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119-s-2590119th Congress

Fresh Start Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would create a federal grant program to help states build data systems that enable automatic expungement and sealing of criminal records.

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  • States with a covered expungement law could receive one grant up to $5.0 million to build or upgrade systems. Grants can pay up to 75% of implementation costs.
  • Individuals eligible for automatic expungement or sealing would have records sealed or expunged without needing to apply, and states must not delay action because of unpaid fees or fines.
  • The Attorney General would administer the grants and must publish annual public reports with data on eligible people and records disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and gender.

*This bill would authorize $50.0 million for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2030, increasing federal spending.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Federal grants for automatic expungement

This bill would create an Attorney General run grant program to help states build systems that make record expungement or sealing automatic. It would authorize $50,000,000 for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2030. The Attorney General could award each eligible state one grant, up to $5,000,000. Grants could pay no more than 75% of implementation costs and may use up to 10% for research or planning. To be eligible, a state would need a covered expungement law that does not delay sealing for unpaid fees. States would have to apply with system and beneficiary information and report annual race, ethnicity, and gender data; the Attorney General would publish a public report within one year and yearly after.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]

MD • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE]

    DE • D

    Sponsored 7/31/2025

  • Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]

    DE • D

    Sponsored 12/16/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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