Wolf's first order of business for 2019 was to implement a web-based program to help persons take advantage of Pennsylvania's new “Clean Slate” law. Wolf said he would stress further progress on common-sense criminal justice reforms in his second term, which is set to begin Jan. 15.

The Clean Slate law, which went into effect Dec. 26, seals low-level criminal records after 10 years without a subsequent criminal arrest. The prime sponsor of the measure, state Rep. Sheryl Delozier, R-Cumberland, said the measure would help persons overcome mistakes they made in the past and join the labor force.

Wolf and Delozier were joined Jan. 2 by legal and labor policy leaders when they unveiled “My Clean Slate,” a program created by Community Legal Services in partnership with the Pennsylvania Bar Association to provide free legal consultation to Pennsylvanians in determining if they are eligible for the provisions of Clean Slate legislation.

“Clean Slate is an incredibly important piece of my administration's commitment to helping formerly incarcerated or arrested individuals get their lives back on track,” Wolf said. “And as with any new law, implementation can be complicated and somewhat difficult to understand. Clean Slate is no different.”

Wolf said the program would help persons who could benefit from the new law to navigate the process. Delozier also urged Pennsylvanians to take advantage of the new law.

“Sometimes people make stupid mistakes in their youth,” Delozier said. “Minor indiscretions should not prevent someone years later from getting a job or obtaining good housing. As author of this new law, I encourage anyone with a nonviolent criminal record to see if they are eligible for this opportunity. It is an honor to spearhead this effort and help make Pennsylvania a leader in the movement to erase a minor indiscretion from a person's record.”

Pennsylvania was the first state in the country to pass a Clean Slate measure, and is being looked to by criminal justice reformers as a model for other states.

Wolf pledged to continue criminal justice reform initiatives in his second term, and in a statement touted a fifth consecutive year of declining incarcerated population in Pennsylvania. “We need to focus on the work to make our criminal justice system fairer, more equitable and more focused on rehabilitation,” Wolf said.