Lehigh Times

A bill introduced by Sen. Jarrett Coleman (R-16) that aims to provide professionals with a second chance by clearing their disciplinary record is just one step away from becoming law. The bill was unanimously approved by the state House of Representatives and is now awaiting the governor's signature.

According to Sen. Coleman, professionals who have made minor mistakes in the past should have the opportunity to have their records cleared. He believes that holding onto these minor infractions can negatively impact a professional's career without benefiting society as a whole. Coleman introduced Senate Bill 910 to expand the ability of the commissioner of the Pennsylvania Department of State Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs to clear a professional's disciplinary record.

Under current law, the bureau commissioner can only expunge a disciplinary record for two reasons: failure to complete continuing education requirements or practicing for six months or less on a lapsed or expired license. However, other minor infractions can remain on a professional's record for life. Coleman's bill would allow the commissioner to clear more professionals' records if the disciplinary incidents meet specific criteria.

"My bill would ensure we continue to hold repeat offenders accountable while offering a clean record to someone with a single infraction," said Coleman. "We're all imperfect and prone to make mistakes. The goal should be to protect the public against repeat offenders without excessively punishing someone who made one mistake years ago."

Senate Bill 910 was previously approved by the Senate in November and has now received approval from the state House. It will now be sent to Gov. Josh Shapiro's desk to be signed into law.

If the bill becomes law, it will provide professionals with a fresh start and the opportunity to move forward without being burdened by past mistakes. This legislation recognizes the importance of learning from our errors and provides a fair and balanced approach to disciplinary records in professional careers.

For more information about Sen. Jarrett Coleman and his work, residents can visit his website at www.SenatorColeman.com, follow him on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SenatorJarrettColeman, and sign up for email newsletters at www.SenatorColeman.com/eNewsletters.

Contact:

Leo Knepper

To learn more, click on this link: https://senatorcoleman.com/2023/12/14/coleman-bill-to-give-professionals-a-second-chance-awaiting-governors-signature-to-become-law/