Sacramento is on track to seal 2 million criminal records with a new proposed bill that came out on Monday and is currently backed by district attorneys. The legislation is an effort to remove restrictions for those with criminal records so they can find work and housing. The bill would essentially seal low-level criminal records for approximately 2 million people.
Those low-level criminal records have a lot more impact than one might think. A one-time, 10-year-old mistake will haunt a lot of people in the realm of jobs and housing. The goal is to help people move on from their mistakes without the stigma of a criminal record. The proposed bill would automatically clear records dating back to 1973 if it was put into effect. Expungements are already available in California, but can cost thousands of dollars in attorney fees per charge. This bill would make it more accessible to seal low-level criminal records and a lot cheaper because they wouldn’t need to petition in front of a judge. The bill will not allow for the sealing of domestic violence and impaired driving charges, officials reported.
The new Sacramento bill is a great thing for not only those with criminal records but the general public as well. If people with a criminal history can find housing and employment, it reduces their chances of re-offending, therefore saving potential victims of crimes. A similar bill was brought up last year in Sacramento. Although the bill was killed, its initial focus wasn’t to seal records like this one is. The bill from last year did have an idea about software that could scan criminal charges each month and automatically clear qualifying charges. They hope to create or find software with these capabilities to smoothen the process of scanning if the bill is passed.
Easy Expunctions is also working to give more people access to a clean record. We offer a free background check to get you started. From there we can work directly with you in identifying qualifying charges to be expunged from your record. Don’t let your life come to a halt because of a few simple mistakes. Easy Expunctions can help you clean up your record for a fraction of the cost of a lawyer!
