Past Conviction ≠ Permanent Punishment

the fair chance amendment

Vote YES this October on the Fair Chance Amendment that adds protections for people with conviction histories to the Bill of Rights of the Home Rule Charter—our city's foundational law.

READ OUR NEWSLETTER HERE

When you go vote, you’ll see a long list:
Sheriff, Clerk of Criminal Court, Assessor, Mayor, City Council…

On The Ballot, You'll See:

Parishwide Home Rule Charter Amendment

"Shall Article II, Section 2-202(6) of the Home Rule Charter of the City of New Orleans be amended to provide that no law shall arbitrarily and unreasonably discriminate against a person based on conviction history?"

And then—on the last page on the ballot— will be the Fair Chance Amendment, the only Home Rule Charter proposition.

What This Means:

This amendment ensures that people with records cannot be unfairly excluded from city jobs, contracts, and services.

✓ They'll be truly considered based on their skills and qualifications and not automatically denied because of past convictions.

✓ Adds “conviction history” to New Orleans’ Bill of Rights protections—alongside race, religion, disability, and gender

✓ After unanimously passing City Council, it now goes to voters on October 11th

(Early Voting: September 27- October 4).

Why This Matters:

We’re More Than Our Records

In a city that's long been ground zero for mass incarceration, thousands of neighbors, coworkers, family members, and friends are still being shut out of opportunity long after they've served their time.

"I'm just trying to show for myself that my past conviction is not the end of my journey."

—B., New Orleans job seeker

“Some people have been in society for 10 years trying to get their life back on track, and I am one of them. I’ve been trying to be a productive citizen and give back, but it’s hard. All the big names and construction sites in the city wouldn’t give me a chance… They all closed the door on me when they found out I was a ‘convicted felon.”

-W., New Orleans job seeker

“I haven't been in trouble in 37 years and this came along… there's places that are just not gonna hire you. It's not gonna stop me because people who know me and see me know I'm a good person but the system's not right.”

-D., city construction job seeker

“I didn't get the chance to speak for myself. I didn't get the chance to defend my actions or show that I had made a change in my life.”

— S., New Orleans line cook

Haki Sekou testifies at New Orleans City Council on Thursday, April 10th on job discrimination he has faced due to his conviction history.

The numbers tell the story:

In 2024, New Orleans detained, on average, over 588 people per 100,000 parish residents.
This is more than double the national rate of 199 people detained in jails per 100,000 US residents.

“Norris Henderson, Founder and Executive Director of Voice Of The Experienced (V.O.T.E.), a New Orleans-based organization working to uphold the civil rights of formerly incarcerated individuals, says many people gain useful skills while in prison and during reentry programs. However, because they often have difficulty getting hired, many turn to self-employment—like starting restaurants or opening landscaping businesses." - Wall Street Journal

Fair chances are

good for business,

good for public safety,

& good for New Orleans.

This amendment isn't just about fairness—it's about public safety, a stronger economy, and a workforce New Orleans can't afford to leave behind. It sends a clear message: if you want to do business with the city of New Orleans, you can't discriminate against people with conviction histories.

A working community is a safe community. When people have stable employment, recidivism drops and neighborhoods become stronger. We've already banned the box—now it's time to make fair chances fundamental in our city's constitution. By putting these basic protections into our city's highest law, New Orleans takes a concrete step toward giving people with conviction histories real opportunities to work, contribute, and thrive.

The choice is clear:

Vote YES on October 11th to make fair chances part of New Orleans' Bill of Rights.

THE FAIR CHANCE AMENDMENT in the news

“New ballot measure proposal seeks protections for formerly incarcerated"

WWNO - READ MORE
“New Orleans voters will weigh in on discrimination against formerly incarcerated people"

NOLA NEWS - READ MORE
"New ballot measure proposal seeks protections for formerly incarcerated"

VERITE - READ MORE
"UNLOCKING OPPORTUNITY"

THE LENS - READ MORE
The Fair Chance Amendment

WGNO - Watch here