Government Relations

UW System Position on Bills Introduced in the Legislature During the 2005-2006 Session

Pending Legislation

AB 1147

Employment of Unpardoned Felons

Full Description

(Petrowski) Permits the UW System Board of Regents and the Technical College System Board, or a technical college district board to refuse to employ or to terminate from employment an unpardoned felon.

Referred to: Colleges and Universities Committee

UW System Position

NEUTRAL: The Board of Regents has been proceeding to address concerns related to hiring and timely dismissal of felons on its payroll through revising its administrative rules (UWS 7). The UWS already has the ability not to hire a felon if his/her crime is substantially related to the job he/she would be doing. The Board of Regents Special Committee on the Faculty/staff Disciplinary Process has been charged with identifying which jobs should automatically require a criminal background check in the future as a recent LAB audit seemed to identify a few felons not previously identified. Another bill is on the Governor’s desk for signature that would require criminal background checks for all jobs that have fiduciary responsibilities.