Advocates Push CORI Reform Bill in House After Recent Senate Victory

BOSTON/State House - After successfully pushing a reform bill through the Mass. Senate last year, over 125 advocates of changes to the state Criminal Offender Record Information system held a rally in State House Hearing Room B-2 Wednesday before lobbying key legislators that can help move the House version of the bill towards passage this year. The event was organized by the Commonwealth CORI Coalition - which represents over 90 organizations in support of CORI reform.

If passed and signed by Gov. Deval Patrick, reform leadership says that the bill - An Act Relative to Sentencing Laws - will make it easier for former prisoners to find jobs after they've served their jail time. Unless prisoners CORI records are sealed, their criminal records are accessible by potential employers for 15 years after the end of any parole supervision ends for people who committed a felony and 10 years for people have committed a misdemeanor. The reform bill will lower that time to 10 years for those who have committed a felony and 5 for those who have committed misdemeanors - plus the clock on sealing the records will start upon release from prison rather than after the end of state supervision.

At the rally, the bill's lead sponsor Sen. Harriette Chandler (D-Worcester) said, "Now is the time for the House to move forward on this vital legislation that will enable deserving citizens to get back on a productive path."

Following talks by several other speakers - including the lead House sponsor Rep. Liz Malia (D-Boston) - attendees went out in teams to bolster legislative support for the reform bill.