Tag: felony

California Legislators Close to Passing Law to Seal Records of Felony Convictions California legislators are on the brink of passing a bill into law that would seal the records of millions of Californians with felony convictions. SB731 would automatically seal the records of those with prior arrest or conviction records from public view. Sealing is available only when they have completed their sentence and avoided further interaction with the criminal justice system. The bill’s supporters maintain that records of criminal convictions interfere with the ability of eight million of the state’s residents, roughly one out of every five Californians, to find employment and housing. They maintain that this, in turn, can make it hard for those rehabilitated to return to everyday life and avoid reoffending. With this bill, an estimated 2.5 million of these individuals would have the opportunity to seal their records. California already has a “ban-the-box” type law. This law bars employers from inquiring into a candidate’s criminal history until after receiving a conditional offer. However, supporters of the bill argue that this alone is not enough to put those with non-violent and non-serious offenses on equal footing with other candidates. In addition, they say the state loses an estimated $20 billion annually in gross domestic product for preventing those with past felony convictions from attaining employment. Under SB731, individuals convicted of a felony would be able to have their records automatically clear if they complete all the terms of their court sentence and remain conviction free for the following four years. SB731 would also allow those arrested but not convicted of a crime to have their records sealed. The law provides carve-outs for those convicted of certain violent and serious felonies such as murder and kidnapping. It would also not apply to felonies requiring an individual to register as a sex offender. The law will not expunge nor altogether remove an individual’s criminal records. Instead, it will only seal the conviction making it inaccessible to the public. However, it would still be accessible by judges, and educational institutions will require them. However, whether or not this bill will pass its last procedural vote in the state Senate is still uncertain. The same bill failed to pass in the state assembly last year, though it passed significantly earlier this year. If passed into law, SB731 would make California the first state to institute an automatic system for sealing records for felony convictions. Stay updated on all the new rules of compliance with Pre-employ’s free news resources on FCRA, EEOC, and more. Contact a Sales Rep today for more information. Source

Tag: felony

California Legislators Close to Passing Law to Seal Records of Felony Convictions

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