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Members of Congress are considering a bill that would offer second chances to people who have various types of criminal records.

HR3552

The Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2025 (HR3552) is a proposed piece of legislation that is being considered by Congress. It would update the Second Chance Act of 2007 to improve and extend existing programs.

HR3552 calls for:

• Establishing allowances to treat substance use disorders; the options include peer recovery services, case management, and access to overdose education and overdose reversal medications.
• Providing re-entry housing services.
• Grants for family-based substance abuse treatment programs.
• Grant programs that are used to evaluate and improve educational methods at prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities.
• Grants for various types of career training services.
• An offender re-entry substance abuse and criminal justice collaboration program.
• Community-based mentoring and transitional service grants to non-profit organizations.

Why The Updates Are Being Considered

Millions of Americans have criminal records and thousands of people are released from prison facilities throughout the country each month. Numerous studies have shown that individuals who have any type of conviction often have a difficult time finding employment, housing and other necessities. The inability to obtain a job is considered to be a leading factor in recidivism; people may commit additional crimes because they feel they have no other option to survive.

By creating second chance bills, legislators hope to offer people the ability to successfully re-enter society. These laws are also intended to help employers gain a larger pool of potentially eligible workers. They are expected to improve the lives of the people they serve as well as the communities in which those individuals will live.

Second Chance Laws

New bills are introduced every year and can be signed into law at any time. Second chance legislation varies by location, but common examples include bills that require employers to:

• Ban the Box, meaning employers may not include questions about criminal records on their job applications or related materials.
• Run criminal background checks until after they otherwise confirm a candidate is qualified.
• Individually assess all criminal records found during the hiring and screening process to determine whether they are relevant to the position being sought.

There are a variety of best practices that employers can follow to help improve their hiring processes and stay compliant with applicable laws:

• Review and update their policies annually.
• Work with a Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA) that is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA).
• Review any Artificial Intelligence programs used for hiring purposes to help confirm they do not include any potentially biased and discriminatory code.
• Keep up with new and changing laws wherever an organization operates.

If Your Business Is Hiring

Backgrounds Online is an accredited CRA with more than 25 years as a leader in our industry. Our experienced, friendly team can help you customize screening packages that meet your specific needs, comply with relevant laws and adhere to industry standards.

If you are bringing on employees, contractors or volunteers, please contact us for expert assistance. Based in California, we are available Monday through Friday from 5am to 6pm PT.