Introducing the “Justice for All Act”
This week, Senator Wimberger and I were proud to introduce a bill that will address critical staffing needs within Wisconsin’s criminal justice system. The proposal adds new assistant district attorneys, assistant state public defenders, public defender support staff, and circuit court judges across the state. This effort comes as the state faces a felony backlog of over 12,000 cases.
Backlogs and delays have resulted in public safety concerns, jail overcrowding, potential civil rights violations, and ballooning costs to county property taxpayers. Our current biennial budget took initial steps to alleviate these backlogs in our criminal justice system, but this legislation is necessary to continue resolving this issue.
Staffing issues in our justice system are creating a disservice to victims, the accused, and property taxpayers. This failure to perform an essential state duty is an issue of public safety, justice, and local financial security. The Justice for All Act takes necessary action to relieve these pressures both statewide and for the people of Brown County.
The bill utilizes existing workforce assessments to determine the appropriate allocation of new staff throughout the state. Overall, this proposal adds 64.5 assistant district attorneys, 22 state public defenders, 41 public defender support staff, and four circuit court judge positions across the state over the next biennium. The proposal now awaits a public hearing before it progresses through the legislature.
Advancing Affordable Housing
The Assembly passed a package of bills this week aimed at addressing affordable housing by increasing the housing supply and lowering the cost for first-time home buyers. Homeownership is a terrific driver of economic well-being in our state, so improving affordability must be a priority.
A highlight of the package is the creation of residential tax incremental districts. This new tool provides municipalities with flexibility in constructing workforce housing by applying a portion of the tax increment from new homes to offset the costs of subdivision development.
Other bills include zoning reforms to enhance predictability, regulatory improvements for better collaboration between governments and developers, and ensuring adequate time for compliance with new building codes. I am looking forward to this legislation continuing its progress.
Applications Open for Rural Roads Improvement
New funding for the Agricultural Roads Improvement Program (ARIP) is now available for applications. ARIP improves highways classified as local roads that provide access to agricultural lands or facilities used to produce agricultural goods, including forest products. The Legislature provided the program with an additional $150 million in funding to help maintain rural roads on which our agricultural industry depends.
The application process opened on Monday, October 6th, and closes on December 15th. The Committee will review applications in January and February and expects to announce the awards in March of 2026. If you are aware of any roads in your community that could benefit from this funding, please contact your local officials before the deadline. Click the image below to learn more about the process and eligibility requirements.
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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 Rep.Steffen@legis.wisconsin.
