Second Chance Occupational Licensing Reform in Virginia

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In Virginia, state law often prevents ex-offenders from working in occupations that require a license, even if they have served their time and the crime was nonviolent.

Nearly 1.6 million Virginians have a criminal record.

Over 12,000 inmates in Virginia are released from prison each year and reenter society.

20% of ex-offenders in Virginia are arrested again in three years following their release, often because of a failure to reintegrate into society and find a job.

Recidivism costs Virginia more than $400 million annually.

Former inmates who stay employed for one year post-release are 35% less likely to commit another crime compared to those who don't have a job.

Nearly 1 in 5 jobs in Virginia requires a license.

States with more barriers to occupational licensing experienced a 9% increase in recidivism rates.

States with fewer barriers experienced a 2.5% decrease in recidivism rates.

Virginia policymakers should support occupational licensing reforms that create a path for ex-offenders without a history of violent felonies or sexual offenses to earn a license, such as:

• Allow ex-offenders to petition a licensing board to see if they are disqualified from the license before they complete training, education, or exams.
• Extend the state’s ban on blanket criminal history bans to include licenses issued by the health department.
• Prevent licensing boards from denying a license based on vague “good moral character” or “moral turpitude” requirements.
• Prevent licensing boards from denying a license to an ex-offender due to a crime committed many years ago for which the threat of recidivism is low.
• Block licensing boards from denying a license to an ex-offender based on their criminal records unless the crime is directly related to the occupation.
• Prevent licensing boards from denying a license to an applicant based on an arrest that did not lead to a conviction of a crime.