Springfield, IL (CAPITOL NEWS NOW) – Lawmakers and activists took part in a Wednesday morning news conference to promote proposed legislation being called CLEAN SLATE.
It happened in the Blue Room of the Illinois State Capitol where advocates stood before reporters displaying signs such as TAX THE RICH and TOO BLACK TOO STRONG.
Taylar Tramil with the Workers Center for Racial Justice took to the podium to talk about the importance of creating pathways for folks released from the prison system to reintegrate into communities without their past following them for the rest of their lives.
She says if someone can’t get a good, secure job, that doesn’t just affect them but also their partners, their kids and their communities.
Part of the legislation would provide grant money to employers who hire ex-felons with 50 to 75 percent of salaries being picked up by the state.
It would also remove expensive and time-consuming barriers to folks want to expunge their records.
Pastor Deric Caples said there are 3 million people on the state with some sort of criminal record. He says there are 1100 permanent punishment laws on the books with some following folks for as long as 40 years.
