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From Incarceration to Employment:
Addressing Reentry Barriers
On Thursday, the House Criminal Justice Committee is expected to hear HB 167 by Rep. Barbara Freiberg (R-Baton Rouge), legislation to address a critical workforce issue: helping formerly incarcerated individuals successfully reenter their communities and the labor market by ensuring they have the documentation needed to secure employment.
The bill would require the Department of Corrections to provide inmates leaving state facilities with essential identification and employment-related documents, including valid ID, a certificate of employability and records of any workforce credentials, certifications or training completed while incarcerated.
For employers across Louisiana, workforce shortages remain a major challenge. At the same time, many individuals leaving incarceration are ready and willing to work—but face immediate barriers simply because they cannot prove who they are or what skills they have. Without proper identification, they often cannot apply for jobs, secure housing, open a bank account or access basic services that support stable employment.
These are documents most of us take for granted, yet without them, reentry can stall before it even begins.
Many incarcerated individuals complete job training programs, earn certifications and develop valuable workforce skills while serving their sentences. Too often, however, those credentials do not translate into real employment opportunities because employers never see them. HB 167 helps close that gap by ensuring those records follow the individual and support faster job placement.
The original goal of the legislation was to ensure all individuals leaving both state and local facilities had access to these documents. Because more than half of incarcerated individuals are housed in local facilities, that broader scope remains imperative. However, due to implementation concerns from locals, amendments are expected in Committee that will limit the impact of the legislation.
State facilities are already largely following this practice, but it is not currently required in law. This bill would codify that standard and ensure greater consistency across the system.
For several weeks, LABI has been working closely with coalition partners and stakeholders to help find a practical solution. Expanding workforce participation means removing barriers wherever they exist—and helping people reenter the workforce successfully strengthens businesses, communities and Louisiana’s long-term economic growth.