Fair Chance is second chance

I am a social work graduate student at Eastern Washington University, and I am writing to you in response to Sen. Michael Baumgartner and Rep. Marcus Riccelli’s article: “Bills promote second chance for workers.”

They discussed two bills, introduced in the House and Senate simultaneously, that stop employers from being able to disqualify an applicant to a job because of criminal history. These bills are presented as equal, when in reality the Senate version (SB 5312) is much more restrictive. The House bill (now SBH 1298) is everything it should be. The legislation is called the Fair Chance Act.

I have never had a felony record, but I see the effects of this every day. The Fair Chance Act would make our communities safer, our families better provided for, and our businesses always full of employees. It will save us tax dollars because people, who would have been unemployed and exposed to further criminal activity, are now honestly employed instead of in tax funded prisons. Many people have criminal records from many years ago, sometimes from just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Everyone would benefit from second chances.

Gracie Volyn

Liberty Lake