SB122: Bill Text

LRB-0076/1

CMH:amn

2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE

2021 Senate BILL 122

February 18, 2021 - Introduced by Senators Wanggaard, L. Taylor, Darling, Cowles, Feyen, Jacque and Roys, cosponsored by Representatives Spiros, Armstrong, Brandtjen, Moses and Rozar. Referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

SB122,1,2 An Act to amend 66.0511 (2) of the statutes; relating to: public access to policies regarding the use of force by law enforcement.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Current law requires each law enforcement agency to have a policy regarding the use of force by its law enforcement officers and to make the policy available for public scrutiny. This bill requires the law enforcement agency to post its policy on the law enforcement agency website or, if the agency does not have one, on the municipality's site. Under the bill, if the policy is changed, the law enforcement agency must post the updated policy as soon as practically possible but no later than one year after the change is made. The bill also requires a law enforcement agency to prominently post a means to request a copy of the policy and to provide a copy of the current policy at no charge no later than three business days after a request is made.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB122,1 Section 1 . 66.0511 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB122,2,12 66.0511 (2) Use of force policy. Each person in charge of a law enforcement agency shall prepare in writing and make available for public scrutiny a policy or standard regulating the use of force by law enforcement officers in the performance of their duties. The law enforcement agency shall make the policy or standard publicly available on a website maintained by the law enforcement agency or, if the agency does not maintain its own site, on a website maintained by the municipality over which the law enforcement agency has jurisdiction. If the policy or standard is changed, the law enforcement agency shall ensure the website displays the updated policy or standard as soon as practically possible but no later than one year after the change is made. The law enforcement agency shall also prominently display a means of requesting a copy of the policy or standard. If a person requests a copy of the policy or standard, the law enforcement agency shall provide a copy of the current policy or standard free of charge as soon as practically possible but no later than 3 business days after the request is made.

SB122,2,13 (End)