Date of enactment: March 27, 2024
2023 Senate Bill 172 Date of publication*: March 28, 2024
2023 WISCONSIN ACT 233
AN ACT to create 301.098 of the statutes; relating to: establishing and operating community reentry centers.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in
senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
SECTION 3. 301.098 of the statutes is created to read:
301.098 Community reentry centers. (1) In this
section:
(a) “Community reentry center” means a community
site that offers initial points of contact for all of the fol-
lowing services to an individual at the time of his or her
release from a state correctional institution upon comple-
tion of his or her sentence or to parole or extended super-
vision: health, identification, financial, housing, employ-
ment, education, and supervision.
(b) “Nonprofit organization” means an organization
described in section 501 (c) of the Internal Revenue Code
that is exempt from federal income tax under section 501
(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(c) “Public agency” has the meaning given in s.
106.13 (3m) (a) 2.
(2) The department shall contract with at least one
nonprofit organization, for−profit entity, or public
agency to establish a community reentry center and shall
consider contracting to establish a community reentry
center in each region of the state. The contracted non-
profit organization, for−profit entity, or public agency
shall oversee, coordinate, and develop memoranda of
understanding with other organizations to provide ser-
vices that will be housed at the community reentry center.
(3) (a) To receive a contract under sub. (2), a non-
profit organization, for−profit entity, or public agency
shall operate a community reentry center in a location
that is easily accessible by the population served and
accessible by public transportation, if available. Organi-
zations that provide services housed at the community
reentry center shall, at a minimum, be able to assess and
assist individuals after release from incarceration to com-
munity supervision by providing all of the following ser-
vices:
1. Health: assistance in identifying and accessing
appropriate health care services and mental health ser-
vices based on the individual’s needs.
2. Identification: assistance in obtaining identifica-
tion documents such as the individual’s birth certificate,
social security card, state identification card, or driver’s
license, if eligible, including any necessary forms and
instructions.
3. Financial: assistance in creating a bank account,
including obtaining a debit card at the time of the individ-
ual’s initial contact with the community reentry center.
4. Housing: assistance in obtaining access to emer-
gency housing options for homeless individuals and con-
tacting landlords that rent to formerly incarcerated indi-
viduals.
5. Employment: assistance in creating a resume,
electronically submitting the resume where needed, and
* Section 991.11, WISCONSIN STATUTES: Effective date of acts. “Every act and every portion of an act enacted by the legislature over the governor’s
partial veto which does not expressly prescribe the time when it takes effect shall take effect on the day after its date of publication.” − 2 −2023 Wisconsin Act 233 2023 Senate Bill 172
contacting relevant employment agencies to secure
employment.
6. Education: assistance in identifying whether and
how to proceed with the next level of education or voca-
tional training the individual may want or need.
7. Supervision: a secured office space for department
supervision agents to meet with individuals on commu-
nity supervision.
(b) A nonprofit organization, for−profit entity, or
public agency contracted with under sub. (2) shall
develop multidisciplinary support teams with participat-
ing organizations that provide services under par. (a) at
the community reentry center to review the needs and
assessments of participating individuals.
(c) In awarding contracts under sub. (2), the depart-
ment shall prioritize contracts with nonprofit organiza-
tions, for−profit entities, or public agencies that do any of
the following:
1. Collaborate with organizations that provide ser-
vices that will be housed at the community reentry center,
justice−involved individuals, criminal justice coordinat-
ing councils, technical colleges, and workforce invest-
ment boards, as evidenced by letters of support.
2. Propose to operate a community reentry center in
counties with the highest numbers of individuals being
released from incarceration to those counties.
(4) The department and the nonprofit organization,
for−profit entity, or public agency contracted with under
sub. (2) shall determine, by agreement, when department
staff will be present on site, and the department shall pro-
vide department staff pursuant to the agreement to pro-
vide case management to eligible individuals at a com-
munity reentry center operated under sub. (3).
(5) (a) A contract between the department and a non-
profit organization, for−profit entity, or public agency
under sub. (2) shall require that the nonprofit organiza-
tion, for−profit entity, or public agency define data col-
lection requirements and track and compile data for all
organizations that provide services housed at the commu-
nity reentry center. The data shall include, at a minimum,
all of the following:
1. The number of individuals that participate in ser-
vices provided at the community reentry center.
2. Basic demographic information for the individuals
served by the organizations.
3. The number and type of services that were pro-
vided to individuals by the organizations.
4. A description and number of services provided at
and reported outcomes for the community reentry center.
(b) By January 1, 2027, and biennially thereafter, the
department shall submit to the governor and to the chief
clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to
the appropriate standing committees under s. 13.172 (3)
a comprehensive report that examines the outcomes of
the services provided at each community reentry center
operated under sub. (3).