Good news for Arizonans who have had difficulties finding employment opportunities, occupational licenses, and housing: House Bill 2067, recently signed into law by Gov. Doug Ducey, allows many with certain criminal offenses to set aside prior convictions.
Good news for Arizonans who have had difficulties finding employment opportunities, occupational licenses, and housing: House Bill 2067, recently signed into law by Gov. Doug Ducey, allows many with certain criminal offenses to set aside prior convictions. The amendments made to Arizona Revised Statutes Section 13-905 will allow individuals who have successfully fulfilled probation and sentencing conditions to apply to have the prior convictions set aside. They would then receive a Certificate of Second Chance, which will prevent them from being barred from obtaining a required occupational license.
This is a step in the right direction for criminal justice reform. As the country's attitude towards criminal records changes, we're faced with the knowledge that individuals who are otherwise qualified for occupations are frequently turned away due to unfair stigmas. This amendment will change that.
The amendment takes effect on August 27th of this year--starting on this date, ex-offenders can seek to set aside convictions and effectively expand their employment opportunities. Though it's not exactly on the level of some states' current automatic expunction laws, we definitely applaud lawmakers for these initial actions that will benefit so many people with criminal records. However, Arizona still does not offer an actual expunction law, so these individuals will still have to disclose their convictions if they are asked to do so.
If you're tired of being rejected from positions you know you're qualified for, it's possible that your criminal record is to blame. You don't have to endure the weight of a criminal record if it's eligible for an expunction. Reach out to the experts at Easy Expunctions to see what we can do for you and your future employment prospects.