April is Second Chance Month! This is a time to raise awareness about the barriers faced by the many Americans who have a criminal record, and struggle to access the fundamentals of life (healthcare, housing, employment), long after they have served their time. It is ALSO a time to take action on their behalf, and fight for a better and safer future for all of us. Two bills, H.856 and S.284, will lower the penalties for low level, non-violent drug possession from a felony to a misdemeanor and create an advisory board of public health experts to reform our laws to reflect the evidence behind personal use amounts of controlled substances, ensuring punishment is more proportional and research based.

Write a letter using the link below to demand a public hearing on these vital measures!

In Vermont, many of our friends and neighbors who cycle through jails and prisons are suffering from substance abuse disorder, a DSM-5 medical condition. Under current law, if you are caught in possession of even small amounts of a drug, you can be charged with a felony and sent to prison. Even after release, a felony conviction means a lifetime of punishment. Employers will refuse to hire you. Landlords turn you away. Schools and training programs reject your application. These are called collateral consequences, and in Vermont, there are 296 laws on the books that restrict access to jobs, housing, school, and more, for those with a felony on their record.