years ago we brought you the series permanent punishments where we explore the challenges people face after they've served a sentence in prison.

One of them was record sealing a way of making those convictions only available to certain institutions like law enforcement.

Now activists hope they've created a path to making that process much easier for those who need it.

Brandis Friedman has the story.

Nobody's asking, what was your experience when you go through programs?

Activist Marlin Chamberlain has been driving this issue for a long time.

If you filled out a slip.

>> Made a phone call sent the email like this is a win for us.

Might.

We went to the Capitol for a year.

>> Waiting Flake and He and thousands of others like him have finally notched a win.

>> Feels good feels good.

But the way I'm wired my brain is instantly thinking about implementation.

But but this was a huge milestone.

>> He's referring to the Clean Slate Act passed during the fall veto session in Springfield.

The legislation is designed to automate the ceiling of certain criminal offenses.

Currently more than 2 million people in Illinois are eligible to have their records sealed, but haven't acted on what is currently a cumbersome, lengthy process.

>> You can talk to one person who would say, hey, because I was well connected, support it in sort of like the nonprofit space had access to attorneys.

And so for me, it took 6 months.

But then there are some we've spoken to what's been a three-year waiting period.

Waves, court dates that were rescheduled, cancel or you didn't have access to an attorney.

That's not true.

Justice.

>> Justices waits for its and equitable open for everyone.

>> State senator LG Sims was one of the bill's chief sponsors ceiling allows for law enforcement.

>> Well, for certain governmental still have access to the information that would make public any less safe.

But it would make that information not available to approach to private entities so that individuals would have access to housing access to to employment, access to education.

>> A 37 year-old Julian Sims was released from prison 3 years ago after serving time on drug related charges.

What I was a cross word.

I am a culinary I I actually had my electricity because certification.

>> And that's it.

>> Did you get a job here?

You guys what they told me one allowed to go houses because I was a crime.

I have a beggar.

>> As with the current ceiling laws, the legislation only applies to misdemeanors ordinance violations in class, one through 4 felony convictions unless they involve violence.

So no murder convictions, DUIs or class X felonies, like armed robbery or assault.

The new legislation also removes the drug testing requirement to SEAL felony drug convictions, Chamberlain, a longtime advocate and someone who served time for federal drug charges himself says passing the Clean Slate Act is just the beginning.

hundreds of state and local laws prevent system impacted people from moving on.

There's restrictions around.

>> Volunteering a children's schools, certain professional license and that folks can have with the arrest and conviction records.

So there's a A-list over 1000 statues that we have catalog this still exist in our goal is to build a permanent institution so that we can continue long after Martin decides to retire.

We want this fight continue until we are.

We have eliminated all of those statutes.

For now.

Julian Sam's says a clean slate is at least a I want to start really like a class act So that could put him on a to grow my neighborhood.

>> Because I feel they got a times they got better ways to for Chicago.

Tonight I'm Brandis Accountability said Clean Slate Act passed the Illinois Senate.

39 to 17.

>> Republican State Senator Steve McClure was one of the nay votes in a statement he says in part, quote, This legislation eliminates provisions in current law that make sure people are rehabilitated before their criminal records are sealed and hidden from public view.

We can't have a system where criminals are repeatedly allowed to automatically wipe their records clean and restart a life of crime all over again without repercussions.

That said, advocates expect the Governor Pritzker will sign the legislation.

It would go into effect next summer when state police would start developing