Gov. Tom Wolf on July 1 signed a package of bills aimed at easing transition to civil society of persons who have served their time for criminal convictions.

Senate Bill 637 removes outdated licensing barriers so skilled workers with criminal records can get a second chance and start good careers.

The new law requires the Department of State's 29 licensing boards and commissions that regulate more than 255 types of licenses to stop using criminal history to deny applications unless it is directly related to the occupation. It also directs those boards to individually consider applications based on the offense, the amount of time since the conviction and the applicant's personal progress and training, among other factors, before withholding licensure.

"Arbitrarily denying someone a job license because of outdated rules against criminal records is wrong," Wolf said. "This new bipartisan law is a common-sense way to allow people to pursue the American dream and build a better life in Pennsylvania. It's good for skilled workers, their employers and the economy for all of us."

Applicants may also ask for preliminary decisions to determine if their criminal records would make them ineligible for a license before investing in training.

SB 637 was sponsored by Sen. John DiSanto, R-Dauphin.

"Government licensing boards act as the gatekeepers to more than 1 in 5 jobs and as our economy reopens it is paramount we extend the recovery to all Pennsylvanians—including those turning their lives around upon release from the criminal justice system," DiSanto said in a statement. "With the enactment of my legislation, we will provide fairness and transparency in licensing decisions, eliminate an old or irrelevant criminal record's lifelong barriers to employment and support our commonwealth's skilled workforce needs."

SB 637 was supported by a broad coalition of stakeholders including the Greater Harrisburg NAACP, the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, Community Legal Services, Americans for Tax Reform, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Justice Action Network.

The bill was enrolled as Act 53 of 2020.