Senate Committee Unanimously Approves Inquest Bill
September 13, 2005
This afternoon, the Senate Judiciary, Corrections, and Privacy Committee unanimously voted to approve a bill of tremendous importance to many WPPA members. If enacted into law, Senate Bill 132 would require public employers to reimburse law enforcement officers and other public safety employees for reasonable attorneys fees if an inquest finds no wrongdoing for actions taken in the line of duty. Introduced by State Senator Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield), SB 132 would protect public safety employees from having to second-guess their decisions out of fear that a potential inquest could lead to financial ruin. The WPPA has spent considerable time working on this issue.
The results of today's vote were as follows:
Senate Judiciary, Corrections, and Privacy Committee Members
| Voting For: | State Senators Dave Zien (R-Eau Claire), Fred Risser (D-Madison),
Carol Roessler (R-Oshkosh), Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend), and
Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee) |
| Voting Against: | None |
The favorable action taken on SB 132 follows the unanimous vote of approval that this legislation received by the members of the Assembly Urban and Local Affairs Committee on September 6. This legislation will be made available for scheduling on the floors of the State Senate and Assembly in the coming weeks.
WPPA members with questions are encouraged to contact Jim Palmer, WPPA Director of Governmental Affairs, either by telephone at 1-800-362-8838, or by e-mail at palmer@wppa.com.
