Arizona Legislature passes bill that can lighten felony convictions for 1st-time offenders

The Arizona Legislature on Tuesday unanimously passed a bill that could reclassify certain felony convictions as misdemeanors for first-time offenders. The bill now heads to the desk of Gov. Katie Hobbs.

HB 2749 is intended to give people with felony convictions a second chance, as convictions can often prevent people seeking to get back into the workforce from doing so, among other issues. It seeks to create a gray area where there previously was none.

The bill would allow a judge to designate some class 4, 5 or 6 felony convictions as class 1 misdemeanors when certain criteria are met. For example, the offense cannot be dangerous, nor can it have a victim.

Once the offender has completed the sentence for the felony conviction, along with any financial penalties or community service allotments, they are eligible for the reclassification following five years of a clean record post-sentence.

Crimes that would bar someone from eligibility include cruelty to animals, misconduct involving weapons and failure to register as a sex offender.

“HB 2749 is about accountability, redemption and common sense,” bill sponsor and state Rep. Tony Rivero said in a release. “When someone commits a nonviolent, victimless crime, pays their debt, completes every requirement ordered by the court and proves for years that they are living the right way, Arizona should not force that person to carry a felony label forever.

“This bill protects public safety, excludes victim crimes and gives deserving people a fair chance to work, find housing, support their families and fully rejoin their communities.”

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