In The Legislature

There are a number of criminal-legal system bills pending in our state legislature. We want to provide you with some general guidance as to how to navigate the oftentimes complex and burdensome process of understanding the process of legislation as well as being able to quickly locate and find out more about the bills that are currently pending.

 

Legislative Committees:

In the Wisconsin Legislature, committees serve several crucial functions related to legislation, and their importance in advocacy processes cannot be overlooked nor overstated.

Determining Legislation Advancement:

​Committees play a pivotal role in deciding which bills will progress through the legislative process. The Committee chair, in particular, wields significant power by selecting which bills to schedule for committee consideration. Moreover, Committees evaluate proposed legislation, discuss the merits, and decide whether the bill should move forward for further review.

Information Dissemination:

Committees provide a platform for presenting information about bills to Committee members. This can include, but is not limited to, expert testimony, data, and public input. By gathering relevant information, committees ensure that legislators make informed decisions during the legislative process.

Issue-Specific Focus:

As Committees are broken down into subject-area issues. the members of each Committee specialize in particular areas, such as public safety, corrections, education, healthcare, and judiciary. Each Committee is responsible for focusing on bills related to its assigned subject matter, allowing for in-depth analysis and expertise.

Recommendations and Courses of Action:

Committees monitor ongoing governmental operations, identify issues suitable for legislative review, and recommend courses of action to the legislature. Their recommendations guide subsequent legislative steps, ensuring a thorough examination of proposed bills.

Jurisdiction Oversight:

Committees also exercise legislative oversight of the various state agencies whose responsibilities fall within the subject-matter of the Committee. Such oversight may involve reviewing and approving proposed administrative rules, eliciting testimony from state agency leadership, pursuing investigations, and calling for audits and other oversight practices.  

With that description out of the way, it is through locating the Committees holding jurisdiction over certain bills, that you can get the information you need when you need it. As a general rule, the following Committees are where the majority of criminal-legal bills will originate. These Committees are as follows:

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Criminal-Legal System Committees in the State Legislature:

Senate Committee on the Judiciary & Public Safety

Assembly Committee on Corrections

Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties

Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Assembly Committee on Judiciary

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Each of the Committees named above play a substantial role in the crafting, adoption, and passing of criminal-legal legislation. By clicking on the above links, you can see the members of each Committee, all of the bills that are pending, as well as upcoming meetings being held by the Committee. Additionally, you have the opportunity to subscribe to receive notifications and other alerts specific to the work of the said Committee.

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We hope you find this information helpful! Do not hesitate to contact us with your questions.