Bill > SB462

This bill creates a Certificate of Employability program for individuals with felony convictions, which can be issued by either the Division of Correction or circuit courts. Under the Division of Correction's process, prisoners can obtain a certificate if they have completed educational or vocational programs, received no major disciplinary violations in the year before release, and passed a job skills assessment. The certificate is automatically issued upon release and remains valid unless revoked. Circuit courts can also issue certificates to individuals with felony or misdemeanor convictions through a petition process. In both cases, the certificate can be revoked if the individual is convicted of another felony. The bill provides legal protections for employers who hire individuals with these certificates, allowing the certificate to be used as evidence of due care in hiring and potentially protecting against negligent hiring claims. The certificates do not exempt individuals from sex offender registration, driver's license restrictions, or professional license suspensions. The Division of Correction is required to submit an annual report tracking the number of certificates issued and recidivism rates, and it is explicitly stated that knowingly misrepresenting possession of a certificate is a Class B misdemeanor.

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https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?id=sb462&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R