Legislation to help formerly convicted youth get jobs passed a major hurdle Monday, receiving approval from the state House and moving forward to the Senate. 

If enacted, House Bill 1383 would prohibit employers from asking applicants about criminal histories from when they were minors, including on applications or during interviews. The bill would also spend $1.1 million on expanding career training and technical education in juvenile detention centers.

“We want to make sure that they get the education and training they need in order to be successful once they are no longer committed,” said Rep. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins, one of the bill’s sponsors. “And then, when they move onto employment, other parts of the bill are trying to keep them from being discriminated against.”

Though most juvenile criminal records are sealed, Kipp said employers frequently ask applicants to disclose this private information and hold it against them during the hiring process.

Even after 10 years in the workforce, juveniles convicted of crimes are less likely to have full-time employment and less likely to have high-earning jobs, even when controlling for ability, education and general work experience, according to an analysis from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

The bill passed the House in a 43-22 vote Monday, with all Democrats in support and all but two Republicans in opposition: Rep. Richard Holtorf, R-Akron, and Rep. Janice Rich, R-Grand Junction.

Holtorf co-sponsored the bill, saying he was inspired to take action from his decades of running a cattle ranch farm where he hired many people with criminal backgrounds who came to the country seeking a fresh start.

“I have a soft spot in my heart for helping people that have had problems with past criminal activity,” Holtorf said. “The best second chance for most people, particularly juveniles, is to get back in the workforce. Get to work, have that meaningful employment and be able to do the things that will reintegrate them into society.”

Some of the opponents said they need more information about how questioning former employers about an applicant would factor into the bill – for example, whether they could ask former employers if the prospective employee got into legal trouble while working for them.

The bill would not prevent employers from running background checks or accessing information about an applicant’s criminal history that is publicly available, such as juvenile records for sexual or violent crimes. The bill would also exempt licensed child care centers and law enforcement agencies from following the new requirements.