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S. 423: Clean Start Act

Before you vote › Federal bills

S. 423: Clean Start Act

116th Congress · introduced 2019-02-07 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2019-02-07 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Clean Start Act

Plain summary

Clean Start Act This bill establishes a process to seal records related to a nonviolent criminal offense committed by an individual whose substance use disorder is a substantial contributing factor in the commission of the offense. A nonviolent criminal offense is a federal criminal offense that is not a violent offense, a sex offense, a serious drug offense, or an offense with a victim under the age of 18. To be eligible for sealing, an individual who is convicted of a nonviolent criminal offense must, among other things, complete a substance use disorder treatment program or recovery program and complete service in a substance use disorder peer mentorship program. This bill also allows the Department of Justice to give preference to a Community Oriented Policing Services program grant applicant from a state that has in effect (1) a substantially similar law related to sealing adult records, or (2) a law that allows an individual who successfully seals a criminal record to be free from civil and criminal perjury laws.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong116-s423 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116