Combating Reckless Driving
The Assembly was in session this week and voted on multiple public safety-related matters. Assembly Bill 78, which I supported and was passed, was one such bill that expands the permission of municipalities to allow local law enforcement to impound vehicles of those convicted of reckless driving offenses.
This initiative was successful last session, but as we work with our local governments and law enforcement, we must be sure to update the laws on the books to better reflect the reality on the ground. Specifically, this bill allows municipalities to impound perpetrator vehicles after the first reckless driving offense, using officer discretion, until the fines from the offense are paid. Early impoundment can reduce dangerous repeat offending.
The bill also removes the requirement that impounded vehicles be owned by those convicted of reckless driving, reflecting the reality that many of these incidents occur with stolen vehicles. After the impoundment in those cases, law enforcement must attempt to identify the rightful owner and return the property to that individual.
These changes come from cooperation with localities and officers who are persistently dealing with the issue of reckless driving. This is a crime which can result in severe injury or death for the perpetrators and their innocent victims, and I am glad to support these collaboratively authored bills to make Wisconsin a safer place. Read the bill here:Â https://docs.legis.
Expanding Law Enforcement Protections
I also voted to successfully pass Assembly Bill 61, which strengthens the punishments for those who intentionally and knowingly injure or cause the death of a law enforcement or fire animal, more commonly known as K-9 units.
These units, composed of K-9s and their handlers, serve as first responders with highly specialized skills and training, making them an essential component of high-profile investigations and apprehensions. The picture below is from the Oconto Police Department, showing off one of their K-9s, Falco, participating in a drug detection exercise.
As members of law enforcement, these four-legged heroes put themselves in dangerous situations to protect community safety. The bill moves onto the Senate and next to the Governor’s desk, where we hope to see it signed into law and act to deter potential perpetrators from harming K-9s.
This measure has support from various statewide police and fire organizations, as it works to recognize the value and offer protection for these heroic animals. Read the bill here:Â https://docs.legis.wisconsin.
Modernizing Government Bureaucracy
The newly established Assembly Committee on Government Operations, Accountability, and Transparency had its first meeting yesterday in what we hope is the beginning of better governance for Wisconsin. My constituents have expressed a desire for a more efficient, stable, and limited government, so we will explore ways to make that a reality.
Although the Assembly is limited in its scope over executive offices and departments, we’ll still use our committee for informational purposes to speak with executive department heads to better understand their operations and procedures.
From that point, members can propose legislation related to the agency functions that they believe will enhance department logistics. These proposed changes will be publicly reviewed by the committee to gather input from relevant stakeholders, ensuring that the bills contribute to the improvement of the departments.
With consistently evolving technologies and advancements, we must figure out the best methods for utilizing new tools for an effective and responsive bureaucracy. The committee and I look forward to reforming our executive agencies to modernize and restore confidence in our government.
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Contact Me
My office is always available to help with any state-related questions or concerns you may have. You can reach my office at (608) 237-9104, or email me at [email protected].
