Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Crime News

Ross Spano Helps New York Democrats Get Criminal Justice Bills Through the House

On a 370-41 vote, the House passed U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez’s, D-NY, “Prison to Proprietorship Act” which Spano cosponsored. The bill would have Women’s Business Centers (WBCs) and Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) offer entrepreneurship training services to current prisoners in the federal system.

Share Story Via Text, E-Mail, Facebook or Twitter
On a 370-41 vote, the House passed U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez’s, D-NY, “Prison to Proprietorship Act” which Spano cosponsored. The bill would have Women’s Business Centers (WBCs) and Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) offer entrepreneurship training services to current prisoners in the federal system.

Last week, the U.S. House passed two bills from Democrats from New York which had the support of U.S. Rep. Ross Spano, R-Fla.

On a 370-41 vote, the House passed U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez’s, D-NY, “Prison to Proprietorship Act” which Spano cosponsored. The bill would have Women’s Business Centers (WBCs) and Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) offer entrepreneurship training services to current prisoners in the federal system.

“The program would provide training on topics like starting and expanding a small business, creating a business plan, and identifying sources of capital. The program would prioritize those set to leave prison within 18 months,” Spano’s office noted.

The U.S. Senate received the bill on Monday and sent it to the U.S. Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee which is chaired by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.

The House also passed the “Prison to Proprietorship for Formerly Incarcerated Act” from U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-NY, on a voice vote. Spano cosponsored the bill which would create a program in which SCORE participants offer entrepreneurial development training to former prisoners including running workshops and offering mentoring, and training opportunities to help them start and run businesses. The bill does not have a counterpart over in the Senate yet.

Spano said that the bills continue to show that Congress is taking criminal justice reform seriously.

“Congress and the Trump administration made important progress on criminal justice reform in 2018 but we must build on that success,” Spano said last week. “The two bills that passed the House today will help make sure that once an individual has completed their sentence, they have the training they need to reenter society. We’ve seen how difficult it can be for individuals to find steady employment following release, and this, unfortunately, contributes to higher rates of recidivism. These bills would provide business planning assistance, mentoring, and workshops to those who are close to finishing their sentences and to those who have recently been released from prison.

“I believe giving individuals a second chance by training them in the skills they need to the start and run a small business is an excellent way to address a growing issue while also bolstering the small business community. I’m proud to have cosponsored both bills,” Spano added.

 

Reach Kevin Derby at kevin.derby@floridadaily.com.

 

Author

  • Kevin Derby

    Originally from Jacksonville, Kevin Derby is a contributing writer for Florida Daily and covers politics across Florida.

    View all posts
Share Story Via Text, E-Mail, Facebook or Twitter

Follow Us on Social Media

Archives

Related Stories

Political News

Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio sent a letter to U.S. Department of Human Health Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra requesting the use of...

Political News

Hurricanes Helene and Milton brought high winds, flooding, and damage across Florida. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services estimates the total crop...

Election News

According to a recent poll by Florida International University (FIU), Cuban American voters’ support for Trump is at an all-time high. The poll showed...

Election News

Employment connecting company RedBalloon released its Freedom Economy Index on how small business will deal with the outcome of next week’s election. It surveyed...

Opinion

Vice President Kamala Harris is stumbling and bumbling her way to a historic loss against alleged “fascist” former President Donald Trump. Every day the...

Popular Stories

Several surveys on this year’s presidential race shows voters being overwhelmed with election anxiety and stress. Mental health treatment system AMFM conducted a nationwide...

Political News

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), U.S. Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and members of the Florida delegation sent a letter to President Joe Biden requesting...

Election News

In a poll conducted by the University of North Florida (UNF), former President Donald Trump is the clear favorite to win the Sunshine State....