Act Now To Expand The Sealing Of Records
Your action is needed to support an important bill which would increase employment, housing and educational opportunities for millions of Illinois residents with criminal records. HB 2373 will expand the eligibility of felony records that can be sealed, allowing more people to petition the court to have their records sealed from public view.
HB 2373 will be voted on in the House Judiciary Criminal Committee tomorrow, Tuesday, March 28. Contact your representative now and ask them to support this legislation.
Each and every day, hard working men and women in our state are unfairly denied opportunities to move forward because of the stigma and barrier of having a record in their past. The opportunity to go before a court for an individual consideration to have a record sealed will break down this barrier.
HB 2373 was proposed as the result of surveying almost 400 individuals with records who strongly identified increasing opportunities for decent employment and housing as the most pressing issues to address. Currently, only 9 felonies are eligible to be sealed in Illinois.
Community Renewal Society is proud to work on this legislation in partnership with members of the Restoring Rights and Opportunities Coalition of Illinois (RROCI), a coalition of individuals directly impacted by the criminal justice system, and organizers and policy staff from Cabrini Green Legal Aid, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, and Heartland Alliance.
On April 5, we will send a bus with FORCE leaders to Springfield to advocate for expanding eligibility for the sealing of records. You can make an impact by supporting thier efforts with a donation; it costs $60 to send a leader to Springfield. Please give any amount, today, to support leaders who will be directly impacted by the legislation as they build momentum to pass HB 2373. Help make reentry easier for returning citizens.