Bartlesville Radio: The area’s best source for news, weather and sports!

Governor Kevin Stitt held a ceremonial bill signing for House Bill 1373 on Monday.

Bartlesville Senator Julie Daniels joined Representative Zack Taylor, the principal author of the Fresh Start bill, for the occasion. Senator Daniels said the bill is aimed at getting formerly incarcerated Oklahomans back to work so they can provide for their families.

House Bill 1373 is aimed at getting formerly incarcerated Oklahomans back to work so they can provide for their families.

Sen. Daniels said the bill reduces employment barriers by allowing individuals to request state licensing boards to make an initial determination as to whether their criminal record would make them ineligible for licensing.

She said it is designed to help them reintegrate into their communities and to let them know which jobs or professions are available to them before they decided to pay for the education or training necessary for a particular job.

The Fresh Start bill is part of a package of criminal justice reform measures from last session that the Executive Branch wanted to get accomplished immediately.

Sen. Daniels said they asked every agency to change the way they look at people coming to them for a license. This relates to examining a person’s criminal record and see if it would prove to put people in danger in a certain profession or if the criminal acts substantially relate to the job a formerly incarcerated individual wishes to pursue.

More work will continue on this next year. In the meantime, the Senator said this is a good start in getting people back on their feet.

(Photo courtesy: Sen. Daniels)