Some Wisconsin Legislators Wish to Blindfold the Public so Criminals Can Hide in Our Midst
Photo by YaniG
If you feel this is wrong help Defeat AB 340
Contact your state representative and senator. Tell them this bill is unacceptable to you and your family. Find your legislators here.
Contact you local alderman and mayor. While this is a state legislative issue, local governments have reason to be concerned.
Who came up with this and how can I contact them?
The bill was introduced by Wisconsin State Representatives: Marlin Schneider, Annette Williams, and Frederick Kessler
Hey, didn't we see something like this just a few months ago?
Yes, Representative Marlin Schneider had introduced AB-22, a similar bill, in February 2009. The bill was withdrawn after he received a significant number of contacts from constituents and others saying they will fight to oppose the bill.
He also attempted similar legislation in 2007 and 2008. Read one explanation of Representative Schneider's motivation here .
Milwaukee Journal's account of the October 1st Assembly hearing
Age and experience grant wisdom to many people. That cannot be said for state Rep. Marlin Schneider, D-Wisconsin Rapids. First elected in 1970 and now the longest-serving member of the Assembly, Schneider is again attempting to restrict the amount of information which the public can see on the state's online circuit court records database popularly known as CCAP.
The Milwaukee Journal believes
"The bill flies in the face of Wisconsin's tradition of open records and open government for everyone, not just special classes, as has every attempt to limit access to CCAP. Those past attempts have been shot down; this one should be, too."
Likewise the Wisconsin State Journal says:
The Wisconsin Rapids Democrat hopes to discourage ordinary people from viewing public court records online by charging a fee. And if you pay the $10 annual fee, then the state can track your searches to find out which court records you are viewing.
Talk about Big Brother. We thought Schneider was a privacy buff.
Short Description of AB 340
An Act restricting access to and limiting information contained in the Wisconsin online court records, known as CCAP.
If enacted Employers, Daycare providers, Parents concerned about their children's friends, Homeowners hiring contractors, Landlords and others will not be able to obtain the information necessary to effectively protect their families, homes and businesses from criminals.
Read the AB 340 legislative proposal (link to state website)
The Sheboygan Press says of this bill: "[Users] would have to pay a fee to view the records and — this is the real chilling aspect of Schneider's law — would have to give their name to the director of state courts.
Their access to records would be monitored and a log kept on which records they viewed."
And to top it off the bureaucrats want to charge you every year just to access these records your tax dollars paid to create.
Would you want to know that your daughter's new boyfriend was charged with felony battery but "got off" by pleading guilty to a minor unrelated charge?
How about the contractor you are about to hire to work on your home who was charged last week with theft from his last customer?
If this passes, you won't be able to find these things out as only convictions will be listed, not charges of crimes, great or small, which never result in a conviction.
If enacted a criminal could move in next door and you would never know until he is sentenced and sent to jail ... or you become his next victim.
The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee states:
" Access to this valuable, FREE, database is invaluable to our organization, as well as to private-sector landlords in the community. As a government funded agency facing federal budget cuts, we cannot afford to lose this FREE resource. "
Read the full HACM statement
Listen to TMJ Radio Charlie Sykes podcast on this bill
Attorney Tristan Pettit's Landlord Tenant Law Blog comments on the proposal
Send a link to this page to your friends, your family, your neighborhood association, PTA and anyone else who would be upset by this.
