New York state's laws on sealing past criminal convictions could be changed in the coming year by members of the state Legislature, who heard testimony from prosecutors, defenders and advocates in support of expanding those opportunities, though in different ways.

While advocates said New York should enact laws to automatically seal criminal records without court approval, prosecutors said the state should loosen requirements for sealing eligibility. 

But there was at least one area on which both sides agreed: few individuals eligible to have their past criminal records sealed in New York take advantage of the state's current procedure for doing so. Some have estimated that fewer than 1% of those eligible take advantage of the law.