Expungement bill heads to Senate
A bill that would allow individuals convicted of certain misdemeanors to have their record expunged is headed to Senate.
State Sen. Tim Solobay’s effort to help transition former convicts to lawful employment under Senate Bill 391 cleared the Senate Appropriations Committee this week.
It garnered support from both prosecutors and advocates for former inmates.
The bill would give individuals convicted of minor crimes the option to apply to have their record expunged if it is kept clean for at least seven years.
State Sen. Richard A. Kasunic, D-Dunbar, reserved any comment on the bill until getting a better perception on the types of crimes that would be eligible offenses under the expungement process.
The bill was approved in March by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Solobay, D-Canonsburg, said the bill has wide support among those involved in the criminal justice system, even among those who don’t always agree on reform ideas.
“It’s a modest step toward reducing recidivism that would help former convicts redirect their lives and at the same time save taxpayers the high cost of incarceration,” Solobay said.
The Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Association recently reiterated its support for the bill, including Fayette County District Attorney Jack R. Heneks Jr.
Heneks, however, said he wants to make sure that some crimes are still able to be tracked and that prosecutors are able to raise objects should they be warranted. A letter recently sent by the Association to lawmakers stated, “prosecutors recognize that it is important that these individuals be able to find a job once they have paid their price to society.”
“We have to move forward carefully with justice system reforms,” said Solobay, “but we must move forward.”
According to Solobay, Pennsylvania’s prison population has jumped from just over 8,000 to more than 51,000 in the past 20 years at an average cost of of $90 a day per prisoner.
The bill allows courts to grant expungement of a criminal record if the crime is a misdemeanor of the third or second degree and the individual has not been arrested or prosecuted for seven to 10 years following the completion of the sentence or judicial supervision.
It would not apply to offenses punishable by more than one year in prison or pertaining to certain forms of assault, sex offense, cruelty to animals, firearms offenses and certain other crimes. Under current law, the crimes could not be expunged until after the offender reaches the age of 70 or had been deceased for more than three years.