KUOW: A clean slate for tribal fishermen in Washington

Around 40 to 50 years ago, American Indians in Western Washington were repeatedly arrested during protests over treaty fishing rights.

Now, convicted tribal fishermen may gain the opportunity to clear their records of misdemeanors and felonies from before 1975.

The current chairman of the Stillaguamish Tribe, Shawn Yanity, was a child at the time. He told state lawmakers in Olympia Tuesday that convictions continue to affect tribal members today when it comes to finding jobs, crossing borders, and qualifying for loans.