Washington Considers Faster Pathways to Restoring Rights After Felony Convictions

Washington has three new bills in the works, and they all aim to help those who are repeatedly punished for their past criminal convictions.
It is estimated that one in every three Americans has a criminal record, meaning one in every three Americans has a difficult time finding a place to work, live, and go to school. There are some obstacles a criminal record can lead to that may not be well known, for example, volunteering. One of the proposed bills would help parents with criminal records by creating a more streamlined process for parents to apply to volunteer at their children's schools. The bill establishes volunteer application requirements for schools that are made to ensure parents with criminal convictions are at least considered to volunteer if they possess a certificate of restoration.

Another bill the state is considering would restore voting rights to those with felony convictions immediately after release, even if they still have fees to pay and remain under community custody. More than 5.3 million Americans currently cannot vote due to a result of felony disenfranchisement, even though research shows that providing people the power to vote upon discharge reduces prison recidivism.

The last of the three new bills introduced in Washington seeks to help those with past criminal convictions clear their records. The Clean Slate Act would make the Administrative Office of the Courts accountable for forming a new process when reviewing criminal convictions to determine whether they are eligible to be vacated. If one's offense has met the criteria, the Administrative Office of the Courts would vacate the offense. Some exclusions of the bill include violent offenses and DUIs. Full implementation is expected to occur on July 1, 2022.

Washington is attempting to fix its justice reform system with these three bills, and more states are sure to follow. If you don't live in Washington or can't wait until 2022, check out www.easyexpunctions.com for a free record check and speak to our excellent customer service representatives. At Easy Expunctions, we work directly with you to find charges that can be cleared from your record. Don't wait for the state to wake up and clear your record, get started today at Easy Expunctions.