Gov. Chris Christie on Wednesday signed a trio of bipartisan bills that will make it easier for those convicted of minor crimes to expunge their records and apply for jobs.

Flanked by ranking Democratic lawmakers, including Senate President Stephen Sweeney and main sponsor Sen. Sandra Cunningham, Christie called the measures "a true model for other states to replicate."

Two of the bills will shorten the time period juvenile and adult offenders can seek to expunge their records and expand the list of offenses eligible for expungement. The third bars employers from inquiring whether job applicants have had their criminal records expunged.

"A minor criminal offense should not lead to a lifetime of punishment," said Cunningham, D-Hudson.

The new laws, Christie said, will give reformed minor offenders "the opportunity to provide their own personal history during an employment interview rather than being prejudged by their criminal record."

The Republican governor, who leaves office in January after two terms in office, said the changes were part of his broader legacy of criminal justice reforms, which also include New Jersey's massive bail system overhaul that took effect this year.

The first bill (S3306) expands existing "ban the box" legislation to prevent employers from asking about expunged offenses in interviews or applications. The second (S3307) reduces wait periods and makes more crimes, including marijuana offenses, eligible for expungement.

The third (S3308) cuts down the waiting period to expunge an entire juvenile record from five years to three years.

"I spent a lot of my career putting people in jail who deserved to go, and that doesn't change any of this," the governor said. "But those people are going to eventually come out of jail, and what do we want them to be when they come out?"

S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.