TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to update City Council on how Long Beach is actively implementing the requirements of Assembly Bill 218; how it is impacting the City, including the date of implementation, particularly as it relates to contractors; and report back to City Council in 30 days.
DISCUSSION
In October 2013, Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 218, one of the most significant pieces of legislation to alleviate discriminatory practices in housing and employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated persons in California. The vast majority of formerly incarcerated persons having completed their sentences for lowlevel and non-violent offenses.
AB 218 (the "Ban the Box" Law) warrants the removal of the question regarding convictions from State, County, City and special Districts jobs for convicted and formerly incarcerated persons. Under AS 218, every County was mandated by the State of California to implement Ban the Box by July 1,2014.
Compared to other Ban the Box policies in various jurisdictions (including several states), AB 218 falls dramatically short in fulfilling its noble intentions. Since the passage of AS 218, its implementation has been moving at somewhat of a snail's pace throughout most California cities and counties, despite the bill's language calling for the swift implementation and removal of discriminatory questioning on applications for public employment. The City of San Francisco has gone beyond the mandates of AB 218 in passing the Fair Chance Ordinance Act-signed into law on March 4, 2014 by Mayor Edwin Lee. The ordinance requires employers with 20 or more employees, City contractors, and housing providers to limit the request for and use of conviction history information. .
It is wise and essential that California, and most particularly major cities in Southern California, take the necessary and bold steps in an expeditious manner. Los Angeles County will account for nearly 30% of inmate releases from Cali...
Click here for full text