Lawmaker seeks to ban local laws that remove criminal history question on job applications
AUSTIN — Rep. Paul Workman filed a bill Tuesday that would make it illegal for local governments to adopt "ban the box" ordinances that prevent private employers from asking about job candidates' criminal history on employment applications.
Workman, R-Austin, warned that such efforts could have a detrimental effect on the state's economy and lead to a "patchwork" of regulations that vary drastically from city to city.
"Unfortunately, there has been a recent national push for states and local governments to interfere with this tenet of economic freedom by imposing so-called ban the box and fair chance hiring regulations on private employers," Workman said Tuesday at a Capitol news conference. "This is not the role of government. ... The Texas Legislature should not and will not stand for municipal intrusions on individual liberties and attacks on the economic health of our state."
Measures that ban the box asking applicants to disclose their criminal history don't prevent employers from running background checks or asking about their history. But supporters of the efforts say they delay the process to give ex-offenders a chance to get their foot in the door.
Read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas-legislature/2016/12/13/lawmaker-seeks-ban-local-laws-remove-criminal-history-question-job-applications
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