Madison, WI – State Representative Karen Hurd (R-Fall Creek) joined fellow Assembly members in passing legislation to promote transparency and help improve school safety.
Assembly Bill 53 requires high schools to collect statistics on a variety of crimes including homicides, sexual assault, burglary and battery, and report those statistics to the Department of Public Instruction for its annual report cards.
“This bill will give important information to parents, students, educators and school boards across Wisconsin,” said Rep Hurd. “Having accurate and transparent reporting will allow us to identify patterns, address root causes of crime, and develop effective strategies to prevent future incidents.”
Assembly Bill 69 creates a threshold of 100 incidents and 25 arrests before a school resource officer is required to be employed by the school.
Wisconsin’s Speak Up and Speak Out school violence tip line received nearly 2,000 calls in the 2021- 2022 school year – an increase of 15% from the previous year. More than a quarter of them were for instances of bullying.
“I’m pleased to see the passage of these bills as they are important measures to ensure the safety of students in schools where more incidents have occurred,” said Rep. Hurd. “We want to create a safe and comfortable learning environment for all students so they can focus on learning.”
These proposals now head to the Senate for consideration.
Constituents can also contact their state representative by e-mailing Rep.Hurd@legis.wisconsin.gov or calling (608) 237-9168.
