I am writing to urge you to support the New Hope Act. This Act would afford Washington residents the opportunity to rebuild their lives after a criminal conviction and provide better access to housing, employment, education, and civic engagement for those who have paid their debt to society.
The New Hope Act:
• Increases Opportunity. A criminal record can act as a substantial barrier to housing, employment, education, and other opportunity. Washington law has long allowed people with certain conviction records to petition the court to “vacate” the conviction after years without an offense. The New Hope Act would reform the criteria for eligibility to vacate, enabling people with multiple misdemeanor offenses to clear their entire records and expanding judicial discretion to vacate certain felonies. This will ensure that people who have spent years in their communities without committing a crime can clear records of conviction and increase their access to economic opportunity and civic engagement.
• Supports Rehabilitation. The New Hope Act requires people to satisfy the terms of their sentence, including paying court-ordered debt, before vacating their records. But, unlike the current law, the New Hope Act does not penalize people based on the amount of time it takes them to pay their court debt. By creating predictable and fair timelines for vacating convictions, the New Hope Act will incentivize people to satisfy the terms of their sentence.
• Builds Community Engagement. Vacating a conviction is necessary for some people who want to give back to their communities. For example, a conviction record can serve as a barrier for parents who want to volunteer in their children’s school. The New Hope Act would give thousands of Washington citizens the ability to demonstrate rehabilitation and more fully participate in their communities.
People who have spent years in our communities without committing a crime deserve a chance to put their past behind them. The New Hope Act would enact important reforms to Washington’s system of vacating conviction records, increasing fairness and opportunity.
