Wisconsin lawmakers drag their feet on reform

What isn’t happening is shameful. For more than a month, protesters in La Crosse, in Madison, throughout the country and even the world have called for change in the wake of the death of George Floyd. There have been some changes, but only here and there. In Madison, members of the state Assembly and Senate have yet to hold a single vote, or even hold a single discussion about what kinds of reform may be needed. That is shameful. Legislative leaders have yet to respond to Governor Evers’ call to action to provide some reform by banning chokeholds and no-knock warrants and to create use of force standards for all Wisconsin officers. There has been no response from the Republican legislature. Speaker Robin Vos says there is no reason to rush into a legislative session, even though our state lawmakers are not scheduled to meet again until next year. What are they waiting for? He says lawmakers need to take time to “see what the answers are.” Isn’t scheduling hearings and debate the way to do that? And isn’t the answer working to ensure that another white police officer doesn’t unnecessarily kill another black man? Our lawmakers seem tone-deaf to this issue, and until they wake up and take some meaningful action, this issue isn’t going away.