring programs, and public awareness efforts, working with some of the world's most recognized brands. Learn more at rbij.org.

SOURCE The Responsible Business Initiative for Justice