Report: Making Occupational Licensing Reform in Pennsylvania a Reality

Pennsylvania’s Occupational Licensing Reform Law (Act 53 of 2020) was signed into law in 2020 with the goal of opening licensed professions to people with old and unrelated criminal convictions, helping both Pennsylvania families and businesses. This law has potentially been undermined by the state occupational boards’ overbroad proposed lists of what offenses are “directly…

Proposed Regulations Threaten to Undermine Occupational Licensing Reform Law

During the height of the pandemic in 2020, the Pennsylvania General Assembly made a priority of approving Act 53, known as the occupational licensing reform bill.  The bill was guided to passage by bipartisan lead sponsors and supported by both conservative and liberal advocates, including the PA Chamber.  The goal of all concerned was obvious:…

CLS Files Lawsuit to Challenge Pennsylvania’s Childline Registry

PHILADELPHIA, PA – On August 10 parents, caregivers, and community organizations filed suit in the case of A.W. v. Commonwealth to challenge Pennsylvania’s ChildLine Registry as unconstitutional. The suit, filed in Commonwealth Court, alleges that parents and caregivers are listed on the Registry and labeled as “child abusers” without first having a chance to defend…

CLS logo, header reading The Clean Slate Screening Project: A Case Study in Scaling Up Record Clearing & Advocacy

The Clean Slate Screening Project: A Case Study

Legal services providers are frequently presented with the challenge of communicating complicated and evolving legal advice to large numbers of constituents. The Clean Slate Screening Project (CSSP), developed by Philadelphia-based Community Legal Services (CLS) in partnership with the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA), was conceived as a solution to that predicament when in 2018, the state…

Women holding out their arms, text: "Help Us Help Outselves so we can help others get free!!

Report: Supporting Women in the Criminal Legal System Through Access to Diversionary Programs

Today, Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, as part of Incarcerated Women’s Working Group (“Working Group”) released a report on increasing access to diversionary programs for women in the criminal legal system. Diversion programs divert individuals accused of crimes away from traditional court trial and sentencing proceedings, instead requiring participation in community service, treatment, and other…