Kentucky Gives People With Criminal Records a Fair Shot at Occupational Licenses

Excerpt:

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has signed into law a bill establishing a process to help residents with conviction histories find out whether their records will disqualify them from public employment or an occupational license before they invest time and money into the required training. This reform, approved in April through House Bill (HB) 185, addresses one of the most consequential and least visible barriers people face when trying to rebuild their lives and contribute to society after spending time in prison.

Nearly one in five workers holds a job that requires an occupational license, and Kentucky ranks fourth in the nation for the share of occupations subject to licensing requirements, according to the Archbridge Institute. Nearly 300 provisions of state law limit access to licensure for Kentuckians with criminal records.

Read the full article at Reason.