Support Jobs For People With Criminal Records In Park Districts
Current Illinois law prohibits park districts from even considering qualified candidates with certain criminal convictions—regardless of how long ago those offenses occurred, the circumstances surrounding them or any other mitigating information. As a result, deserving and qualified applicants in our communities are unable to access jobs in their own communities.
SB 3005 removes the lifetime ban on working in park districts for people with drug convictions and instead imposes a 7 year waiting period before these individuals can be hired. It also removes a handful of misdemeanors from the list of offenses that have a lifetime bar under the park district code.
SB 3005 will increase job opportunities for people with criminal records and puts hiring decisions back in the hands of local park districts, without compromising public safety.
SB 3005 will be called for a vote on the House floor soon! Contact your Illinois Representative now.