News Story (Pennsylvania)
Hayden Mitman
Philly Voice
June 2, 2016
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Tags: Criminal Justice, Expungement / Record Sealing
Organizations mentioned/involved: Community Legal Services (CLS) of Philadelphia
DETAILS
According to Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, as many as 30 percent of Pennsylvania residents have a criminal record. For many of them, minor misdemeanor and summary offense convictions hang like a metaphorical albatross from their necks as they look to move on with their lives.
According to Jamie Gullen, an attorney in the employment unit of Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, that could change soon as lawmakers in Harrisburg work on bills that would seal the records of non-violent offenders convicted of misdemeanors and summary offenses.
The bills – Senate Bill 1197 and House Bill 1984, together commonly called the Clean Slate Act – are moving through the Statehouse. The House has referred its portion of the Clean Slate Act to a judiciary committee and the Senate bill is still awaiting a vote. Gullen said the law, if enacted, would have a sweeping effect on those struggling to move on from prior convictions.
“This is revolutionary,” Gullen said of the bill.