A nationwide community of people living with past criminal convictions called TimeDone urged legislators to continue removing barriers for these individuals during a Tuesday event at the state Capitol.
“We stand here today believing that redemption and hope should be fundamental in all of our policy,” said TimeDone national director Saad Soliman, “rather than holding punishment as the standard.”
TimeDone is a group of almost 25,000 people living with a past arrest or conviction. Since its founding in 2018, the organization has advocated for policies providing over 10 million people with an opportunity to clear an old record.
“Our mission is to change records, change laws, and change lives, because what we believe is true redemption heals, and it makes our community safer,” said TimeDone membership director Terrence Stewart.
Seventy-eight million — almost one in three — Americans live with a past criminal record. Nine in 10 are no longer in prison or jail, or on probation or parole. According to TimeDone, tens of thousands of laws restrict these individuals from obtaining jobs, stable housing and education.
“TimeDone exists as a movement because we know that when an individual makes a mistake, and they serve their sentence, and they come home, and they complete their probation, they complete their parole, they complete all of the requirements set forth to them, the punishment doesn’t end there,” said Soliman.
Tuesday’s event included Live Scan fingerprinting checks, which allow people to check their criminal records, and voter registration assistance. The group plans a series of expungement events in five different counties next month.
Stewart cleared his record at a past clinic.
After serving a criminal sentence, Stewart said, he had completed associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees but faced difficulty when he attempted to rent an apartment for himself and his family.
Stewart is not alone. Half of American adults with past convictions face housing insecurity, according to TimeDone.
Beyond helping him find housing, Stewart said expungement has enabled him to be a better father. He said he has applied for a coach position at the YMCA his son attends.
“This gives me equity,” Stewart said. “I can reach my full potential and be the father that I dream of being.”
TimeDone volunteer Marcus Woods also expressed gratitude for the organization’s support.
He said he spent 17 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, after which he applied for more than 100 jobs and received only rejections. Woods said the group has given him more than practical help — it has given him a sense of community.
“This is my healing space,” he said. “I’m able to be around people who understand it, and at the same time … help somebody else.”
During the news conference, speakers emphasized that expungement benefits everyone — not just people with old criminal records like Stewart and Woods. When these individuals receive the chance to rebuild their lives, recidivism decreases, they said, making communities safer.
Organizers celebrated progress achieved by Assembly Bill 1076 and Senate Bill 73, California’s “Clean Slate” laws that help clear certain arrest and conviction records automatically.
At the same time, they said their work remained incomplete. News conference speaker Tinisch Hollins called for the passage of four new state laws “to make sure that the promises of California that were made on paper become real in people’s lives.”
SB 1342, authored by Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, D-Los Angeles, would remove procedural barriers from the state’s automatic record clearance process.
Authored by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, AB 2384 would allow people convicted of eligible offenses to petition a court to have their records sealed. Lowenthal said it would provide “a meaningful second chance” to pursue opportunities without the lifelong burden of a public criminal record.
AB 910, authored by Assemblymember Mia Bonta, D-Alameda, would expand the eligibility of survivors of human trafficking and violence to clear records tied to their own victimization. SB 1057, authored by Sen. Josh Becker, D-Menlo Park, would reform how the state processes background checks and disciplinary actions for healthcare workers.
Speakers also voiced opposition to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, or H.R. 1. Signed into law by President Donald Trump last year, it enacts large spending reductions to safety-net programs.
David Hubble, president of the Solano County Workforce Development Board, noted H.R. 1 requires able-bodied adults to work, volunteer or train for at least 80 hours a month to retain their CalFresh and Medicaid benefits. These requirements target individuals with old criminal records, he said, 27% of whom are unemployed.
“The H.R. 1 bill is specifically written to take away food and insurance from those with a criminal record,” he said.
Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, D-Jefferson Park, linked the affordability crisis with mass incarceration. He called the criminal justice system unaffordable and unsustainable, noting it costs more than $130,000 to lock up a California state prisoner for one year.
At the same time, the U.S. loses up to $87 billion every year due to economic barriers on formerly arrested or convicted individuals, according to TimeDone.
“We come home hoping to feed our families, to be a part of the system. There’s no system for us,” said Cameron Clark, leader of TimeDone’s Vallejo chapter. “That’s why we do what we’re doing right now. We’re fighting for our lives.”
The Sacramento Bee
Alula Alderson is a summer reporting intern for The Sacramento Bee covering local news. She is a junior at Stanford University, where she studies political science and communication. Previously, Alula worked as a staff writer and desk editor for the Stanford Daily and as an intern for the Ojai Valley News.