By now you might have already heard the news – Missouri has become the 14th state to pass Clean Slate legislation! SB 1421, an omnibus criminal justice bill, passed during the final weeks of the 2026 legislative session and is waiting on the Governor’s signature to officially become law. While only applicable to drug offenses, this marks a huge victory for Missourians who have committed nonviolent offenses and are facing life-long barriers to housing, employment, education, and more, even after they have served their sentence. Thank you to the extensive network of advocates across the state, including business leaders, faith leaders, and nonprofit professionals, who have worked tirelessly for the last four years to pass this legislation.
What Happens Next?
Once SB 1421 has been signed, thousands of Missourians will see their records expunged automatically as early as January 2027, opening doors to a more secure future. Records may be eligible for sealing under Clean Slate if:
- The offense on your record is an eligible offense (possession or control of a controlled substance and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia)
- There is an electronic record of your eligible conviction (If your record does not currently appear on Case.net, that means that there is likely only a paper copy of your record, and therefore, your record will not be expunged under this law.)
- It has been one year since the final disposition of the eligible offense if it is a misdemeanor or three years if the offense is a felony.
- You have not been convicted for another crime during the one-year or three-year waiting period. This does not include traffic offenses.
- You do not have any outstanding arrest warrants or charges pending against you. This does not include traffic offenses.
- You have completed all court imposed terms and conditions and have been fully released from supervision.
Beginning January 1, 2027, the Missouri State Highway Patrol will identify records eligible for automatic sealing, and records will be sealed on a rolling basis. If you have a record that you believe may be eligible, you can search on Case.net. If your record previously appeared in the database, but no longer appears there in 2027, it has been sealed.
If your record is sealed under this new provision of Missouri law, you receive a full restoration of your civil rights “to the status occupied prior to the conviction as if such events had never taken place.” This includes the right to vote, the right to hold public office, and the right to serve as a juror. Once your record is sealed, employers and landlords will no longer have access to it on a background check, and you are not required to disclose a sealed record on an application for employment or tenancy. If you are asked by a prospective employer, landlord, or other entity if you have a criminal record, you may truthfully answer “no” to any such inquiry.
If you’d like more information on the provisions passed in SB 1421, check out the full Clean Slate FAQs on our website.
What Can We Do Now?
If you know someone that may be eligible, help us spread the word! We’ll be following the implementation process and sharing more information as it becomes available on the Missouri Clean Slate website. We’ll also be doing our best to make sure eligible Missourians know their records should be sealed. You can sign up on the Clean Slate website or follow Empower Missouri on social media to stay up to date on any new Clean Slate news.
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