Law banning initial inquiries into Colorado job seekers' criminal histories takes effect Sept. 1
"State officials expect to receive 10 to 20 complaints a month about alleged violations of the "Ban the Box" law." Read full article #LeslieHerod #SecondChances #criminaljusticereform #BantheBox
Op-Ed: Lawmakers Changing Prisoner Life Post-Release
“The distance between a prison and an ex-offender's home community generally can be traversed by bus in a few hours. But the real distance an ex-offender must travel from incarceration to successful reintegration can take years, or even decades, to achieve. Thanks to Governor Jared Polis, Colorado Department of Corrections director Dean Williams and Representative Leslie Herod, tangible measures soon will be in place for ex-offenders to succeed.” Read full article #criminalju
Colorado Rep. Leslie Herod Reflects on the 2019 Legislative Session
"The 2019 legislative session might have ended on May 3, but Colorado Rep. Leslie Herod is still working. On Tuesday, Gov. Jared Polis signed eight bills she sponsored into law. The octet focused on criminal justice—including parolee voting rights and “ban the box,” an effort to eliminate questions about criminal history on initial job applications." "It’s all part of what has been a busy year for the Denver Democrat, who also took on several leadership positions, including l
Gov. Polis signs ‘Ban the Box’ bill into law
"When I was 17 years old, I was convicted of robbery," Mohammed said. "The application is the first thing that an employer sees." "According to Rep. Leslie Herod (D-Denver), the bill will take effect in September 2019 for companies with 11 employees or more. Smaller businesses have until September 2021." "Rob McGowen, owner of Dai Kon sandwiches in Denver, says the new law will change the hiring culture in Colorado. McGowen supports the law." "I think it will be harder for pe
Governor Polis signs multiple criminal justice reform bills into law
"State Representative Leslie Herod (D-Denver) is one of the sponsors for HB-1266." “When you increase participation in democracy, you lower the recidivism rate,” she told the crowd at Second Chance Center." "Latif remembers his time on parole and being in the crowd at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. He couldn’t wait to vote." “It felt like there wasn’t a stranger in the place, it was that kind of hopefulness and people’s involvement and engagement in the pr
‘Ban the Box’ bill would make it harder for employers to discriminate against people with criminal r
“The data is there, showing that when you give someone an opportunity to have a face-to-face conversation with an employer, to get out of that application process, they’re more likely to get that job,” said Herod, who represents northeast Denver." "All we’re trying to do is ensure that people aren’t automatically screened out for a mistake they made in their past and that they’ve paid their time for. This will allow them to sit next to an employer one-on-one and say, ‘Here’s
'Ban the Box' bill has one last hurdle to clear
"A bill to prevent employers from asking prospective workers, at least at first, whether they have a felony conviction won preliminary approval in the Colorado Senate on Thursday." "The so-called Ban the Box measure, HB1025, is designed to help convicted felons to at least get in the door and be considered for employment, rather than be dismissed outright because of past infractions." "Some of those applications don't ask for details of a felony, but merely have a box that ne
Colorado Senate OKs 'Ban the Box' bill, sending it to Gov. Polis' desk
"Gov. Jared Polis will get his chance to sign the “Ban the Box” bill after the Colorado Senate finally passed the measure April 12 on its third trip through the chamber in the past five years." Read full article #LeslieHerod #BantheBox #SecondChances #criminaljustice #GovernorPolis
“Ban the box” movement takes aim at college applications
“When it comes to second chances,” said Tate, of Centennial, “I think the government should be wanting to make sure those who want to be better for themselves, seize personal responsibility and pursue education — meaning, make their lives better — should be incentivized to do that.” "The Rodriguez/Tate bill would prohibit the University of Colorado and Colorado State University systems, as well as all other public higher-ed institutions in the state, from inquiring about thei
Friednash: Why we should care if that ex-convict can get a job in Colorado
"HB 1025 includes an exemption for when a person with a criminal history is prohibited by law from being employed in a particular job, or when an employer is required by law to conduct a criminal background check for a particular position. For example, public school teacher applications are exempt because state law dictates that certain convictions are disqualifying." "Rep. Leslie Herod, one of the prime sponsors of the bill, summarizes the purpose as “simply about giving peo
