AB 1924 will improve economic opportunity for Californians living with an old conviction record by streamlining the process for applying for a Certificate of Rehabilitation
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday signed into law a bill streamlining the process for applying for a certificate of rehabilitation, which can significantly increase a person’s employment prospects, make it easier to acquire professional licenses, and otherwise enable a person to successfully contribute to their families and communities.
The bill, authored by Asm. Mike Gipson (D-Carson) and co-sponsored by Californians for Safety and Justice, the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, and Root and Rebound, prioritizes the state’s collective health and safety by reducing existing barriers to applying for a certificate of rehabilitation, a discretionary judicial relief that allows a court to find that a person has been rehabilitated and serves as a recommendation that the person be granted a pardon.
Streamlining access to a Certificate of Rehabilitation is critical given once that is granted it serves as a pardon application before the governor, furthering a person’s ability to successfully reintegrate into society.
The following can be attributed to Tinisch Hollins, executive director of Californians for Safety and Justice:
“California laws that prevent people living with an old conviction record from positively contributing to their families and our communities make us all less safe. More than eight million Californians who have done their time and paid their debts are still being punished by a system that is preventing, not enhancing, public safety. After someone has completed their sentence and paid their debts, we cannot continue to allow old legal records to create barriers to opportunity that destabilize families, undermine our economy, and worsen racial injustices. By simplifying the process of applying for a certificate of rehabilitation, we are giving people living with an old conviction record an opportunity to significantly increase their employment prospects – which in turn prioritizes the overall safety of our community.”