MADISON – The Assembly was on the floor today to take up several initiatives aimed at reducing crime in Wisconsin. Rep. Rodriguez released the following statement explaining her support for the package and emphasizing the importance of reducing crime rates around our state:
“Promoting public safety is a core function of government. The people in our state expect and rely on us to pass measures that will improve public safety.
“Reckless driving is on the rise and has been especially prevalent in Milwaukee County. AB 56 aims to reduce instances of reckless driving by allowing law enforcement to impound a car if the owner is cited for reckless driving with an already outstanding citation for reckless driving. Since 2020, 77% of reckless driving fines issued in Milwaukee have gone unpaid. We are hopeful that this bill will make people think twice about engaging in reckless driving.
“You may recall that in January both houses of the legislature supported a resolution proposing an amendment to our state constitution that – if adopted – will allow judges to consider prior violent crime convictions when setting cash bail. This proposed amendment now goes before the voters on April 4th in the form of a binding referendum. SB 75 prepares our state should this referendum pass by defining ‘violent crime’ and ‘serious harm’ for the purposes of the constitutional amendment.
“Lastly, many of our communities have a shortage of people going into law enforcement. AB 51 will expand the talent pool by allowing DACA recipients who are living here legally the opportunity to become a police officer or sheriff’s deputy.
“The people who live in my district are concerned about the increasing amount of crime in our region. While none of the bills we passed today are a silver bullet, I am hopeful that our efforts will contribute to reducing crime in Wisconsin.”
