Legislative Update HB 1150 & HB 3061
Two bills sponsored by Illinois State Representative LaShawn Ford (D-8) will be heard in committee on Thursday March 14, 2013 in Springfield Illinois. The Restorative Justice Committee of the Illinois General Assembly will review the bills that, upon passage by legislators, will reduce barriers to employment for people with criminal records in the state of Illinois.
We encourage all CARRE members to support this legislation, which will reduce barriers and increase opportunities to employment for people with criminal records in the state of Illinois. We will continue to update you on progress of this extremely important legislation.In the bill description below I have included the link to file witness slips for both bills. Electronic witness slips must be submitted one hour before the scheduled 3:00 p.m. committee hearing time.
HB 1150 (State Employment Application)
Provides that an application for State employment may not contain any question as to whether the applicant was convicted of or placed on supervision for a non-violent criminal offense but must contain a question as to whether the applicant for State employment has ever been convicted of a violent offense that is classified as a felony. Provides that if a federal or State law disqualifies a person convicted of certain offenses from holding a position, an application for that position may inquire as to whether the applicant has been convicted of a disqualifying offense.
HB 3061 (Criminal Records Sealing Expansion)
Allows a person to petition the court to order the sealing of: (1) Class 2 felony conviction records for burglary, delivery of a controlled substance, and possession of a stolen motor vehicle; (2) Class 3 felony conviction records for theft, retail theft, deceptive practices, and forgery; and (3) Class 4 felony conviction records for possession of cannabis, possession of a controlled substance, violation of the Methamphetamine Precursor Control Act, violation of the Steroid Control Act. This is the first expansion since 2005, as only 3 felony convictions have been eligible for relief since that time (Class 4 possession of cannabis, prostitution and possession of controlled substance).
