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CSG EAST UPDATE
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Connecticut is one of 10 states this year to consider legislation that would automatically expunge some criminal records, according to the Pew Research Center. S.B. 1019, the “Clean Slate” bill, would provide for automatic erasure of misdemeanors and some felonies between seven and 15 years after conviction, according to Connecticut Public Radio. Many people who are eligible to have their criminal records cleared fail to do so because of costs and complicated processes, according to Pew, which cited a University of Michigan study that found 90% of people who were eligible did not apply for record clearing. Pennsylvania was the first state to pass an automatic criminal record expungement bill in 2018, according to Pew, and 11 states currently have automatic record expungement laws. Eligibility for record clearing varies based on the type of crime committed and the number of convictions. Advocates of the Connecticut bill say automatic record clearing legislation could return millions to the workforce; critics are concerned about public safety. Similar legislation was introduced in 2018 and again before the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. At time of writing, two bills — the 2021 ‘Clean Slate’ bill, along with another bill that further limits eligibility for record clearing — have passed the Senate and await a vote in the House.
Maine Considering Statewide Free Student Meals Proposal
A new bill that would give free breakfast and lunch to all Maine students has passed the Senate with unanimous support and is headed to the House. The program would cost the state about $34 million annually, according to a nonpartisan analysis cited by the Portland Press Herald. Approximately 44% of Maine’s public school students qualify for free or reduced meals, the Herald said, and according to the University of Southern Maine Food Studies program, nearly a quarter of children in Maine “do not have reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.”
New York Broadband Law Would Make Internet a Utility
New York state Assemblywoman Nily Rozic and state Sen. Sean Ryan announced legislation that would allow the Public Service Commission (PSC) to oversee broadband. Following on the heels of a new law mandating $15 per month internet for low-income households, the “NY broadband resiliency, public safety and quality act” would “provide for oversight of the resiliency, public safety and quality of broadband and voice over internet protocol service.” “Access to high-speed, quality broadband service is a necessity and essential to New York’s economy, education, and civic life,” Rozic said in a press release. “New Yorkers deserve accountability and connectivity when it comes to broadband. This legislation is critical in ensuring that the PSC can regulate this infrastructure and deliver for consumers across New York.”
Save the Date for ERC 60th Annual Meeting
The CSG East/ERC 60th Annual Meeting and Regional Policy Forum will convene virtually Aug. 16-20. The meeting’s theme is “State of the Future: Mapping a Regional Path Forward,” exploring how states in the Eastern region can respond to new opportunities and learn from one another to restore economies, build the health of jurisdictions and implement real solutions in the aftermath of the pandemic. To learn more and register, visit: https://csg-erc.org/ annual-meetings/2020-2.
Eastern Leadership Academy
The Robert J. Thompson Eastern Leadership Academy will meet in Philadelphia, Aug. 22–26, bringing together a class of 30 selected state officials for five days of intensive training with experts in communications, government and policy development. Created in in coordination with the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania, the program includes lectures with award-winning Penn faculty and hands-on workshops in media relations, negotiation skills and public speaking. To learn more, visit: https://csgerc.org/leadership-training.
