National Advocacy
State and Local Advocacy
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Click here to view the 17 recommendations HIRE and its partners will continue to advocate for in the coming years. Act now if you want to be listed as an individual supporter of the National Blueprint for Reentry. If you want to participate and show your support please send an email to rampeeples@lac.org stating that you want to be listed as an individual supporter and the city and state you live in. Please make sure the subject line of your email states "Reentry Blueprint Support." HIRE has been focusing on a number of different legislative initiatives to help people with criminal records better integrate into society and have enhanced access to employment opportunities:
Funding for Programs
Serving People With Criminal Records
Higher Education
Act
The bill was approved by the full House on
February 7, 2008. The Senate approved its own HEA
bill without the postsecondary education grant
provision; however, during negotiations to
resolve differences between the House and Senate
bills, the grant program was included.
The Second Chance
Act
Click here for a list of co-sponsors of H.R. 1704. The Senate version of the Second Chance Act was introduced by Senators Joseph Biden (D-DE), Arlen Specter (R-PA), Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT).
Click here for a list of
co-sponsors of S. 1934
Work Opportunity Tax
Credit
On May 25, 2007, the President signed into law
the "Small Business and Work Opportunity Tax Act
of 2007" (P.L. 110-28). This legislation extends
the WOTC Program through August 31, 2011.
Additionally, the "Tax-Relief and Health Care Act
of 2006" was signed into law on December 20,
2006.
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) provides an incentive for employers to hire, train, and retain job seekers, including "qualified ex-felons," who often experience barriers to employment. The WOTC is available to employers who employ people from one of eight targeted groups, including "qualified ex-felons." A "qualified ex-felon" has been defined as an individual who (1) has a state or federal felony conviction; (2) is a member of an economically disadvantaged family and (3) is hired within in one year of release from prison or from date of conviction. This credit can reduce an employer's federal income tax liability by as much as $2,400 per qualified new worker.
Legislation to
Increase Educational Opportunities in Prison and
Following Incarceration
HIRE continues to encourage and support efforts
to increase post-secondary educational
opportunities to incarcerated individuals.
Legislation to Repeal
the Ban on Federal Financial Aid for Students
with Drug Convictions
With this change to the law, only students who
are receiving federal financial aid at the time
they receive a conviction for a drug offense will
be affected by the ban. Individuals who are
convicted of drug possession and sale offenses
prior to their receiving federal student aid will
not be penalized. HIRE believes that this partial
repeal is a step in the right direction of
increasing access to education and employment for
people with past drug convictions.
Workforce Investment
Act (WIA) Reauthorization
Federal Juvenile
Justice Legislation
In July 2008, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to pass S. 3155, legislation to reauthorize and extend the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA). This reauthorization expands protections for youth in the juvenile justice system. For example, the legislation would prohibit states from holding juveniles pre-conviction in jails or lock-ups for adults and from allowing juveniles to have any contact with adult inmates, unless a court determines it is in the interest of justice. HIRE will continue to work with Congressional staff in ensuring that the JJDPA is reintroduced in the 111th Congress.
Additionally, HIRE has tracked a number of pieces
of legislation aimed at gang-involved youth and
provided recommendations to Congress on how this
legislation could be better tailored toward gang
prevention initiatives and other efforts that
would help court-involved juveniles to access
educational and employment opportunities.
TANF Reauthorization:
Getting Drug Treatment to Count as a Work
Activity
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released interim final regulations on the TANF program and how certain activities should be counted as work, including addiction treatment. Under the regulations, substance abuse treatment counts as a work activity under the "Job Search and Job Readiness Assistance" category which is defined by HHS as the act of seeking or obtaining employment, preparation to seek or obtain employment, including life skills training, and substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, or rehabilitation activities for those who are otherwise employable. To count as a work activity under TANF, the treatment or therapy must be determined to be necessary and certified by a qualified medical or mental health professional and can count towards no more than six weeks per fiscal year of job search and job readiness assistance, no more than four of which may be consecutive. If an individual participates for more than four consecutive weeks or a total of six weeks in a fiscal year, the State may not count those hours toward the participation rate.
TANF Reauthorization:
Lifting the Ban on TANF Benefits for Individuals
with Drug Felony Convictions
The H.I.R.E. Network will continue to work with advocates nationwide to seek additional Congressional support for lifting the ban. Currently, 14 states still have a lifetime ban which disqualifies individuals from receiving food stamps if they were convicted of a state or federal felony drug offense; 22 states have modified the ban; and 17 states have opted out of the ban.
Updated 12/2008 |
