FRESH START ACT, BIPARTISAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE LEGISLATION, INTRODUCED IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
This crucial legislation to aid states providing a second chance for people with criminal records comes on the heels of the House passage of the EQUAL Act
(Washington, DC) – Today, Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives introduced the Fresh Start Act, which would provide state support for efforts to seal records related to certain nonviolent offenses. The bill is led by Representative David Trone (D-MD), and co-sponsored by Representatives Stephanie Bice (R-OK), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cori Bush (D-MO), Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), Rodney Davis (R-IL), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Victoria Spartz (R-IN), and Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA).
Please credit the following statement to Inimai Chettiar, Federal Director of Justice Action Network:
"A criminal record, even for a low-level offense, can have a lifetime of consequences, locking people out of employment, housing, and education. The Fresh Start will open up pathways to a second chance for the people who need it the most.
“We’d like to thank Representative Trone for spearheading this effort, and Representatives Bice, Blunt-Rochester, Bush, Crenshaw, Davis, Dean, Scanlon, Spartz, and Reschenthaler for reaching across the aisle to give people a fair chance and a fresh start to rebuild their lives.”
The Fresh Start Act would authorize $50 million over five years for states seeking to implement automated record sealing and expungement processes.
In addition, under the Fresh Start Act:
Eligible states must have an existing automatic sealing or expungement law on the books that does not delay sealing or expungement due to outstanding fines or fees.
Eligible states may use up to 10 percent of awarded funds for research and development, and the remaining amount must go towards the implementation of the automated sealing process.
The Fresh Start Act is supported by groups from across the political spectrum, including the American Civil Liberties Union, American Conservative Union, American Parole and Probation Association, Brennan Center for Justice, Center for American Progress, Clean Slate Initiative, Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, Dream Corps JUSTICE, Due Process Institute, JP Morgan Chase Policy Center, Justice Action Network, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, NAACP, R Street Institute, Responsible Business Initiative, Right on Crime, Successful Reentry, and Tzedek Association.
The Fresh Start Act builds on the nationwide movement for Clean Slate reforms and complements the bipartisan Clean Slate Act led by Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Representatives Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) and Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), which would create an automatic record sealing process at the federal level.