AB 1076 is a groundbreaking, comprehensive clean slate effort that leverages technology to clear records at scale by automating existing laws
Today, District Attorney George Gascón and Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) announced the introduction of AB 1076, a revolutionary effort to efficiently automate arrest and conviction relief at the California Department of Justice. Using technology, this policy will automate the process for those who are already entitled to record clearance relief under existing laws. By eliminating barriers to successful reentry, AB 1076 will provide millions of Californians with renewed employment, housing and education opportunities.
“Millions of Californians are living in a paper prison,” said District Attorney George Gascón. “A huge number of people are entitled to relief that they’ll never realize because they have to jump through hoops to get it. The system has erected bureaucratic barriers that disproportionately impact communities of color, barriers that undermine the likelihood of successful reentry by limiting access to employment and housing. With a few key strokes California can enhance public safety and equity while reducing recidivism and taxpayer spending. AB 1076 will not only modernize our system of justice, it’s a model for the justice system.”
“Everybody deserves a second chance. We must open doors for those facing housing and employment barriers and use available technology to clear arrest and criminal records for individuals already eligible for relief. There is a great cost to our economy and society when we shut out job-seeking workers looking for a better future,” said Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), author of AB 1076.
Studies show that lack of access to employment and housing are primary factors that drive individuals to reoffend. As a result, barriers to criminal record relief reduce the likelihood of successful reentry and harm public safety. They also perpetuate the long history of disproportionate impact of the justice system on socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, and communities of color in particular.