Precinct Reporter Group News

Main Menu

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Read Our E-Edition
  • ADVERTISE
Sign in / Join

Login

Welcome! Login in to your account
Lost your password?

Lost Password

Back to login

logo

Precinct Reporter Group News

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Read Our E-Edition
  • ADVERTISE
  • What Holds Up COVID Vaccines

  • Black Doctors Call for Urgent Action During COVID-19 Crisis

  • Blood Runs Low: Calls for Black Donors

  • LBUSD: Member Erik Miller Excited to Begin Work

  • Tustin Mayor Letitia Clark Discusses Goals

Latest PRGNews
Home›Latest PRGNews›Reyes Bill Provides Employment Opportunities to Inmate Firefighters

Reyes Bill Provides Employment Opportunities to Inmate Firefighters

By Precinct Reporter News
September 17, 2020
632
0
Share:

AB 2147, legislation by Assemblymember Eloise Reyes (D-San Bernardino) which provides an expedited expungement process for formerly incarcerated individuals who have successfully participated with fire suppression activities has been signed by Governor Newsom making California the first state in the nation to provide this type of relief to the formerly incarcerated that served as inmate firefighters.

“Signing AB 2147 into law is about giving second chances.  To correct is to right a wrong; to rehabilitate is to restore.”  Assemblymember Reyes continued, “Rehabilitation without strategies to ensure the formerly incarcerated have a career, is a pathway to recidivism.  We must get serious about providing pathways for those who show the determination and commitment to turn their lives around.”

Under existing law, once released from custody a formerly incarcerated individual must finish the terms of their parole before applying for expungement of their criminal record.  Even once those records are expunged, the person must disclose their criminal history on applications for state licenses. With nearly 200 occupations that require licensing from one of 42 California government departments and agencies these formerly incarcerated individuals are almost entirely denied access to these jobs. An estimated 2.5 million California workers (nearly 20% of the state’s workforce) need a professional license to work.  Under, AB 2147 a person who participates as part of a state or county fire camp would be eligible to apply for expungement upon release from custody, and if the expungement is approved could seek various career pathways including those that require a state license.

Several studies have concluded that occupational licensing restrictions have a direct correlation on recidivism rates.  For example, The Center for the Study of Economic Liberty at Arizona State University found that states with the most occupational licensing restrictions saw an increase in the three year recidivism rate of over 9%, while states without the same restrictions saw an average decline in recidivism of 2.5%, and concluded, “a low occupational licensing burden had a significant impact on a state’s ability to lower its new crime recidivism rate. In terms of impact, the occupational licensing burden was second only to the overall labor market conditions in significantly influencing movements in the recidivism rate.”[1]

In an average year, the Conservation Camp Program provides approximately three million person-hours responding to fires and other emergencies and seven million person-hours in community service projects, saving California taxpayers approximately $100 million annually.

Several counties across the state, including Los Angeles and San Bernardino operate fire training academies for those incarcerated in a county jail utilizing several hundred jail incarcerated individuals to fight fires.  This bill includes those that have served in county fire camps.

Despite their low-level risk status, dedication and willingness to put themselves in harm’s way, many who participate in these programs struggle to find permanent and stable employment once released. This is in part due to significant barriers in place for individuals with a prior conviction to seek employment or even the education necessary to start a career.

AB 2147 becomes state law on January 1, 2021.

Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes represents Assembly District 47, which includes the cities of Fontana, Rialto, Colton, Grand Terrace, San Bernardino and the unincorporated areas of Muscoy and Bloomington.

TagsAssemblymember Eloise Reyesemploymentexpungementfirefightersinmate firefightersLong Beach Leaderprecinct reportertricounty bulletin
Previous Article

Black Voters: We Are Top Targets of ...

Next Article

Better Education: School District Candidates

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Precinct Reporter News

Related articles More from author

  • Latest PRGNews

    Aguilar Gets $10M for S.B. County Homeless Programs

    February 13, 2020
    By Precinct Reporter News
  • Latest PRGNews

    Annual Founder’s Kwanzaa Message

    December 24, 2020
    By Precinct Reporter News
  • Latest PRGNews

    IN MEMORIAM: Chadwick Boseman

    September 1, 2020
    By Precinct Reporter News
  • Latest PRGNews

    Multi-Faith, Bi-Partisan Call for Compassion

    December 26, 2019
    By Precinct Reporter News
  • Latest PRGNews

    State Budget Provides Big Wins for I.E.

    July 4, 2019
    By Precinct Reporter News
  • Latest PRGNews

    Fontana Police Discrimination Case Moves Forward

    October 11, 2018
    By Precinct Reporter News

You might be interested

  • Latest PRGNews

    Long Beach Library Pilots Social Work Internship Program

  • Latest PRGNews

    Stopping Exploitation of Prisoners Requires Comprehensive Solutions

  • Latest PRGNews

    High Drug Prices Hurt Black Community

Ads

Find us on Facebook

Precinct Reporter News Group

Your local news resource for 50 years in the Inland Empire, Orange County, Long Beach and surrounding areas!

To subscribe or advertise, call 909.889.0597

About us

  • Broadcasting & Media Production Company
    357 W. 2nd Street
    San Bernardino, California, CA 92401
  • mailto:sales@precinctreporter.com
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • What Holds Up COVID Vaccines

    By Precinct Reporter News
    January 14, 2021
  • Black Doctors Call for Urgent Action During COVID-19 Crisis

    By Precinct Reporter News
    January 14, 2021
  • Blood Runs Low: Calls for Black Donors

    By Precinct Reporter News
    January 14, 2021
  • IE/OC Prostate and Breast Cancer, Change the Menu

    By PRGNews
    July 16, 2015
  • Join our Recipe Competition!

    By PRGNews
    July 16, 2015
  • SB Budget Cuts CDBG

    SB CDBG Cuts Have Local Nonprofits Braced for the Worst

    By PRGNews
    July 16, 2015

Follow us

© Powered by Hotspotwebsites.net. All rights reserved.