Legislative

The Wisconsin State Assembly’s Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee voted Tuesday to send a bill to the floor that addressed issues surrounding the use of police body cameras. The committee voted along party lines. The bill passed 8-4. Among other things, the bill would set in place a process for the release of police…

Multiple layers of regulations could affect the ability of newsrooms to use drones for news gathering, according to a report presented to the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council. Wisconsin State Journal photojournalist Michel King spoke to the council Oct. 26 saying that some state and local governmental agencies are placing restrictions on airspace beyond the…

The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association testified Thursday before the Assembly Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee about concerns with a bill to create statewide standards for the release of video obtained by body cameras used by law enforcement. While the WBA supports the creation of a statewide standard for the release of video from police body…

Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin is one of two senators taking the lead in an effort to make sure the deductibility of advertising expenses remains law as legislators review options for tax reform. Sen. Baldwin is joining Sen. John Boozman from Arkansas in drafting a letter to Senate leadership urging them to leave the current tax…

Did you know that when you file an open records request with the Wisconsin Department of Justice, that request is itself a public record? The DOJ is now posting regular reports of who has filed open records requests with its office. If you’re a reporter, you might want to take this into consideration whether you…

Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner introduced a proposal this week to establish a database of licensing information for musical works and sound recordings. The Transparency in Music Licensing Ownership Act is meant to help anyone using music look up the licensing status of the music to determine how they could use it legally. “Across the country, businesses…

The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled unanimously in support of open government advocates in a case involving a school district that held closed-door meetings. The June 29 ruling said the Appleton Area School District violated open meetings law when it allowed a committee to review curriculum in a closed setting. The court ruled that the committee…

WBA President and CEO Michelle Vetterkind testified twice to state lawmakers in support of repealing Wisconsin’s personal property tax. She testified on May 24 before the Senate Committee on Revenue, Financial Institutions and Rural Issues and on June 1 before the Assembly Ways and Means Committee. Vetterkind argued that the personal property tax is a…