(Madison) A bi-partisan group of legislators kicked off another effort to reform Wisconsin’s expungement law. The legislation would remove the requirement to determine expungement at the time of sentencing and the age limit, currently 25. The proposed legislation, supported by the State Bar of Wisconsin, is currently being circulated for co-sponsorship and will be introduced in February.
“Expungement is a way to cleanse the slate for those who are looking to moving forward with their life,” according to State Representative David Steffen (R-Green Bay). Steffen, along with Representative Evan Goyke (D-Milwaukee) and State Senators Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) and Fred Risser (D-Madison) are taking the lead in building a coalition that includes the State Bar of Wisconsin, Americans for Prosperity and the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin.
“Representative Goyke and I worked very hard to say let’s do everything we can in our state to get people on the right track and into good paying jobs, back to their families and onto a life that’s more successful than the one that they are coming from,” Darling said. “We’re really outliers in the country.”
Legislators will have the opportunity to sign on as co-sponsors until Friday, February 8. Please take some time to call or send a note to your legislator to let them know you support this important justice reform initiative and encourage them to sign on to the legislation.
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