2020 2020 LegislativeLegislative Report Card &Report Card & Election Election EndorsementsEndorsementsPage 2 With over 10,000 members from almost 300 local association affiliates, the WPPA is Wisconsin’s largest law enforcement group. Our mission is to protect and promote public safety, as well as the interests of the dedicated men and women that serve to provide it. As such, the WPPA closely monitors legislative proposals that might impact the officers serving our communities and we work diligently to inform state lawmakers of their public policy implications. Through our lobbying efforts, the WPPA has demonstrated the pivotal role it plays in advancing new laws to enhance policing and to otherwise make Wisconsin safer for both the public and the officers that serve it. Since 2006, the WPPA has published a legislative report card summarizing the actions taken on the bills for which the organization took a position either for or against. The most cumulative of its kind in Wisconsin, the WPPA report card tabulates legislative actions on bills throughout each stage of the lawmaking process, and awards and deducts points to individual legislators accordingly. The state lawmakers in each house are then ranked after those aggregate scores are calculated, and those ranked in the top tier in each house are named to the WPPA’s “Law Enforcement Honor Roll.” The highest-ranking Legislators are given the distinct recognition of being named “WPPA Legislator of the Year.” The pages that follow provide a detailed summary of the report card results for the 2019-20 legislative session. What began as a fraternal group in 1932 has evolved into a full-service organization that aims to serve as the voice of Wisconsin’s law enforcement community. Our governmental affairs efforts are critically-important to ensuring that our voice is an informed one, and this report card is an invaluable resource in our work to preserve and strengthen law enforcement’s ability to keep our communities safe and maintain the quality of life that Wisconsinites expect and have every right to deserve. For questions or comments about this publication, please feel free to contact me by telephone at 608-273-3840 or by e-mail at palmer@wppa.com. Thank you. Sincerely, Jim Palmer Executive Director IntroductIon:James Brigham – Dane County Jeff Darst – Superior Danielle Engen – Onalaska Dan Frei – Madison Devon Gaszak – Minocqua Dale Gerbig, II – La Crosse Justin Greuel – Eau Claire Nicholas Groth – Racine Mark Hollister – Chippewa County Ted Knoeck – Marathon County Sups Dennis LeCaptain – Janesville Travis Levandowski – Portage County Mark Moderson – Appleton Kurt Pierce – Dane County Sups Terry Pockat – Oneida County Kelly Powers – Madison Robert Richardson – Retiree Andrew Rosenow – La Crosse Nick Stachula – West Allis Brian Tuescher – Dane County Travis Tuttle – Fond du Lac Adam Zukowski – Dunn County WPPA Board of Directors Officers President – Todd Hoover, Racine Vice President – Nichelle Nelson, Waukesha Treasurer – Trevor Rud, Pepin County Secretary – Brian Barbour, Oneida County Sergeant at Arms – Steven Bartels, Waukesha Directors Executive Director James L. Palmer, II palmer@wppa.com General Operations Office 660 John Nolen Dr., Suite 300 Madison, WI 53713 608-273-3840 wppa.com Table of Contents The WPPA’s Legislative Priorities p. 4 2019 - 2020 Bill Weighting Chart p. 5 Senate Legislators of the Year p. 6 2019-2020 Legislative Report Card Results: State Senate p. 6 Assembly Legislators of the Year p. 7 2019-2020 Legislative Report Card Results: State Assembly p. 7 2020 Candidate Questions p. 8 2020 Candidate Responses p. 9 Page 3Page 4 The WPPA’s Legislative Priorities As the state’s largest law enforcement group, the Wisconsin Professional Police Association (WPPA) actively represents its membership before the State Legislature. We advocate on a wide variety of law enforcement- and labor-related issues during each two-year legislative session and we have used a cumulative methodology to closely evaluate legislative action. At the 2004 WPPA Annual Convention, the Board of Directors formally adopted a governmental affairs platform declaring the legislative principles and polices of interest to the officers within our ranks. At the beginning of each legislative session, the WPPA sends every lawmaker an explanation of our governmental affairs platform and report card methodology. This platform is used to help develop our biannual report card that measures legislative action on bills of importance to the law enforcement community. This report card is published in the WPPA’s quarterly magazine, the Wisconsin Police Journal, which each and every member receives. It also aids our affiliated state and local political action committees in their consideration of political endorsements. The WPPA Governmental Affairs Platform 1. Protect state funding programs that impact public safety services and promote reforms of state funding formulas in a manner that prioritizes these services. 2. Promote legislation to provide collective bargaining rights for all public employees and to protect against legislation which could diminish those bargaining rights. 3. Support legislation improving the collective bargaining dispute settlement procedures for members of the law enforcement community. 4. Support legislation allowing for the arbitration of discipline for municipal law enforcement officers. 5. Support legislation improving and protecting the pension and retirement benefits of protective service employees. 6. Promote legislation likely to have a beneficial impact on the law enforcement community and protect against legislation likely to have a detrimental impact on the law enforcement community. 7. Promote political activity by WPPA members through methods such as: encouraging locals to establish local political action committees; advising locals on the operation of their political action committees; providing political action committees with a current uniform candidate questionnaire and organizing meetings with WPPA locals and their legislators. It is the responsibility of the WPPA’s registered lobbyist(s) to identify items of legislation that impact Wisconsin’s law enforcement community generally, and the WPPA’s membership specifically. Preliminary positions on those bills are made by the lobbying staff, and those positions are then considered for ratification by the WPPA Legislative Committee and Board of Directors. In recognition of the fact that not all bills are created equal, each legislative measure (companion bills are counted together) is weighted by the Legislative Committee. In order to prevent any bill from unfairly influencing the cumulative results, a weighting scale of 1 to 5 is applied to each one, as determined by the Legislative Committee. All positions ratified by the board are included on the legislative report card, and are scored in the following manner: The WPPA's Legislative Report Card Scoring Methodology Legislative ActionPoints (+/-) Co-sponsoring legislation which we support/oppose+/-3 Committee votes for legislation which supports/opposes the WPPA position+/-1 Floor votes for legislation which supports/opposes the WPPA position+/-2 Procedural votes/other efforts to advance or stall legislation which supports/opposes the WPPA position+/-2 Offering amendments which we support+2 Offering amendments we oppose-2Page 5 Lawmakers that garner a cumulative score in the top one-third of all of the legislators in their respective chambers are named to the “WPPA Law Enforcement Honor Roll” for that particular legislative session and are eligible for an automatic endorsement in their next election. The legislators with the highest overall scores in their respective chambers will be eligible to be named a “WPPA Legislator of the Year.” Given that the Legislative Report Card tracks a variety of legislative activity, such as co-sponsorships and committee and floor votes, legislators may be recognized in these secondary areas as well, if determined appropriate by the WPPA’s Legislative Committee and/or Board of Directors. Due to the extent to which the WPPA’s scoring methodology tracks legislative activity, it is important to recognize that our evaluative approach provides lawmakers that sit on committees that consider law enforcement- or labor- related issues with greater opportunities to be awarded or deducted points. In situations in which a bill passes out of a legislative chamber on a voice vote, or is simply passed without objection in concurrence, all lawmakers in that legislative chamber receive credit for supporting or opposing the measure, depending upon the organization’s position on that specific measure, unless the official journal for that legislative chamber indicates a lawmaker’s successful motion to be recorded otherwise. Due to the fact that the Senate Majority Leader, Senate Minority Leader, Assembly Speaker and Assembly Minority Leader traditionally serve on fewer committees and sponsor fewer legislative measures as a result of their leadership status, those positions are not included on the Report Card. Legislators that left the legislature during the course of the session are also not included. Bill NoDescription WPPA Position Legislative Committee Weight AB 2/SB4 To expand the type of immobilization devices that may be used to immobilize either an unregistered motor vehicle or a motor vehicle owned by a habitual parking violator. ENACTED. For2 AB 7/SB 10 To establish an absolute sobriety requirement for the purpose of operating a snowmobile for any person under the age of 21. For1 AB 157/SB 149 To create a public safety employee exemption to the current restrictions that apply to rehired WRS annuitants. For4 AB 300/SB 266 To require political subdivisions and Marquette University to pay health insurance premiums for survivors of a law enforcement officer who dies in the line of duty. ENACTED. For5 AB 454 To create the crime of "swatting," which prohibits a person from intentionally conveying, or causing to be conveyed, any false information that an emergency exists if the information elicits, or could elicit, a response from a specialized tactical team. ENACTED. For2 AB 527 To create grants and guidance grants related to preventing suicide by firearm and making an appropriation. For2 AB 545 To create a new crime of impersonating a public officer, public employee, or employee of a utility and providing a penalty. For2 AB 569/SB 511 To establish more reasonable standards for extending claims for worker's compensation benefits to police officers and fire fighters diagnosed with PTSD. For5 AB 633/SB 565 To clarify the law to allow law enforcement agencies to contract for emergency detention transports. ENACTED. For3 AB 1012 To codify and require that law enforcement agency policies on the use of force specifically incorporate certain specified principles that otherwise already exist elsewhere in the statutes, administrative code, or curriculum governing law enforcement training. For1 AB 1038 To make numerous law changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. (NOTE: The WPPA helped negotiate the original bill, which included a provision that would presume that a public safety employee who contracts COVID-19 contracted it while on the job and it would be covered by workers' compensation. Speaker Vos pushed a last-minute amendment negating that provision, forcing the employee to prove they contracted it at work. We fought against that amendment, but it passed.) ENACTED. For5 2019-2020 Legislative Session: Bill Weighting ChartPage 6 PartyState SenateRank RJACQUE, André1 RWANGGAARD, Van H.2 RMARKLEIN, Howard3 DBEWLEY, Janet4 DLARSON, Chris5 ROLSEN, Luther6 RDARLING, Alberta7 RNASS, Stephen L.8 DSCHACHTNER, Patty9 DTAYLOR, Lena C.T-10 DRISSER, Fred A.T-10 DCARPENTER, TimT-10 DERPENBACH, Jon B.13 DJOHNSON, LaTonya14 RTESTIN, Patrick15 DHANSEN, Dave16 RFEYEN, Daniel17 PartyState SenateRank DSMITH, Jeff18 RPETROWSKI, Jerry19 RKOOYENGA, Dale20 RROTH, Roger21 DWIRCH, Robert22 RBERNIER, KathyT-23 DMILLER, MarkT-23 RCOWLES, RobertT-23 DRINGHAND, Janis26 RSTROEBEL, Duey27 RLEMAHIEU, Devin28 RKAPENGA, Chris29 RCRAIG, David30 "Law Enforcement Honor Roll" 6 Republicans 6 Democrats SB 50 To establish uniform policies and parameters for the use, retention, and release of body-worn cameras and BWC video. ENACTED. For5 SB 104 To create a criminal prohibition for a law enforcement officer to have sexual contact or sexual intercourse with any person who is detained by any law enforcement officer or is in the custody of any law enforcement officer. For1 SB 154 To allow public employees to receive credit for the purpose of the Wisconsin Retirement System for military service performed before 1974. For2 SB 163To create a crime of causing bodily harm to a nurse. ENACTED.For3 SB 456To establish crisis intervention team grants.For3 SB 771To establish grants for additional policing and strategic planning to combat crime.For3 2019-2020 Legislative Report Card Results: State Senate "Legislators of the Year" State Senator André Jacque District 1 (R-De Pere) State Senator Van Wanggaard District 21 (R-Racine)Page 7 2019-2020 Legislative Report Card Results: State Assembly PartyState AssemblyRank RHORLACHER, Cody1 DANDERSON, Jimmy2 DSPREITZER, Mark3 RSKOWRONSKI, Ken4 RNOVAK, Todd5 DSARGENT, MelissaT-6 RTUSLER, RonT-6 RSPIROS, John8 DSUBECK, Lisa9 DEMERSON, JodiT-10 DSTUBBS, SheliaT-10 DSINICKI, Christine12 DOHNSTAD, Tod13 DZAMARRIPA, JoCastaT-14 RKULP, BobT-14 RTITTL, Paul16 DSHANKLAND, Katrina17 RMURSAU, JeffreyT-18 RDITTRICH, BarbaraT-18 DMILROY, NickT-20 DBILLINGS, JillT-20 DDOYLE, SteveT-20 RLOUDENBECK, AmyT-20 RROHRKASTE, MikeT-20 REDMING, JamesT-25 ROTT, JimT-25 DVRUWINK, Don27 PartyState AssemblyRank RJAMES, Jesse28 DPOPE, Sondy29 DCONSIDINE, Dave30 RKRUG, Scott31 DGOYKE, EvanT-32 DVINING, RobynT-32 DHESSELBEIN, DianneT-34 DSTUCK, AmandaT-34 RBRANDTJEN, JanelT-36 DBROSTOFF, JonathanT-36 DKOLSTE, DebraT-38 DBOWEN, DavidT-38 DMCGUIRE, TipT-38 DNEUBAUER, GretaT-38 RBROOKS, Robert42 RTHIESFELDT, JeremyT-43 RBALLWEG, JoanT-43 RSTEFFEN, DavidT-43 RMURPHY, DaveT-43 DHEBL, GaryT-47 RPETRYK, WarrenT-47 RDUCHOW, CindiT-47 DGRUSZYNSKI, Staush50 RBORN, MarkT-51 RZIMMERMAN, ShannonT-51 RPLUMER, JonT-53 RWICHGERS, ChuckT-53 State Representative Cody Horlacher District 33 (R-Mukwonago) State Representative Jimmy Anderson District 47 (D-Fitchburg) "Legislators of the Year"Page 8 PartyState AssemblyRank DFIELDS, JasonT-55 DMEYERS, BethT-55 DRIEMER, Daniel57 RSCHRAA, Michael58 RSANFELIPPO, JoT-59 RKERKMAN, SamanthaT-59 DMYERS, LaKeshiaT-61 RNYGREN, JohnT-61 RRAMTHUN, Timothy63 DHAYWOOD, KalanT-64 RTRANEL, TravisT-64 RJAGLER, JohnT-66 RKATSMA, TerryT-66 DCABRERA, MarisabelT-68 RKURTZ, TonyT-68 RQUINN, RomaineT-68 RALLEN, Scott71 RSNYDER, PatrickT-72 RPRONSCHINSKE, TreigT-72 RSTAFSHOLT, RobT-74 RSUMMERFIELD, RobT-74 PartyState AssemblyRank RSORTWELL, Shae76 RKITCHENS, JoelT-77 RVORPAGEL, TylerT-77 RWITTKE, RobertT-77 RMAGNAFICI, GaeT-77 RAUGUST, TylerT-81 RPETERSEN, KevinT-81 RVANDER MEER, NancyT-83 RKNODL, DanT-83 RGUNDRUM, RickT-83 RMACCO, JohnT-86 RRODRIGUEZ, JessieT-86 RSWEARINGEN, RobT-86 RTAUCHEN, GaryT-86 RFELZKOWSKI, MaryT-90 RKUGLITSCH, MikeT-90 ROLDENBURG, Loren92 RNEYLON, Adam93 RHUTTON, Rob94 "Law Enforcement Honor Roll" 14 Republicans 16 Democrats 2020 Candidate Questions 1. What is the number one priority regarding policing and public safety that you would like to see lawmakers accomplish in the next year? 2. Following the tragic death of George Floyd, there have been many calls for police reform throughout the state. What police reform proposals do you believe should be a priority? 3. Some people have called upon state and local governments to “defund the police,” but the effort means different things to different people. What does it mean to you, and how do you think it should or should not be applied to police spending? 4. A lack of adequate mental health services has resulted in a large portion of law enforcement’s calls for service involving individuals with mental health issues. What do you believe can or should be done to alleviate law enforcement’s role in mental health intervention? 5. Various proposals have been introduced at every level of government on the topic of police accountability. Do you believe that law enforcement officers are appropriately held accountable for their actions? Why or why not? What changes, if any, would you support to increase police accountability? 6. In recent years, the number of violent offenses committed in Wisconsin has increased, and departments throughout the state report a significant reduction in the number of people entering the law enforcement profession. Meanwhile, there has also been a decrease in the number of officers employed throughout the state. What do you believe should be done to address this issue? 7. Polling by the St. Norbert College Strategic Research Institute has consistently indicated that a majority of Wisconsin citizens favor allowing law enforcement officers to negotiate contracts with employers over their wages and benefits. Do you support collective bargaining rights for law enforcement officers? 8. What do you believe we should know about you and /or your opponent as we consider making an endorsement in your race?DistrictPartyName Report Card Rank Report Card Tier Survey Q1Survey Q2Survey Q3Survey Q4Survey Q5Survey Q6Survey Q7Survey Q8ENDORSEMENT WISCONSIN STATE SENATE 2 RRobert L. Cowles (i)233 4 D Lena C. Taylor (i) 10 1 Taylor 6 DLaTonya Johnson (i)142Johnson RAlciro Deaconn/an/a 8 D Neal Plotkin n/a n/a RAlberta Darling (i)71Darling 10 DPatty Schachtner (i)91Schachtner R Rob Stafsholt 74 3 12 DEd Vocken/an/a RMary Czaja-Felzkowskin/an/a 14 D Joni D. Anderson n/a n/a RJoan A. Ballweg432 Implement ideas discussed by the Suicide Prevention Task Force, provide more mental health support for LE. Partner w/ DOJ & LE leaders to review training guidelines, encourage & subsidize behavioral health assessments for LEOs. "Local officials are responsible for public safety…" & "state resources require a maintenance of effort". Special expenditures like "shot spotter" would be difficult. Invest more in CIT training. She doesn't believe that accountability is a problem, but training protocols & transparency are needed to build public trust. She believes that the pendulum will swing back, but that local public officials "will need to lead the way." She doesn't see any changes being supported. She is endorsed by 7 sheriffs & several police chiefs. She has long supported police issues, cites residency as an example. Ballweg 16 DMelissa Agard Sargent61 Police reform that benefits both the public & LE. Supports Evers' proposals. Sees validity in calls to reinvest in alternative measures such as MH & addiction resources. Invest more in MH services at all levels to reduce burden on LE. Supports the independent civilian oversight model being created in Madison as a model for the state. Pay LE competitive salaries to create incentives to recruit & retain. Yes. Cites record of working w/ & being accessible to the WPPA. R Scott Barker n/a n/a 18 DAaron M. Wojciechowskin/an/a Making BWCs a statewide policy largely supported by state funding. Ban chokeholds (w/ exception), BWCs for every officer, CIT training, racial bias training, & statewide database for LEO discipline. We need to seriously assess police budgets to most effectively increase funding for effective programs & cut funding for wasteful ones. Every agency should have at least one crisis intervention specialist, more classes & training to better equip officers. "Civilian oversight including police review commissions where both the public & LE have input and power. Independent special investigator responsible for investigating civilian deaths by an officer." "Crime is a result of socioeconomic issues; those must be addressed while allowing POs the ability to unionize." "Yes, 100%." Cites experience on Winnebago Co. Board where he passed four county sheriffs' budgets. Asserts his opponent has not. RDan Feyen (i)172 We must do everything to keep communities safe. Looting, violence, riots are unacceptable. Increase transparency & public education on LE training, uniform UoF & de- escalation policies that are published to show that appropriate practices are already in place. Does not support defunding the police. Reform our mental health safety net systems through partnerships w/private hospitals & transportation & admission procedures at Winnebago & Mendota. Interested in exploring mental health teams to alleviate LEO stress. Yes. We need to change the culture surrounding the treatment of police. LEOs are brave public servants. We should provide certainty that the laws governing their jobs won't be changed by political whims. A qualified yes. Balancing labor & taxpayers is tricky. LEOs should have to pay toward retirement & health insurance. Allowing bargaining can help overcome recruiting challenges. He is endorsed by all three sheriffs in his district. Opponent is anti- LE, supported riots in Madison & cutting LE budgets. Feyen 20 RDuey Stroebel (i)273 22 DRobert W. Wirch (i)223 24 DPaul Piotrowskin/an/a Restoring trust & support in LE, through efforts such as BWC grant funding, disciplinary database. Supports a disciplinary database, increased MH training. Does not support defunding, but does support reducing the role of LE on these issues. State needs to recruit more MH pros so people can access those resources when they need them. Current shortage of MH pros increases the potential for crises to occur. States that there should be more transparency between agencies w/ regard to discipline. We need to reverse some of the collective bargaining changes enacted in the last 10 years. Yes. A former Naval officer, retired Stevens Point Sgt., served as both the treasurer & local president for local police union. R Patrick Testin (i) 15 2 26 DKelda Helen Roysn/an/a 28 DAdam Murphyn/an/a States that "challenges associated w/ 2020 need to be thoughtfully addressed w/ all parties." States that LE exercise lethal force, & as such, should be held to the highest standards. Police have too many responsibilities. States that everyone must come together to discuss issues & ideas. States that there are municipalities w/ greater mental health intervention teams & we need to review the best practices around the U.S. States that it is "fairly clear LEO are not always held accountable." He supports state licensing & reporting like that for other professional occupations. Acknowledges that he does not have an answer. Concedes that he is conflicted on the topic. States that Act 10 was a political action that spared police unions. States that his opponent "backs the badge" unequivocally & that he does not. He backs the public. R Julian Bradley n/a n/aNext >