The Real Cost of Prisons Weblog

"I am very happy that the governor is willing to give people who made a mistake in their past a second chance for employment," said state Sen. John Cullerton, a Chicago Democrat and sponsor of the proposal.

But it may be more than a second chance, said critics.

"There's an importance in trying to keep younger people from having felony convictions because it affects them later in life," said Lake County State's Attorney Michael Waller. "But in my experience in Lake County, individuals with these kinds of convictions have had multiple run-ins with the law."

Waller said the drug convictions covered by the law are relatively minor but are usually handed down after multiple offenses. Under the law, offenders with more than one felony cannot seal their records.

In any case, law enforcement authorities may still access the records, and so can employers, such as schools, who are required by law to check backgrounds.

People seeking to seal drug records must pass a drug test within a month of the request, and authorities can protest the sealing. Applicants also must wait at least three years after the conviction.

"It's a lengthy process," said Gerardo Cardenas, a Blagojevich spokesman. "It's not like you get out of jail ... and it's automatic. There's a process there."

Last year, Blagojevich approved a law allowing people to seal misdemeanor records following similar provisions.