AASEW's Response to Rep. Schneider's CCAP Legislation Can Be Found at www.DefeatAB340.org

Posted by Tristan R. Pettit, Esq. in AASEW, Screening Tenants, CCAP, Rep. Marlin Schneider / Comments

For those of you that have been following my blog, you are well aware that State Rep. Marlin Schneider (D-Wisconsin Rapids) has introduced yet another bill attempting to restrict the public's access to CCAP.  This new bill also will remove certain information from even being included on CCAP.  My prior blogs on this topic can be read here, here and here.

The Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin (AASEW), a collection of landlords and rental property managers, are strongly opposed to Schenider's new bill which is entitled AB 340,  and have decided to do something about it.  The AASEW has created a web page that can be found at www.DefeatAB340.org or by clicking here, which contains links to the actual bill as well as links to your state senators and representative so that you can contact them and convey your displeasure with this bill.

Please visit the AASEW's web page and consider contacting your elected officials to express your views as to AB 340.  You should also forward the link to anyone and everyone you know that may be affected by this legislation. 

If passed, this bill will affect more than just landlords.  Parents, employers, day care providers and more, will be unable to use CCAP without paying an annual fee and having their CCAP searches recorded by the state.  Additionally, you will be unable to learn whether a person has been charged with a crime, found liable in a civil lawsuit, or had an eviction action filed against them - until after the case has been resolved, which is often months or years after the action was filed.

The bill will also allow a person who has information contained on CCAP but which did not result in a convictions or judgment (even if this was the result of a stipulated dismissal) to remove all reference to that information from CCAP.  The concept of open records will be hurt severly should AB 340 pass.

Please do your part to insure that AB340 fails.