PennLive: Bill aimed at easing employment barriers for Pa.'s ex-offenders goes to governor's desk
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The bill has had the support of a broad coalition of stakeholders including the Greater Harrisburg Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business & Industry, Community Legal Services, Americans for Tax Reform, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Justice Action Network.
Gene Barr, president of the Pennsylvania Chamber, said the proposals will help offenders access their version of the American dream and can only benefit businesses across the state.
“The growing skills gap in the Commonwealth is a top concern of the state’s business community,” Barr said when DiSanto’s bill was introduced. “While there is no silver bullet to solving this problem, one important area of focus is criminal justice reform and removing barriers to help individuals reentering communities more easily obtain and retain employment.”
It’s been estimated that the state’s licensing boards are the gatekeepers to as many as one in five jobs in Pennsylvania’s economy.