In the middle of the 2020 General Election, millions of voters have already cast ballots by mail, and millions more are making plans to vote in person on Election Day. However, not all Americans are eligible to cast a ballot. According to the ACLU, states have disenfranchised 5.85 million Americans with felony convictions, or misdemeanor convictions in some states. Some states, like Iowa and Kentucky, permanently disenfranchise all people with […]
H.R. 8337 would extend government funding through December 11, 2020, averting a government shutdown that would otherwise begin October 1. The continuing resolution (CR) would generally extend fiscal 2020 funding levels while including some “anomalies” that would adjust the amount available to agencies or extend authorities. The measure reflects an agreement between Democrats and Republicans over farm and food aid programs. The measure would also extend surface transportation programs, the […]
In 2018, Pennsylvania became the first state to enact a “Clean Slate” law to seal certain criminal records automatically. Act 56, formerly House Bill 1419, provides individuals with low-level, non-violent criminal records with a mechanism to have their record(s) sealed from public view. Why enact Clean Slate and make a criminal record sealing process automatic? The goal of Clean Slate in Pennsylvania was to reduce the stigma people with criminal […]