Criminal History Remains Sticking Point In Civil Service Debate

Committees in the state Assembly and Senate have passed competing versions of a bill that would make sweeping changes in the state’s century-old civil service system.

The Assembly version eliminates questions about an applicant’s criminal record from the initial application forms, but allows interviewers later in the process to ask about specific crimes that would disqualify someone.

The Senate version, authored by state Sen. Steven Nass, R-Whitewater, keeps the process as it is. Nass said some state jobs require a criminal background check — for example, in the prison system, where some employees might need to carry a weapon.

“All this time would be expended going through the hiring process,” said Nass. “At the very end, (the applicant) would get a call saying, ‘We’re going to hire you, but we have to do a background check.’ And then you find out, oops, they’re a felon — you cannot hire them.”

Nass said he’s “doggone” firm about keeping the criminal record questions up front in the application process. But the difference between the two bills means the bill probably won’t clear both houses until January.

Nass said his version will make it through the Senate, and that he’s confident the Assembly will eventually agree to adopt it as well.

Democrats oppose Nass’ bill for reasons other than the criminal record box. State Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, said it would put one governor appointee in charge of screening all civil service applications, opening the door to favoritism and corruption.

Nass said there are already laws on the books barring state agencies from hiring people on the basis of political affiliation. He said the new system will have to abide by those laws that would prevent, for example, hiring someone to reward them for a campaign donation.

Larson succeeded in amending the Senate bill to require an annual audit of the proposed new hiring system to ensure that neither Republican or Democratic administrations use it to hand out jobs to their friends and relatives.