Early Voting Is Now!
Early voting started yesterday, March 18th.
There are two important statewide races to be aware of. The first is for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. There are two candidates on your ballot: Brittany Kinser and Dr. Jill Underly.
The second is for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The two candidates on your ballot are Brad Schimel and Susan Crawford.
Additionally, depending on where you live, you may have other local, nonpartisan races on your ballot, like circuit court judges, city council members, or school board members. If you’d like to see what will be on your ballot, click here:Â What’s On My Ballot.
If you do not vote early, make sure to vote in person on the day of (April 1st).
Let’s get out and vote!
Session (3/13): Human Trafficking Victims
AB 87 is a bill I drafted and introduced that requires restitution to be paid immediately to human trafficking victims in Wisconsin once the perpetrator is convicted and also requires all financial obligations imposed as part of a criminal sentence (restitution) to be paid before a felon’s right to vote is fully restored.
In criminal cases, the goal of restitution is to financially address the harm done to a person in order to make them whole. This restitution can help contribute to payments for medical and psychological services, housing, child care, property, or any costs of labor provided to victims.
The second requirement in the bill will ensure justice is entirely served and full accountability is given to those that still owe a debt to their victims, especially to those that are trafficked.
To hear me speak on this legislation, click here.
AB 86 is a bill I drafted and introduced that increases the penalty for child trafficking from a Class C felony to a Class A, which carries a penalty of life imprisonment, in situations where three or more children were victims.
AB 85Â requires agents of the Department of Corrections to recommend revocation for an individual on extended supervision, probation, or parole if they are charged with a new crime.
I voted no on this bill because I believe that the legislation deprives the individual of their due process rights since it hasn’t been proven they committed the original crime they have been accused of. If they are eventually declared innocent, how is it just that they had to spend more time in jail for a crime they did not commit?
AB 61Â increases the felony-level penalties for actions of intentional harm to law enforcement K9s, as well as an increase in the penalty if that harm results in the death of the dog.
AB 66Â requires that a prosecutor get approval from the court before they can dismiss or amend any of the following seven charges:
• Automobile theft
• Abuse of an individual at risk
• First, second, or third-degree sexual assault
• Crimes against a child
• Felon in possession of a firearm
• Reckless driving that results in great bodily harm
AB 74Â specifies that if a school board receives a report of sexual misconduct from the school, a parent must be notified no later than the end of the day the report was given.
Current law does not specify a timeline for when a school (or school board, in the bill) has to notify a parent when a child becomes a victim or if there is a credible report of sexual misconduct, which is defined by current law.
AB 74 was drafted and introduced by Rep. Ben Franklin, who now represents the great City of De Pere.
AB 75Â would require the director of state courts to collect criminal circuit court data for every crime resulting in charges being filed and report it to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for aggregation.
AB 78Â expands state law in regards to towing reckless drivers.
This legislation will expand 2023 Wisconsin Act 1 by removing any requirements for towing other than reckless driving. An individual must pay the costs related to the towing, impoundment, and storage in addition to any unpaid fines to have the vehicle returned. Â Vehicle owners whose stolen vehicle is then towed will not be required to pay any related costs. This will prevent any vehicle owner from having to pay the costs of towing and impoundment for a vehicle that was stolen from them.
AB 89Â specifies that, if, in a six-month period, a defendant commits more than one violation of property theft or more than one violation of retail theft, the value of items taken at each violation may be aggregated, and the crimes may be prosecuted as one property theft crime or one retail theft crime.
AB 91Â requires the costs of school resource officers (SROs) to be paid 75% by Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) and 25% by the City of Milwaukee (City).
By mid-2020, Milwaukee had completely pulled SROs out of their city schools. Last session, bipartisan legislation was signed into law by Governor Evers, requiring that school resource officers be back in Milwaukee Public Schools by January 2024. As of today, MPS has still not followed the law. MPS and the City claim this is due to a disagreement about paying the costs of the SROs.
AB 91 states that if there is no agreement made between MPS and the City, or officers are not trained within 30 days of the bill being signed into law, the Department of Administration will withhold 10% of supplemental county and municipal aid to the City. Similarly, the Department of Public Instruction will withhold 20% of the per pupil categorical aid payment if there is no agreement between the City and MPS or MPS does not certify that at least 25 SROs are in MPS schools within 30 days of enactment.
In-District Events
Friday, March 28th, is the Kettle Range Snowriders Spring Fish Fry at the Mishcot VFW Park and Hall (317 W Main St, Mishicot) from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 29th, is Maple Day at Maple Sweet Dairy (4501 Cty Rd W, De Pere). Join them from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to see the entire process from sap to maple syrup.
Saturday, March 29th, is a drive-thru booyah and burgers event at the Tisch Mills Fire Department (N110 County Rd B, Kewaunee) from 12 p.m. until gone.
