SB 565: Removing Barriers to Jobs and Housing

This bill addresses some technical implementation issues with the Second Chance Act, which allows for automated expungement of dismissed or “not guilty” charges. North Carolinians with criminal records often face undue hardship, such as roadblocks to employment and housing, fueling injustices within our system. Previously, those who were falsely charged with a crime and later found not guilty or had their charges dismissed still had to jump through hoops to have the charges removed from their records. Now, those charges are automatically expunged. This legislation is a victory for North Carolinians. Criminal records shouldn’t be a life sentence, especially for those found not guilty or whose charges were dismissed. This bill ensures that automatic expungements will be successfully carried out. The bill was signed into law by Governor Cooper on July 8, 2024.