Delaware Senate Passes Criminal Justice Reform Bill

Delaware’s Democratic controlled Legislature has announced bills that would reform the state’s criminal justice system.

Namely, the bill would make law that those who have served jail time would not be barred from electrician jobs. Currently, state law bars an electrician from being granted a license in Delaware if they have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor related to providing electrical service. The bill, introduced by Democratic State Senator Jack Walsh of Stanton would reduce the felony waiver requirements to three years in instances where underlying felonies were committed.

Senator Walsh said “Making sure people who were once caught up in the criminal justice system have access to good paying jobs is one of the best ways we can prevent them from becoming repeat offenders.”

According to the National Electrical Contractors Association, around 7,000 electricians join the field each year, while 10,000 are retiring. This means there is a growing demand for employees in the field, and legislators backing this bill believe it will held fulfill that need.