To develop the workforce in New York and give a new opportunity to those who have had a criminal record, the state Senate approved on Wednesday the “Clean Slate” Law (S1553C/A6399B), and will analyze the barriers that hinder employment, housing and education.
The Clean Slate NY Coalition, has the support of the main unions in New York; Fortune companies 500 such as Microsoft, Verizon and JP Morgan Chase; and religious leaders, who asked the Assembly to pass the bill before the end of Thursday’s scheduled session so Gov. Kathy Hochul can sign it into law. Assembly members echoed this call and indicated that there was confidence that the bill would also be approved in their chamber.
Assembly member Catalina Cruz, one of the promoters of the bill, gave to know about the measure that, “has been a long road for all New Yorkers and their families who have been deprived of opportunities for decades. I applaud the Senate for promoting this critical legislation and I am confident we will get it done in the House. Now is the time”.
The Clean Slate Law ” has been endorsed by three Fortune companies 500: Microsoft, Verizon and JP Morgan Chase, which employ tens of thousands of New Yorkers, and the State Business Council of New York, representing 3,500 member companies, local chambers of commerce, and professional and trade associations. The bill also has the support of unions representing more than 2 million workers, including the District Council 25, 1199 SEIU, the Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW, the District Council of Mason Tenders, the Laborers Local 79, and the New York State Nurses Association. Local governments in New York, Westchester, Albany, and Buffalo have passed resolutions in support of the bill.
“Right now, more than 2 million New Yorkers face life imprisonment for life,” said Senator Zellnor Myrie, lead sponsor of the Clean Slate Act. “But we are going to change that. Clean Slate will stabilize communities, contribute to our economy, and deliver on the promise of justice. I am grateful to my colleagues in the Senate for promoting this important legislation and look forward to it becoming law in New York State.”
“As one of the largest private union employers in the state, we believe that people deserve a second chance,” said David Lamendola, Director of State Government Affairs for Verizon. “Discriminatory hiring practices in New York should not serve as artificial barriers for people to get on with their lives. who have paid their debt to society”.
“The “Clean Slate” Law is a mandatory piece of legislation that addresses a penal system that has continually failed to correct its errors in regard to the records of those released from prison,” said Senator Julia Salazar about the historic measure.
Justice and Economic Growth
New York’s leading business and labor unions support the Clean Slate Act as a project for justice and economic growth. Due to barriers to employment, formerly incarcerated individuals lose an average of $484,400 dollars in income over their lifetime, exacerbating poverty and worsening the racial wealth gap. Nationwide, excluding people with criminal records from the workforce costs the economy up to $87 billion annually in lost GDP . A study of Michigan filing law found that within two years of having their records cleared, people had a 11% more likely to have a job and earn 25% more.
Passage of the bill is especially vital to New York’s equitable economic recovery, as racism in the criminal legal system continues to disproportionately affect minority New Yorkers and deepens existing racial inequalities in life civic As the data shows, 80% of people in New York City with criminal records are Black or Latino.
Under legislation, New Yorkers will be eligible for have your criminal records automatically archived 3 years after sentence for misdemeanors and 7 years for felonies, not including prison time. To be eligible for this relief, individuals must have completed probation, parole, or post-release supervision. No new convictions may have been incurred during the 3- or 7-year waiting period.