Bills for Sealing Criminal Convictions in New York State

[equality]

I think it would be a great idea to charge a fee on processing a sealing motion. As stated by other posters this would bring much needed revenue into the state coffers, and at the same time make it a salient option for lawmakers to pass. So lets push it folks, and get the redemption that we all surely deserve.
Remember we at least have a bill to push never prior to 2009 was there ever such an opportunity. yes they had one but that was just limited to certain drug convictions. This bill encompasses all misdemeanors other than violent and sexual acts.

[longisland]

Hello all, New York State's legislative session will start up again in a few weeks (I've been told it's tentatively the second week of January) and the time is upon us to lobby again.

Some updates that have happened in the interim: first, the Assembly bill is up to 18 co/multi-sponsors and its sister bill in the Senate is now up to 4.

Secondly, it appears the hostile climate in the Senate has calmed down a bit and the legislators have worked together to resolve some other issues back in November. This means bills will get voted on now.

Lastly, I called the Senate Codes Committee and it appears Simone Levine finished up with what she has to do as both bills are now in Codes for both the Assembly and Senate. I was told the best step for what to do next is pressure Assemblyman Lentol and Senator Sampson to get moving on their bills and have them put to a vote.

So everyone who's interested please help and give these two people a call requesting they move on the bill listed next to their name:

1. Assemblyman Joseph Lentol (Bill # A6065): (518) 455-4477 / (718) 383-7474

2. Senator John Sampson (Bill # S1708): (518) 455-2788 / (718) 649-7653


These bills would allow ALL non-violent and non-sexual misdemeanors to be sealed. For Bill # A6065, please look over the bill’s details here:

http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A06065

Bill # S1708 (its sister bill in the Senate) includes the same things. The bill’s details are here (just copy the bill # and paste it in the Senate's search engine):

http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/menugetf.cgi

The other thing to do is please try to get as many people as you can to write in to your representatives in both the Assembly and Senate asking them to support these bills and/or sign up to be a co- or multi-sponsor on them. You can find them along with their address easily on these sites for your region:

http://www.nysenate.gov/senators

http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/

Write in to the Senators supporting Bill # S1708 and write in to the Assemblymen in support of Bill # A6065.

I figure no matter what it's worth a shot since we still have 1 more session with a democratic governor and with the way republican ones got elected in NJ and VA this past election worried me so I think it's better to work with what we have before New York has an election for Governor in November 2010. Even with a possible republican "majority" in the senate now, our bill isn't too outrageous that they still wouldn't vote for it anyway.

Hopefully everyone had a good break... however it's time to get back to work. If anyone has any questions or concerns please post or send me a private message.

Hello John:
Where does the bill lie at this point ??

Let m,e know if it is too late to revert to people, since with my over 16 years of getting my DWI(, I am still not at peace, having had to fight for 9 nyears for my US citizenship, after I sued the USCIS with a pro Bono Writ of Mandamus,Almost Lost my Airport job in 2007, and eventually got fully badged, lost my marriage partially due to the stigma and accusations by ex spouse for my past mistakes.

However, since also have gained my Airport secirity badge, Airman/Pilot certification, and now at age 47 am venturing for volunteer Auxiliary Police Officers which allows only 1 alcohol related incident.My potential Comaanding Offivers are trying for a waiver, but what better way if this bill goes through.

Let me know so I can act accordingly.

[equality]

Welcome aboard Long Island. Your help is needed. Your barriers are fully appreciated. You need to read correction law article 23A. You have rights and can't be denied employment based on the law.
As i am the one who put this bill together with senator sampson you need to contact delia watson in Senator Sampsons' brooklyn office. It is waiting to be put into committee, also need to contact Dan Salvin at this point as well in the assembly. In sum the decision maker as I write is Delia in Senator Sampsons office. All energy and focus should go there. Thanks for supporting bill. Also do you have a certificate of relief of disability in the mean time.

[equality]

sorry it is not brooklyn, Delia is in albany office.

[longisland]

Dear Friend:
Rest assure no matter what party I lobby, smething will be done.
ANd, yes, i shall also Graduate from the Nassau Country Police department.
have already won Pro Bono as a proud US Citizen at long Last and this is yet another "Battle"

Semper Fi

[equality]

welcome aboard i am refreshed at your enthusiasm, and acknowledgement of the unforturnate barriers you have had to go through because of one mistake. Please this week start calling, and sending letters to the two people above, and use your real name. Obviously on here you use your pseudonymn but in letters and phone calls use real name. Lets get it done

[equality]

also anyone from long island reading this. Kidly call Daniel russell at the nassau county department of humant rights. Just google for phone number. I am in talks with him to get a letter of support for the sealing bill senate bill#1708/A6065. Please lets get this support.
thank you

[equality]

people please step up. Now is the time. The bill is making great headway. it is all ready now to start moving, but without your phone calls and letters to Senator Sampson and Dan Salvin we won't make it.
Just to let everyone know the final version of the bill will read five years instead of a three year waiting period to apply for sealing. In addition there will be a fee charged in the new version of the bill. I believe it will be $80.00. Please i can't get it through enough start the lobbying.
Also in november vote democratic, vote against padvan, Hannon, etc. I think the senate realizes they may and i say may lose the majority in november so they want to get the human rights issues through like our bill here that can make us all human again. A conviction is like a civil death penalty even for the most educated

[Johnny Leary]

To add to Equality's update: there's no need to call Daniel Russell in the Nassau County Department of Human Rights anymore since he has sent out a letter in support of the bills which will be a huge help to us. Big thanks to Equality again for finding him!

And yes, everyone please vote Democratic for everything this November. Even if we get these bills passed we don't want them to be repealed or anything else that the Republicans might try to pull should they get the majority again and/or if one becomes governor. So please remember to vote that way from now on no matter what.

Now I also spoke to Delia in Senator Sampson's office and she said the biggest help right now us individuals can do is contact our local Senators and Assemblymen. So please go to the links where you can look up the ones in your district and do so. There usually won't be more than six combined. Calling them would probably only take fifteen minutes total of your time and writing not more than half an hour (remember you can write one letter then keep changing the letterhead). Or better yet write them all then follow-through with a call a week later to each of them.

Please everyone, we're so close. And if this is ever going to happen it'll happen this session. So whether you're an old-timer like Pplexed or Clock... or have just joined up like Viva and LongIsland -- let's all band together. This is on us and look what we've accomplished so far. As some of us have seen before when people stop being active, it's very obvious and that's when our progress slows down. So if there are people out there just reading the thread hoping we'll do all the work and it'll go through, sorry but it doesn't work that way. We really need everyone's help otherwise it won't happen. And we have momentum going now, let's keep it up!

It'll be a couple weeks that'll seem like downtime but believe me they're vital since this is when they will allot a provision for our bills in the budget.
Finally as Equality said please keep contacting Senator Sampson, Dan Salvin, and Assemblyman Lentol. Each week make your call to all three and if you can, then send a letter to them as well. Thanks everyone! We're gonna do it!

[pplexed]

Update: I spoke with Delia today in Senator Sampson's office; she indicated that the bill was sent over to the assembly on 3/15/10 for language alignment purposes. In other words, Senator Sampson needs to make sure that the bill's language will allow it to pass, and nothing is ambiguous. The "application fee" as we had discussed is also in the bill, thus we should be able to win support from both parties, as the fee will "help" balance our budget. Delia believes that it should take no more than a week to have the final bill with concomitant wording back. Delia, also stated that they want this bill out of committee and up for a vote this session. Thus, please call, write, and voice your support; do not let this opportunity pass! Also, please get the word out to those whom are affected by a misdemeanor conviction. I thank everyone for the continued support, however we are not out of the woods yet. Let us be free from the mental sentence incarcerated with our minds, for as we know the pain of conviction is overlapping, all reaching, and unrealized to those not afflicted. Let us contribute to society as free members without stigma, who bear not the burden of our petty misdeeds. The refusals must end! Let this bill make equal our playing field, and once again make us whole by being judged without judgment.