The House Ways and Means Committee heard testimony and voted to send the bipartisan ‘Good Moral Character’ reform package to the House floor, which would collectively remove barriers for individuals with past criminal convictions when seeking professional certifications. State Rep. Sherry Gay-Dagnogo (D-Detroit), sponsor of House Bill 4492 in the package to update the Michigan Occupational Code, released the following statement in response:
“Making mistakes is part of what makes us human, and while sometimes those mistakes result in criminal convictions, no one should be defined solely by the worst part of their past. Michiganders who have taken accountability for their past mistakes by serving their time should be met with support and opportunity for a pathway forward, not further barriers preventing them from success. In the midst of ongoing public health and economic crises, it’s now more critical than ever for us to do everything in our power to create — rather than limit — employment opportunities for the people of our state.”