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Breaking the Chain, Unlocking Talent: Expanding Louisiana’s Workforce Future
LABI is steadfast in its belief that to address Louisiana’s workforce shortage, we must utilize all untapped resources and sectors. That includes preparing incarcerated citizens for post-release life. Data shows that workforce development resources that turn former inmates into productive community members reduces recidivism and improves public safety. Turning tax burdens into taxpayers is smart economic policy.
This session, LABI is advocating for a four-bill, bipartisan package aiming to give citizens on the margins a path back to the workforce. The first of those bills is set for a committee hearing Wednesday before the House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee.
HB 167 by Rep. Barbara Freiberg (R-Baton Rouge) bolsters existing ID access, requiring the Department of Corrections to provide all inmates with proper identification and employment-related documents upon release. This includes a certificate of employability and credentials completed while incarcerated.
This tackles one of the biggest, most practical barriers people face immediately after release: proving who they are and what they can do.
Without valid ID or documentation, formerly incarcerated individuals often can’t get a job, secure housing, open a bank account or even apply for benefits. That creates a bottleneck right at the moment when stability matters most. By ensuring people leave with proper identification and employment records in hand, the policy removes that friction on day one.
From a workforce perspective, many individuals earn certifications, complete training programs or develop skills while incarcerated—but employers are not necessarily made aware of these credentials. Rep. Freiberg’s legislation will help streamline the effort to pair former inmates with a job matching their skillset.
“Folks coming out of prison don’t need labels, they need ladders.” – Rep. Freiberg