Don’t hold back ex-prisoners with occupational-license rules

If 2020 has been defined by anything other than the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been the discussion of reforming the judicial system and the disproportionate impact it can have on minority communities. What shouldn’t be lost in that discussion is the need to help those who have served their time in prison find job opportunities and become self-sufficient.

In Washington state, lawmakers have imposed barriers that prevent those with a criminal record from finding good jobs. The state legislature took a half-step toward ending these discriminatory restrictions earlier this year when the House voted unanimously to allow convicted felons to apply for occupational licenses as long as their conviction wasn’t related to the job they were applying for. The bipartisan bill, however, died in the Senate, where the leadership didn’t even give it a committee hearing.

Next year, Washington lawmakers need to take the next step and pass the proposal. If passed, the bill would provide opportunities for those who want to overcome their past and build a stable career they can be proud of.

Research by Arizona State University demonstrates why cutting licensing barriers is so important. ASU researcher Stephen Slivinski found that occupational licenses make it difficult for prisoners to find jobs when they are released and starting the process of being a contributing part of local communities. He noted that, “Successful entry into the labor force has been shown to greatly increase the chances that a (former) prisoner will not recidivate. Yet government-imposed barriers to reintegration into the labor force — particularly occupational licensing requirements — can be among the most pernicious barriers faced by ex-prisoners seeking to enter the workforce.” He calls removing occupational license barriers the “missing piece of criminal justice reform.”