Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

- 2024 LEGISLATURE
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                   2023 ASSEMBLY BILL 37
    February 13, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives STEFFEN, TITTL, GOYKE, C.
        ANDERSON, ANDRACA, ARMSTRONG, BALDEH, BARE, BILLINGS, BROOKS, CABRERA,
        CLANCY, CONLEY, CONSIDINE, DONOVAN, DOYLE, DRAKE, EDMING, EMERSON,
        GUNDRUM, GUSTAFSON, HAYWOOD, HONG, JOERS, KITCHENS, KRUG, MACCO,
        MADISON, MCGUIRE, MOORE OMOKUNDE, MOSES, MURSAU, MYERS, NOVAK,
        O'CONNOR, OHNSTAD, ORTIZ-VELEZ, RATCLIFF, RIEMER, ROZAR, SCHMIDT, SCHRAA,
        SHANKLAND, SHELTON, SINICKI, SNODGRASS, SNYDER, SORTWELL, STUBBS,
        SUBECK, VINING, ZIMMERMAN and JACOBSON, cosponsored by Senators
        CABRAL-GUEVARA, WIMBERGER, ROYS, FELZKOWSKI, JAMES, L. JOHNSON, LARSON,
        SPREITZER, TAYLOR, WANGGAARD and WIRCH. Referred to Committee on
        Criminal Justice and Public Safety.
 AN ACT to renumber 111.335 (3) (a); to renumber and amend 973.015 (1m) (a)
      1.; to amend 111.335 (4) (b), 111.335 (4) (c) 1. (intro.), 111.335 (4) (e), 111.335
      (4) (f) 1., 950.04 (1v) (g), 973.015 (1m) (a) 3. a., 973.015 (1m) (b) and 973.25 (1)
      (a); and to create 111.335 (3) (ag), 111.335 (3) (g), 973.015 (1b), 973.015 (1m)
      (a) 1. a. and b., 973.015 (1m) (a) 3. c., cg., cr. and d. and 4., 973.015 (1m) (c) and
      973.015 (4) of the statutes; relating to: expungement of records of certain
      crimes and discrimination based on expunged conviction.
                      Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
         Under current law, a court may order a person's criminal record expunged of a
    crime if all of the following apply:
         1. The maximum term of imprisonment for the crime is six years or less (Class
    H felony and below).
         2. The person committed the crime before the age of 25.
         3. The person had not been previously convicted of a felony.
         4. The crime was not a violent felony.
         Current law specifies that the expungement order must be made only at
    sentencing and then the record is expunged when the person completes his or her
    sentence.
         This bill removes the condition that the person committed the crime before the
    age of 25. (The bill retains the requirements that the crime be no greater than a Class
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    ASSEMBLY BILL 37
    H felony, the person had no previous felony convictions, and the crime was not a
    violent felony.) The bill makes certain crimes ineligible for expungement, such as
    traffic crimes, the crime of violating a domestic abuse restraining order or injunction,
    criminal trespass, and criminal damage to a business. The bill also allows the
    sentencing court to order that a person's record not be eligible for expungement.
          The bill also provides that, if the sentencing court did not order the record
    expunged, the person may file a petition with the sentencing court after he or she
    completes his or her sentence. Upon receipt of the petition, the court must review
    the petition and then may order the record expunged or may deny the petition. If the
    court denies the petition, the person may not file another petition for two years. The
    person must pay a $100 fee to the county for a second petition, and no person may
    file more than two petitions per crime. The bill limits a person to one expungement.
    The changes described in this paragraph retroactively apply to persons who were
    convicted of a crime before the bill takes effect.
          The bill provides that, if a record is expunged of a crime, that crime is not
    considered a conviction for employment purposes and specifies that employment
    discrimination because of a conviction record includes requesting a person to supply
    information regarding a crime if the record has been expunged of the crime. Finally,
    the bill provides that it is not employment discrimination because of conviction
    record for the Law Enforcement Standards Board to consider a conviction that has
    been expunged with respect to applying any standard or requirement for the
    certification, decertification, or required training of law enforcement officers, tribal
    law enforcement officers, jail officers, and juvenile detention officers.
          For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
    printed as an appendix to this bill.
    The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
        enact as follows:
      SECTION 1. 111.335 (3) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 111.335 (3) (ar).
      SECTION 2. 111.335 (3) (ag) of the statutes is created to read:
      111.335 (3) (ag) 1. Employment discrimination because of conviction record
 includes, but is not limited to, requesting an applicant, employee, member, licensee,
 or any other individual, on an application form or otherwise, to supply information
 regarding a crime the record of which has been expunged under s. 973.015. A request
 to supply information regarding criminal convictions shall not be construed as a
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     ASSEMBLY BILL 37                                                              SECTION 2
 request to supply information regarding a crime the record of which has been
 expunged under s. 973.015.
      2.   Notwithstanding par. (ar) 1., and except as provided in par. (g), it is
 employment discrimination because of conviction record for an employer or licensing
 agency to engage in any act of employment discrimination specified in s. 111.322 on
 the basis of a conviction the record of which has been expunged under s. 973.015.
 This subdivision does not apply to the extent that its application conflicts with
 federal law.
      SECTION 3. 111.335 (3) (g) of the statutes is created to read:
      111.335 (3) (g) Notwithstanding s. 111.322, it is not employment discrimination
 because of conviction record for the law enforcement standards board to refuse to
 certify, recertify, or allow to participate in a preparatory training program or to
 decertify under s. 165.85 an individual who has a conviction the record of which has
 been expunged under s. 973.015.
      SECTION 4. 111.335 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
      111.335 (4) (b) It is employment discrimination because of conviction record for
 a licensing agency to refuse to license any individual under sub. (3) (a) (ar) 1. or to
 bar or terminate an individual from licensing under sub. (3) (a) (ar) 1. because the
 individual was adjudicated delinquent under ch. 938 for an offense other than an
 exempt offense.
      SECTION 5. 111.335 (4) (c) 1. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
      111.335 (4) (c) 1. (intro.) If a licensing agency refuses to license an individual
 under sub. (3) (a) (ar) 1. or bars or terminates an individual from licensing under sub.
 (3) (a) (ar) 1., the licensing agency shall, subject to subd. 2., do all of the following:
      SECTION 6. 111.335 (4) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:
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     ASSEMBLY BILL 37                                                            SECTION 6
      111.335 (4) (e) A state licensing agency that may refuse to license individuals
 under sub. (3) (a) (ar) 1. or that may bar or terminate an individual from licensure
 under sub. (3) (a) (ar) 1. shall publish on the agency's Internet site a document
 indicating the offenses or kinds of offenses that may result in such a refusal, bar, or
 termination.
      SECTION 7. 111.335 (4) (f) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
      111.335 (4) (f) 1. A state licensing agency that may refuse to license individuals
 under sub. (3) (a) (ar) 1. or that may bar or terminate individuals from licensing
 under sub. (3) (a) (ar) 1. shall allow an individual who does not possess a license to,
 without submitting a full application and without paying the fees applicable to
 applicants, apply to the agency for a determination of whether the individual would
 be disqualified from obtaining the license due to his or her conviction record.
      SECTION 8. 950.04 (1v) (g) of the statutes is amended to read:
      950.04 (1v) (g) To have reasonable attempts made to notify the victim of
 hearings or court proceedings, as provided under ss. 302.113 (9g) (g) 2., 302.114 (6),
 938.27 (4m) and (6), 938.273 (2), 971.095 (3) and, 972.14 (3) (b), and 973.015 (1m) (c).
      SECTION 9. 973.015 (1b) of the statutes is created to read:
      973.015 (1b) In this section, “record” means a criminal case file.
      SECTION 10. 973.015 (1m) (a) 1. of the statutes is renumbered 973.015 (1m) (a)
 1. (intro.) and amended to read:
      973.015 (1m) (a) 1. (intro.) Subject to subd. 2. and except as provided in subd.
 3., when a person is under the age of 25 at the time of the commission of an offense
 for which the person has been found guilty in a court for violation of a law for which
 the maximum period of imprisonment is 6 years or less, the, a court may order at the
 time of sentencing after a conviction that the record a criminal case be expunged
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     ASSEMBLY BILL 37                                                          SECTION 10
 upon successful completion of the sentence if the court determines the person will
 benefit and society will not be harmed by this disposition. by one of the following
 methods:
      (d)   This subsection does not apply to information maintained by the
 department of transportation regarding a conviction that is required to be included
 in a record kept under s. 343.23 (2) (a).
      SECTION 11. 973.015 (1m) (a) 1. a. and b. of the statutes are created to read:
      973.015 (1m) (a) 1. a. Except as provided in subd. 3., the court may order at the
 time of sentencing that the record be expunged upon successful completion of the
 sentence if the court determines that the person has not previously had a record
 expunged under this section and that the person will benefit and society will not be
 harmed by this disposition.
      b. If at least one year has passed since the person successfully completed his
 or her sentence, the person may file a petition in the county of conviction requesting
 that the record be expunged. Upon receipt of the petition, the court shall review the
 petition to determine if the person is ineligible to petition for expungement because
 subd. 3. or 4. applies, less than one year has passed since the person successfully
 completed his or her sentence, there are criminal charges pending against the
 person, the person has previously had a record expunged under this section, or the
 person has exceeded the maximum number of petitions allowed under this subd. 1.
 b. If the court determines the person is eligible to petition for expungement, the court
 shall forward the petition to the district attorney. If the district attorney requests
 a hearing within 90 days after the court forwards the petition, the court shall
 schedule a hearing to review the petition. If the district attorney waives the hearing
 or at least 90 days have passed since the court forwarded the petition, the court may
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     ASSEMBLY BILL 37                                                                 SECTION 11
 review the petition with or without a hearing. If a hearing is scheduled, then if
 practicable, the sentencing judge shall be the judge to review the petition. The court
 may order that the record be expunged if the court determines the person will benefit
 and society will not be harmed by this disposition. If the court does not order the
 record be expunged under this subd. 1. b., the person may file a 2nd petition under
 this subd. 1. b. only if at least 2 years have passed since he or she filed the first
 petition. No person may file more than 2 petitions per record under this subd. 1. b.
 For a 2nd petition regarding the same record, the person shall pay to the clerk of
 circuit court a $100 fee to be retained for the use of the county.
      SECTION 12. 973.015 (1m) (a) 3. a. of the statutes is amended to read:
      973.015 (1m) (a) 3. a. A Class H felony, if the person has, in his or her lifetime,
 been convicted of a prior felony offense, or if the felony is a violent offense, as defined
 in s. 301.048 (2) (bm), or is a violation of s. 940.32, 948.03 (2), (3), or (5) (a) 1., 2., 3.,
 or 4., or 948.095.
      SECTION 13. 973.015 (1m) (a) 3. c., cg., cr. and d. and 4. of the statutes are
 created to read:
      973.015 (1m) (a) 3. c. A crime for which the maximum period of imprisonment
 is more than 6 years.
      cg. A violation of s. 940.32 or 943.14 or, if the court noted in the record that the
 property damaged was a business, a violation of s. 943.01.
      cr. A violation of a temporary restraining order or injunction issued under s.
 813.12 (3) or (4).
      d. A violation of chs. 341 to 348.
      4. The court may order at the time of sentencing that the record is ineligible
 for expungement.
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     ASSEMBLY BILL 37                                                           SECTION 14
      SECTION 14. 973.015 (1m) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
      973.015 (1m) (b)      A For purposes of par. (a), a person has successfully
 completed the sentence if the person has completed all periods of incarceration,
 parole, or extended supervision to which he or she was sentenced; the person has paid
 all fines, costs, fees, surcharges, and restitution assessed and has completed any
 court-ordered community service; the person has not been convicted of a subsequent
 offense crime; and, if on probation was imposed, the probation has not been revoked
 and the probationer has satisfied the conditions of probation. Upon successful
 completion of the a sentence involving incarceration or probation, the detaining or
 probationary authority shall issue and forward to the court of record a certificate of
 discharge which shall be forwarded to the court of record and which shall have the
 effect of expunging the record that indicates whether the person successfully
 completed his or her sentence. If the court has ordered the record expunged under
 par. (a) 1. a. or 2. and the person has successfully completed the sentence, the person's
 record shall be expunged as ordered. If the person has been imprisoned incarcerated,
 the detaining authority shall also forward a copy of the certificate of discharge to the
 department.
      SECTION 15. 973.015 (1m) (c) of the statutes is created to read:
      973.015 (1m) (c) Upon receipt of a petition under par. (a) 1. b., the district
 attorney shall make a reasonable attempt to notify the victim, as defined in s. 950.02
 (4), of the petition. In the notice, the district attorney shall inform the victim that
 he or she may waive the hearing requirement and that, if waived, the court may
 review the petition without a hearing. The district attorney shall inform the victim
 of the manner in which he or she may provide written statements concerning the
 petition and, if the victim does not waive the hearing requirement, that he or she may
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     ASSEMBLY BILL 37                                                              SECTION 15
 appear at the hearing. If the victim waives the hearing requirement, the district
 attorney may inform the court that there is no objection to waiving the hearing
 requirement. Notwithstanding the confidentiality of victim address information
 obtained under s. 302.113 (9g) (g) 3., a district attorney who is required to make a
 reasonable attempt to notify a victim under this paragraph may obtain from the clerk
 of the circuit court the victim address information that the victim provided to the
 clerk under s. 302.113 (9g) (g) 3.
       SECTION 16. 973.015 (4) of the statutes is created to read:
       973.015 (4) A record of a crime expunged under this section is not considered
 a conviction for employment purposes or for purposes of the issuance of a license, as
 defined in s. 111.32 (10), by a licensing agency, as defined in s. 111.32 (11). This
 subsection does not apply to the extent that its application conflicts with federal law.
       SECTION 17. 973.25 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
       973.25 (1) (a) “Certificate of qualification for employment” means a certificate
 issued by the council on offender employment that provides an offender with relief
 from a collateral sanction, except that it does not provide relief from s. 48.685 (5m),
 50.065 (4m), or 111.335 (3) (a) (ar), (b), (c), or (e) or (4) (h) or (i).
       SECTION 18.0In