When Californians voted overwhelmingly in favor of Prop 47 in 2014, they voted to give former nonviolent offenders the chance to remove those felonies from their record, opening up educational, housing and employment opportunities. These resources provide more information about the process:
Santa Cruz County Public Defender
My Prop 47 (Californian for Safety and Justice)
Prop 47 Background (Department of corrections and Rehabilitation)