Show-Me State Times

The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry is throwing its weight behind legislative efforts aimed at curbing recidivism by streamlining the process of expunging criminal records. A series of Clean Slate bills were presented in Senate and House committees this week, including SB 763 by Sen. Brian Williams, SB 1161 by Sen. Curtis Trent, HB 2108 by Rep. Phil Christofanelli, and HB 2555 by Rep. Justin Hicks. These bills seek to establish an automated expungement process for certain non-violent offenses, moving away from the current petition-based system.

Representative Justin Hicks highlighted the inefficiencies of the current system, stating, "Because of that, there are a lot of judicial inefficiencies that happen." The sponsors of the bills emphasized the need for reform, pointing out that only 1% of eligible individuals in Missouri have successfully expunged their records due to the complex and lengthy petition process.

Sen. Brian Williams underscored the potential impact of the proposed legislation on reducing recidivism, stating, "We need these workers to help our local businesses thrive here in Missouri." Meanwhile, Sen. Curtis Trent emphasized the importance of the bill in providing opportunities for justice-involved individuals to reintegrate into society, saying, "It really gives people an opportunity to reintegrate fully into society with jobs and housing opportunities that might have been otherwise unavailable."

The Missouri Chamber's support for the legislation stems from its commitment to addressing crime and reducing recidivism in the state. Rep. Phil Christofanelli echoed this sentiment, noting, "When folks are not working, when they don’t have a stable place to live, they are much more likely to reoffend." The Chamber's 2022 public safety report, Safer Missouri, Stronger Missouri, included recommendations to tackle crime and recidivism, further solidifying their stance on the importance of reforming the expungement process.

Overall, the Missouri Chamber's endorsement of the proposed legislation reflects a broader effort to facilitate the reintegration of justice-involved individuals into society by removing barriers to employment, housing, and education.