News release from Senator Ed Gomes:
Today, Senator Ed Gomes (D-Bridgeport) joined advocates in support of House Bill 5237: An Act Concerning Fair Chance Employment. The bill is a set of hiring policies for private employers, designed to ensure that applicants with criminal records are evaluated on the merits of their qualifications, not on their criminal records.
“We have too many hard-working people trying to find jobs that are being disqualified,” said Sen. Gomes. “We need to give everyone that is looking for a job a fair shot. I will continue to fight for an employment system that is fair to all our communities.”
The bill would incorporate “ban the box” policies, which remove the criminal history question from job applications and postpone the background check until a conditional offer is made by the employer. The bill would also require employers to take into account the age of the offense when making hiring decisions.
Research shows that once an employer has examined the qualifications of a job applicant, the applicant is more likely to be hired.
>Seven states, including Massachusetts and Rhode Island, have extended fair hiring practices to private employers.
HB 5237 is currently before the Labor and Public Employees Committee.
Thank you, Senator Gomes.
Introducing a bill to help offenders get a job is commendable and working for the increase in the minimum wage is also a good thing.
But senators Moore and Gomes, we have a crisis on our streets in Bridgeport, an epidemic!
It’s called drugs, especially heroin, and our kids are overdosing on heroin every day, not just in Bridgeport, but the entire State.
On every street corner drug dealers are shooting each other in a turf war.
So show me the new Senate and House bills that will fight this epidemic.
Show me the Bills and the money to help our police department fight this epidemic, our hospitals and clinics to fight those drugs that are killing our kids!
Please, no more fluff Bills to cover your ass in this Election year while our kids are dying!
Our city needs help right now!
You’re kidding, Jim Fox? The state is ready to sell and tax all the marijuana they can. Fuck the federal laws and fuck all those selling marijuana illegally. We need the money.
When none of this works out and the state needs more money, heroin will be sold in vending machines (made of steel).
You are asking the wrong Senator, instead you need to ask the Republican Congress to fund the war on drugs. The local drug dealers are not flying and shipping drugs to Bridgeport. Once the suburban towns and cities start to feel the pain of drugs in their communities with their children, then we’ll see a real war on drugs.
This is the real issue Gomes is dodging. Remember what he said in his speech after getting elected? “I owe you,” to the Union. Now it’s time to do what should have been done six years ago–lay off state workers or a hiring freeze. What will Gomes do?
www .ctpost.com/local/article/Malloy-throws-down-gauntlet-over-budget-guts-6852361.php
Ron, really???
Why don’t people just take responsibility for their own actions?
Oh that’s right, we’ll just wait for the government to save us.
I’m in total agreement with you, the U.S. Congress should admit they should enforce drug laws and stop drugs from coming into America.
Hey Q,
This must be a news flash to you but the AMA has acknowledged substance abuse is a disease.
So would you offer the same advice above to someone suffering from cancer?
Why don’t people take responsibility for their own actions?
Hello, OIB friends. It’s been a while, been a little distracted out here at 16 miles out from where “the juicy stuff is pried open,” but I feel compelled tonight to share with Ron Mackey that doubling down on the War on Drugs is not the way to go. Call me and I’ll tell you why you’ll be wasting the much-needed tax dollars you need for Bridgeport. As a Navy guy I happily helped waste much of your federal tax dollars in 1996-1999 fighting your War on Drugs for you. Instead please check out what’s happening around the state these days, also check out 28-year-old mayor of Ithaca, NY in yesterday’s news: Svante Myrick, smart, compassionate, au courant.
suggested bedtime reading from a former Bridgeport cheerleader:
www .nhregister.com/opinion/20160219/letter-to-the-editor-time-to-act-on-heroin-crisis-is-long-overdue
www .norwichbulletin.com/article/20160216/NEWS/160219594
www .norwichbulletin.com/article/20160219/OPINION/160219467
Sylvester Salcedo, my comments were in response to Quentin Dreher where he’s blaming the victim. The drug market is big business that provides jobs for those who have no marketable job skills. Why is it drugs are allowed to be sold in large urban cities? Law enforcement knows who those dealers are but as soon as they take them down there are more to replace them. America has never taken the illegal drug problem seriously because as long as the drugs are kept out of the white community there is no problem.
Sly,
Ron’s your typical housebound agoraphobe, up by 5, in by 8, retired, mega pension, meals on wheels, Trumpette, loves Judge Judy, Family Feud, OWN and OIB.
Computer geek, drool cup, Depends, loose shoes, warm place to shit, napper, Pablum when needed, race baiter type guy.
When you can’t win a discussion, then you use wit, grit and bullshit. Perhaps during your very busy day you could disprove my comment, not.
Hey Jimfox, you know where I am at night, just ask your friend.
Ooops! Don’t forget to check in with us at www .whoischuu.com
The War on Drugs and the New Jim Crow | Reimagine!
reimaginerpe.org/20years/alexander
Kudos to Senator Gomes for taking the lead on this very important initiative. An ex-offender with a job becomes a TAXPAYER. Let’s remove some of the roadblocks for those who wish to reclaim their lives.