Licensing boards in California would not be able to use nonviolent offense conviction information that is more than five years old as a reason to deny an application, under a trio of bills announced Monday.
AB 3039, introduced by Assemblymember Chris Holden, a Democrat, would affect the Department of Social Services, which licenses nursing assistants and certifies operators of residential care facilities for the elderly and other types of facilities for older adults, children and others.
“Why should people be continuously oppressed after rehabilitation in a society where our communities are over-policed and convicted?” Holden said at a press conference announcing the legislation, reported the Pasadena Now. “AB 3039 seeks to give those who may have had a criminal history a chance at a new life,” he added.
As the bill currently is written, unlicensed independent living buildings that are located on the same property as an assisted living building would be exempt from the requirements. The Department of Social Services also still could deny applications based on violent offenses or if a conviction was related to the profession for which an individual is applying.
Two other bills apply to other boards.
