HOUSE PASSES BILL TO REFORM CRIMINAL JUSTICE, GIVE PEOPLE A SECOND CHANCE

Bill was approved on a bipartisan vote 59-3

(Apr. 26) – The House approved a bipartisan bill sponsored by Judiciary Committee Chair Mike Weissman to broaden access to record sealing. HB19-1275 will allow more people to successfully obtain and maintain housing and employment, to help them move on from their past mistakes after they have served their sentences.

“This bill will help give people who have served their time for lower level offenses and paid their debt to society a second chance. I thank my co-sponsor Rep. Soper for his work on this bill and I am glad that we have broad bipartisan support,” said Rep. Weissman, D-Aurora.

More than 1.8 million Coloradans are in the state criminal record database. For many of these individuals, involvement with the justice system has led to a cycle of unemployment or underemployment, housing insecurity, or a loss of income for themselves or their families.

The bill will streamline record sealing processes for individuals eligible under existing law. It will also allow some individuals who would be newly eligible under the bill to petition the court to seal their existing case as opposed to having to file a new civil case, helping to make our court system more efficient.. Victims and prosecutors will be able to provide input to a judge who will ultimately decide whether a case will be sealed.

The Rocky Mountain Victim Law Center, Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault, and Violence Free Colorado all support the bill.

The bill was approved by the House by a bipartisan vote of 59-3.