Expungement Reform

The Diversity Leadership Society and United Way’s Policy Committee recently hosted a community forum discussing Wisconsin’s expungement law. Senator Alberta Darling and Representative Evan Goyke recently unveiled legislation that provides pathways to employment for individuals through criminal justice reform. This legislation makes common-sense revisions to Wisconsin’s expungement law and is an important step in connecting employers with potential employees.

The panel discussion was held at United Way’s Johnson Control Volunteer Center in Milwaukee.

Expungement means sealing a criminal record if the judge finds that an offender will benefit and society will not be harmed. When an eligible criminal record is expunged, it becomes sealed from public access records, such as Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, used by many employers to screen potential employees. 

To be clear, this is not a pardon, and the judicial system is still upheld. It simply enables non-violent offenders a new beginning after they’ve paid their debt to society.

What can you do?

• Read Assembly Bill 33.
• Read Senate Bill 39.

• You can contact your elected officials to advocate for the issues that are important to you. You can ask them, “Do you support Assembly Bill 33?” or “Do you support Senate Bill 39?"*

Who Are My Legislators?

*These questions are designed as ideas that come from individuals and are not the thoughts and ideas of United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County.