Record Sealing Bill Needs Your Help
Legislative Action Alert – from
Record Sealing Bill (HB 1082)
sponsored by Representative
Update:
Please contact your Representatives today. The Record Sealing bill was passed on 2nd reading (voice vote only) in the House of Representatives this morning (4/21) and will be heard for 3rd and final passage as early as Tuesday (4/22) or Wednesday (4/23).
History: Last year, a similar record sealing bill was passed by the House (46-18) and Senate (26-8) but vetoed by Governor Ritter. Governor Ritter has indicated that he will only support minor drug offenses as crimes that would be eligible for sealing. Subsequently, the list of crimes eligible for sealing has been significantly narrowed.
CCJRC knows that this will be very disappointing to many of our members who are impacted by criminal records who weren’t convicted of a drug offense and therefore would not be eligible for sealing if HB 1082 were to become law. We apologize that we were not able to convince the Governor to accept a broader range of crimes. However, we believe that this is an important first step that is worth supporting despite its limitations. It may be possible to expand the list of crimes in future negotiations with the Governor’s office.
What the record sealing bill does:
Current Colorado Law prevents any person with a criminal conviction of any type (petty offense, misdemeanor or felony) from sealing their records from public disclosure.
HB 1082 allows people with certain convictions who have successfully completed their sentences and have been offense-free for ten (10) years from the completion of the sentence to petition the court for a sealing of their records. The Court does NOT have to order the sealing. The court will conduct a balancing test to determine if the sealing is fair considering the public’s right to know.
· Only people who have been convicted of drug offenses that are petty offenses, misdemeanors, and minor felonies (Class 5 and Class 6) are eligible to apply for sealing.
· For offenses committed before
· The petitioner is required to pay ALL costs of the sealing, including attorneys’ fees to the Prosecuting Attorney, for the sealing to take place.
· Law enforcement will always have access to convictions (and dismissed cases as well) and convictions to always be available for use for any lawful criminal justice purpose. Convictions will still be available to all employers who have a statutory mandate to conduct a criminal background check.
Rationale:
Even after people have completed their sentence and been law abiding for years or even decades, they are forever stigmatized by having a criminal record.
Even minor offenses, committed many years ago, can prevent someone from obtaining housing and meaningful employment or advancement in his/her career field.
The possibility of being able to seal a criminal record is a strong and real incentive for a person to turn his/her life around.
A recent study found that after six or seven years from an arrest, the likelihood of offending for young men with criminal records is similar to those with no criminal history. For employers concerned about hiring people with criminal records, a criminal record offers little relevant information once a critical period of time has passed. Therefore, over time a criminal history is both less relevant and less accurate in predicting future criminal activity. However, the stigma and bias remain. Scarlet Letters and Recidivism: Does An Old Criminal Record Predict Future Offending?,Kurlycheck, Brame and Bushway, Criminology and Public Policy, Vol 5, No 3 (August 2006)
Additional Supporters: National Alliance for the Mentally Ill-Colorado, ACLU, Colorado Progressive Coalition, Matthews Center for Excellence, SAFER, Colorado Springs Black/Latino Coalition, Road Called STRATE, Colorado CURE, Sensible Colorado, The Council, Bayaud Industries, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center, Harm Reduction Project, Metro CareRing, Pendulum Foundation, Capitol Hill United Ministries, Alternative Defense Counsel, TASC, New Foundations, Center For Spirituality at Work, Probation Advocates, Denver Inner City Parish, Advocates for Recovery, Denver Urban Ministries, First Congregational Church-Justice and Peace Ministry, National Lawyers Guild, Progress Now, Colorado Social Legislative Committee, The Center for Progressive Leadership, Justice and Social Professionals Network.
Please call or email your Representative today!
Representative David Balmer (R-Arapahoe) 303-866-2935 david.balmer.house@state.co.us
Representative Debbie Benefield (D-Jefferson) 303-866-2950 debbie@debbiebenefield.org
Representative Alice Borodkin (D-Denver) 303-866-2910 aliceborodkin@aliceborodkin.com
Representative Doug Bruce (R-El Paso) 303-866-5525 doug@dougbruce.com
Representative Bernie Buescher, (D-Mesa) 303-866-2583 bernie.buescher.house@state.co.us
Representative Dorothy Butcher (D-Pueblo) 303-866-2968 dorothy.butcher.house@state.co.us
Representative
Representative Terrance Carroll (D-Denver) 303-866-2909 terrance.carroll.house@state.co.us
Representative Edward Casso (D-Adams) 303-866-2964 edward.casso.house@state.co.us
Representative Kathleen Curry (D-Eagle) 303-866-2945 kathleen.curry.house@state.co.us
Representative Randy Fischer (D-Larimer) 303-866-2917 randyfischer@frii.com
Representative Jerry Frangas (D-Denver) 303-866-2954 kjerryfrangas@earthlink.net
Representative Sara Gagliardi (D-Jefferson) 303-866-2962, sara.gagliardi.house@state.co.us
Representative Rafael Gallegos (D-Alamosa) 303-866-2916
Representative
Representative Cory Gardner (R-Adams) 303-866-2906 gardner@plains.net
Representative Stella Garza-Hicks (R-El Paso) 303-866-3069 stella.hicks.house@state.co.us
Representative Gwen Green (D-Jefferson) 303-866-2951 gwyngreen@yahoo.com
Representative Mary Hodge (D-Adams) 303-866-2912 mary.hodge.hosue@state.co.us
Representative Cheri Jahn (D-Jefferson) 303-866-5522 cheri.jahn.house@state.co.us
Representative Joel Judd (D-Denver) 303-866-2925 repjoeljudd@joeljudd.com
Representative John Kefalas (D-Larimer) 303-866-4569 john.kefalas.house@state.co.us
Representative Andy Kerr (D-Jefferson) 303-866-2923 andy.kerr.house@state.co.us
Representative James Kerr (R-Jefferson) 303-866-2939 james.kerr.house@state.co.us
Representative Steve King (R-Delta) 303-866-3068 steve.king.house@state.co.us
Representative Jeanne Labuda (D-Arapahoe) 303-866-2966 replabuda@yahoo.com
Representative Kent Lambert (R-El Paso) 303-866-2937 rep.kent.lambert@comcast.net
Representative Claire Levy (D-Boulder) 303-866-2578 claire.levy.house@state.co.us
Representative Larry Liston (R-El Paso) 303-866-2965
Representative Marsha Looper (R-El Paso) 303-866-2946 marshalooper@gmail.com
Representative Kevin Lundberg (R-Larimer) 303-866-2907 kevin@kevinlundberg.com
Representative Alice Madden (D-Boulder) 303-866-2348 alice.madden.house@state.co.us
Representative Don Marostica (R-Larimer) 303-866-2947 don@donmarostica.com
Rep. Rosemary Marshall (D-Denver) 303-866-2959 rosemary.marshall.house@state.co.us
Representative Tom Massey (R-Chaffee) 303-866-2747 tom.massey.house@state.co.us
Representative
Representative Buffie McFadyen (D-Fremont) 303-866-2905 mcfadyen2002@hotmail.com
Representative Anne McGihon (D-Arapahoe) 303-866-2921 anne.mcgihon.house@state.co.us
Representative Wes McKinley (D-Baca) 303-866-2398 wes.mckinley.house@state.co.us
Representative Frank McNulty (R-Douglas) 303-866-2936
Representative
Representative Karen Middleton (D-Arapahoe) 303-866-3911 karen@karenmiddleton.com
Representative Victor Mitchell (R-Douglas) 303-866-2948 victor.mitchell.house@state.co.us
Representative Cherylin Peniston (D-Adams) 303-866-2843 cherylin.peniston.house@state.co.us
Representative Jack Pommer (D-Boulder) 303-866-2780 jack.pommer.house@state.co.us
Representative Dianne Primavera (D-Adams) 303-866-4667 dianneprimavera@yahoo.com
Representative Joe Rice (D-Arapahoe) 303-866-2953 joe.rice.house@state.co.us
Representative Jim Riesberg (D-Weld) 303-866-2929 jim.riesberg.house@state.co.us
Representative Ellen Roberts (R-Archuleta) 303-866-2914 ellen.roberts.house@state.co.us
Representative Andrew Romanoff (D-Arapahoe) 303-866-2346 romanoff@coloradohouse.org
Representative Ray Rose (R-Delta) 303-866-2955
Representative Christine Scanlan (D-Eagle) 303-866-2952 repscanlan@gmail.com
Representative Judy Solano (D-Adams) 303-866-2918 judy.solano.house@state.co.us
Representative Jerry Sonnenberg (R-Logan) 303-866-3706 jerry@electsonnenberg.com
Representative John Soper (D-Adams) 303-866-2931 john.soper.house@state.co.us
Representative Debbie Stafford (D-Arapahoe) 303-866-2944 house40@comcast.net
Representative Amy Stephens (R-El Paso) 303-866-2924 amy.stephens.house@state.co.us
Representative Ken Summers (R-Jefferson) 303-866-2927 ken.summers.house@state.co.us
Representative Spencer Swalm (R-Arapahoe) 303-866-5510 spencer.swalm.house@state.co.us
Representative Nancy Todd (D-Arapahoe) 303-866-2919 nancy.todd.house@state.co.us
Representative Glenn Vaad (R-Weld) 303-866-2943 glenn.vaad.house@state.co.us
Representative Paul Weissmann (D-Boulder) 303-866-2920 reppaul@aol.com
Representative Al White (R-Garfield) 303-866-2949 al.white.house@state.co.us
Representative Robert Witwer (R-Jefferson) 303-866-2582 rob.witwer.house@state.co.us
5 comments:
this bill is so watered down i am appalled that the legislature wasted the tax payers dollars to try pass it.
When an inmate reaches parole wheater time served or good behavior they should be done and there records sealed at that time. Ten years down the road the person is back in prison probably because all thats available to them is a minimum wage job. djw
Any ... ANY! ... sentence that has been completed should be sealed, especially after a full decade of productive living. Sorry. This is not good enough. The labeling still continues unjustifiably and with bias. Ten full years is quite enough time to know that an ex-inmate is exactly that: AN EX-INMATE. ALL misdemeanors and felonies included. Why the discrimination and the hell-bent continuance of judgment?
Records should be sealed if someone has a single petty offense 2, for possession of marijuana of less that 1 oz, did no jail time, no fines to pay to the court, no community service, etc., and just wants to find a good job to be a contributing member of society. Because a petty offense 2 shows up on a background check as a misdemeanor, most employers don't know how minor a crime the petty offense 2 is, and therefore, labels an individual with the offense as non-hireable. Young adults who make stupid mistakes and want to learn from those mistakes are often left feeling like giving up on the world. We as a nation have been caught up in a catch 22 because of the laws that are passed to "so call" protect the public. Where did our sense of helping people to become more productive and caring individuals go? The answer lies within our government justice system. Our rights have been taken away if someone has made a minor mistake. Young adults are left with no place to earn money except to potentially turn to higher levels of crime. They are desperate individuals because our society has made them feel this way. Our laws need to be changed to seal these records of people who have minor drug offenses, but it takes all of us to act NOW!!! Support your state legistature when a bill is being presented to the House and Senate. Stay active and let your voice be heard. Please don't sit on the sidelines thinking that your voice doesn't count. It takes all of us to help these individuals acclimate back into society. I am going to have my voice heard when I testify in support of Colorado Bill 1082, before the Senate Judiciary Committee on 4/28/08 at 1:30 pm., at the Colorado State Capital, Senate Committee Hearing Room 356. I have never done this before, but I feel so compelled to help make a difference and support this bill. We have the power to let our voices be heard...we have to be proactive for our family members who are stigmatized as criminals...start acting now. If this current bill passes to seal the records of minor drug offenses after 10 years, then at least we are working toward a positive force. Currently there isn't anything available to have a record sealed. A petty offense 2 can be on your record forever if you don't act now. If this bill is passed, then it opens the doors to possibly have another bill enacted to lessen the 10-year time from to 2-5 years. Anything is possible if we can get this current bill to be signed into Colorado law. Do your part to help make this happen.
I read the bill over I thought with a fine tooth comb. However, if I read the summary above this blog, it states only minor felonies for drug convictions are applicable for sealing. Does this bill cover all felonies except the ones explicitly listed? i.e. violent crimes, gun crimes, crimes against pregnant women? An educated response would be wonderful to ease my mind in the event this does pass.
酒店經紀,酒店小姐,酒店公關,酒店打工,酒店上班,禮服店,便服店,假日打工,酒店兼差,酒店兼職,暑假打工,寒假打工,酒店經紀爆米花,酒店打工爆米花,酒店兼差爆米花,酒店兼職爆米花,酒店上班爆米花,酒店工作爆米花,酒店小姐爆米花,禮服店爆米花,假日打工爆米花,酒店經紀PRETTY GIRL,酒店上班PRETTY GIRL,酒店兼差PRETTY GIRL,酒店工作PRETTY GIRL,酒店打工PRETTY GIRL
酒店
童裝批發
童裝批發
童裝
童裝
酒店喝酒
暑假打工
酒店
酒店經紀人
酒店小姐
酒店兼職
酒店上班
酒店兼差
禮服店
酒店上班
酒店打工
酒店小姐
酒店經紀
假日打工
台北酒店經紀
酒店應酬
粉味
茵悅
酒店經紀
酒店經紀
Post a Comment