LANSING – Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) issued the following statement after the Michigan Senate today passed a bill that would provide employment opportunities for people with prior criminal convictions to work in the gambling industry:
“I worked on this bipartisan, bicameral legislation for the past several years as the leading Democrat on both the House and Senate Regulatory Reform Committees. I think one point that must be underscored with the passage of House Bill 4307 today is that it continues our collective efforts in the 100th Legislature to create a more fair criminal justice system.
“Among the changes to gaming laws, this legislation provides an avenue for those with prior criminal convictions to find work in the Detroit casinos, if they don’t pose a threat to the integrity of gaming. Someone who has paid their debt to society and has been successfully rehabilitated should be welcomed back into the workforce with open arms — and this includes the gaming industry.
“House Bill 4307 started last year as part of a bill package I worked on with Chairman Iden to redefine ‘good moral character’ when applying for a job license with LARA so that someone’s criminal conviction cannot, in and of itself, be held against them in the initial review process. Our work is not yet done, and I’m looking forward with my colleagues to push forward the remaining bills in the gaming and ‘good moral character’ packages.”
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