Colorado is taking action to provide a second chance to nonviolent offenders. The state’s new bill will automatically expunge certain nonviolent offenses after a waiting period. If the bill passes, individuals with misdemeanor convictions will have their records expunged after three years, while felony offenders will have theirs expunged after five years. Offenders will not need to apply for expungement—their records will be automatically dropped after this period. This is a particularly helpful detail, as many people whose records are eligible for expunctions don’t even try for it due to lack of funds or time.

Drug felonies, violent crimes, and crimes against other people will not be eligible for expungement. If the bill passes, Colorado state court administrators will be obligated to create a list of the crimes that would be eligible for expungement, which will be sent to the Colorado Bureau of Investigations to eliminate certain individuals. Information will then be passed to local district attorneys to do a final check, and then the chief judge will seal the record.

This bill is important because having a criminal record makes it more difficult to succeed in certain areas of life. Having your record expunged permanently erases the record, as if never happened at all. It’s no secret that housing and employment opportunities open up when the public can no longer view a past offense. An expungement also reduces the amount of rearrests and reconvictions, which offers a significant advantage for those who are looking to start a new chapter in life.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is in the process of reviewing the bill, and we hope they make the right decision. If you’re struggling to be bigger than your criminal record, we might be able to help. Reach out to Easy Expunctions to see if our record-clearing software will work for your case.

Illinois’ House Bill 163 is causing quite a stir. The proposed legislation would make some significant police reforms: It would end cash bail, allow for anonymous complaints against police officers, expand police training, prohibit chokeholds, and make it easier to ban police officers from working at departments across the state, to name a few.

Arguably the most important part of this bill is the Pretrial Fairness Act, which serves to abolish cash bail. If passed, Illinois would be the first to do so. Instead of waiting in jail, the judge would issue pretrial release conditions. There’s no questioning the fact that cash bail is racist and classist, as it disproportionately affects minorities. Those who are incarcerated before their trial are far more likely to end up with longer prison sentences. They also have a lot to lose while waiting in jail, like their jobs, housing, or custody of their children. The idea of eliminating the cash bond raises an important question: Should finances really have an effect on someone’s incarceration?

The police reform aspect of House Bill 163 is what makes it most controversial. Many are worried that taking such drastic measures so quickly isn’t the responsible thing to do. They argue the bill would jeopardize public safety with its fundamental changes. In response to these concerns, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx stated:

“the spirit of Illinois House Bill 163 is meant to build trust in police departments across Illinois while addressing long-needed problems to alter unfair criminal justice policies rooted in systemic racism that result in our jails and prisons being disproportionately occupied by Black and Brown individuals.”

We are glad to see these types of policy reform legislation making their way to various states. If you need help getting your record cleared after a past arrest or conviction, contact the experts at EasyExpunctions.com.

Justice is on its way to the juveniles of Indiana. Senate Bill SB368, if voted in by the full Senate, could require automatic expungement of some juvenile records. Young individuals should be given a second chance when reaching adulthood and not have to suffer from a mistake they made when they were 12 or 13. As long as these juveniles have served their time and followed the law after their offense, expungement should be granted.

Under SB368, after a child turns 19 or one year after discharge, their record will be up for expungement. Criminal records that qualify for expungement are those considered misdemeanors if committed by adults. Offenses involving deadly weapons or those involved in murder cases are one concern under this bill. Judges will perform a thorough review of records and have the final decision.

Another main component of the bill is that juveniles charged as adults will stay in a juvenile facility and not an adult facility. The reasoning behind this decision is that in the past, juveniles have stayed in adult facilities. According to The Campaign for Youth Justice, 34% more of these young individuals return to incarceration than those kept in juvenile detention. Juvenile facilities cater to young people and provide more of an opportunity for correction.

Bill SB368, if passed, will also include the competency to stand trial, which creates the opportunity for these young individuals to assist in their defense if they understand the charges against them. If a child is declared incompetent, they will undergo an evaluation. Overall this bill will create opportunities for the troubled youth to learn from their mistakes, serve their time, and overcome obstacles that may face them in the future.

Mississippi lawmakers are considering a new law that would allow nonviolent offenders, including those with multiple offenses, to clear certain convictions from their criminal record ten to fifteen years after all terms and sentences have been completed. If passed, House Bill 122 will allow Mississippians with felony convictions to do a full 180, giving them the fresh start they deserve.

Individuals with two felonies may have their convictions expunged after ten years, and those with three may receive expungement after fifteen years. Lawmakers introduced a bill last year that would have allowed three felony convictions to be expunged after only five years, but legislators expressed rehabilitation concerns, fearing that five years may not be enough time for individuals to thoroughly change their lifestyle and decision habits. Due to public safety concerns, the previous bill was vetoed. However, Mississippi lawmakers appreciated the rejected bill’s forgiving intention, which ultimately prompted the proposal of HB 122.

The new law would not relieve habitual offenders nor those with violent convictions. Repubican Rep. Jansen, the bill’s sponsor, emphasized the important role that time plays in rehabilitation:

“This targets those people who went through a span of their life where they made a lot of wrong decisions, somebody in their 20s who got a drug conviction at 22, 24, 27 and now they’re 50 and they go to church and they want a job and they want their kids to not see that they have this mark on them”

If the Senate passes this legislation, many Mississppians and their families will be faced with opportunities that have been inaccessible for years, giving rehabilitated citizens a well-earned second chance. If your criminal record is barring you from housing, educational, or employment opportunities, it’s time to take your life back into your own hands with help from Easy Expunctions. Start your journey toward a clear criminal record today and visit our website at EasyExpunctions.com.

New Jersey Governor Philip D. Murphy has officially signed three bills that legalize marijuana in the state. Gov. Murphy has been promising to end marijuana prohibition since his 2017 campaign, but over the past three years, his efforts were met with disagreements from top leaders. Though it took longer than expected to come to terms, it’s well worth the effort—New Jersey is the most populous northeastern state to legalize and regulate cannabis. During a press briefing, Gov. Murphy noted the following:

“There isn’t anyone who has supported these efforts who wouldn’t acknowledge this process has taken much longer than anticipated, but certainly it is better to get things done right rather than fast.”

The action was largely stalled over the years due to a debate over underage possession charges. Like with most legalization bills, the state had to determine new penalties and enact laws regarding regulation. Since there will be a hefty demand, it’s necessary for heavy regulation, especially as the state determines which dispensaries will receive licenses. Perhaps the most important part of the bill is that Gov. Murphy pushed heavily for inclusion measures that will help mend past damage to minority communities:

“Our current marijuana prohibition laws have failed every test of social justice. Maintaining a status quo that allows tens of thousands, disproportionately people of color, to be arrested in New Jersey each year for low-level drug offenses is unjust and indefensible.”

Though it will be several months before they see sales, the state is expected to generate roughly $126 million per year in marijuana revenue—and with COVID-19, there’s never been a better time to supplement that economic damage.

If you have a small marijuana charge that is holding you back, we may be able to scrub it from your criminal record. Get started with a free background check; this will help us determine the scope of your record and what could be eliminated with our software.

The times are certainly changing here in Texas, and with it comes new attitudes towards cannabis legalization. According to a new University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll, 60% of Texas voters support the legalization of cannabis for any use. Most supporters favor marijuana use in small amounts at 32%, and about 28% support any amount of cannabis. We see a stark change in support when we compare these results to a poll conducted in 2010, in which just just 42% of voters support legalization for any use.

It’s obvious to many that the legalization of marijuana in Texas will help rectify the adverse effects of prohibition, which is why both Democrat and Republican lawmakers have agreed to work together to put forward bills to change the handling of marijuana. Unfortunately, changes in the substance laws have been a historically difficult task, with many lawmakers defeating the legalization proposals when opposing sides fail to compromise on details.

Luckily, there seems to be gaining traction in the House of Representatives for reforms to marijuana laws, and polls like this one just reaffirm how the people feel. House Speaker Dade Phelan has noted that he believes the House will consider reform measures this year, which could include legalization bills. With more than a dozen pre-filed pieces of cannabis legislation ahead of session, we hope that lawmakers consider the importance of criminal justice reform measures that will help people clear their records of low level charges.

If you’ve been turned away from jobs, housing, licensing, or other applications because of a past marijuana charge, we might be able to help. Our record-clearing software can remove some arrests, charges, and conviction records for a fraction of the cost of a lawyer. Visit www.EasyExpunctions.com to sign up for a free background check to get started.