As Missouri faces an ongoing workforce shortage, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry is supporting legislation that would protect businesses that hire people who have previous convictions.
HB 720 is known as the Civil Liability for Employers Hiring Ex-Offenders Act. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Alex Riley (R-Springfield), offers legal protection for businesses that hire an employee who has been convicted of a nonviolent, nonsexual offense.
“This offers liability protection for these employers who are hiring people who have done their time and are trying to rebuild their lives,” Rep. Riley said during a recent hearing of the House Judiciary Committee. “It’s really a win-win with employers filling jobs and ex-offenders finding employment to help them build productive lives again.”
Heidi Sutherland, director of legislative affairs for the Missouri Chamber, told committee members, “Twenty-seven percent of people who have been formerly incarcerated are unemployed, which is a stark contrast to our 3.6 percent national unemployment rate. This bill addresses some of the issues we’re hearing from the businesses we represent that can feel very hesitant to hire people with convictions, because they’re afraid of potential liability.”
Shannon Cooper, representing the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce told the committee, “In Kansas City we currently have 85,000 job openings, so anything we can do to help employers feel a little more comfortable about stepping out of their comfort zone and giving these folks a second chance, I think is good public policy.”
HB 720’s companion bill in the Senate, SB 352, is sponsored by Sen. Curtis Trent (R-Springfield).
For more information, contact Sutherland at hsutherland@mochamber.com or call (573) 634-3511.
