COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio House lawmakers passed a bill Wednesday to allow human trafficking survivors to expunge certain non-violent criminal records.
Senate Bill 214 had bipartisan support with just one lawmaker voting "no." The bill has already passed in the Senate
The bill expunged records such as drug possession and shoplifting if they committed the crimes while being victimized. Those in favor of it say a criminal record can be a roadblock for a job, housing and educational opportunities.
The bill now goes to Gov. Mike DeWine for his signature.
Supporters say it will help survivors of human trafficking move forward with their lives.
State law already allows trafficking survivors to apply to have convictions for soliciting and prostitution expunged from their records.
The Salvation Army of Central Ohio's Anti-Human Trafficking Program helped 850 people escape that life last year. Emily Shugert-Miller with the Salvation Army's Anti-Human Trafficking team says this bill would make a huge difference.
"There are so many aspects of life that are tied to whether or not you have a criminal record," Shugert-Miller said. "So, we see people with barriers to housing, barriers to jobs and that directly impacts that individual's stability."
"We wanted to make sure that survivors had the ability to get access to expungement so that they weren't carrying around these crimes that they committed while they were actually being victimized," bill sponsor and State Senator Stephanie Kunze said.
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