Rep. Brent Jacobson reports on recent legislative actions

State Rep. Brent Jacobson of Madison has announced his support for Assembly Bill 380, which aims to prevent judges suspended for criminal misconduct from continuing to receive their salaries.

The bill comes in the wake of the recent suspension of Milwaukee Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan, who was arrested for allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant evade arrest in a high-profile case. Despite the ongoing suspension, Judge Dugan remains on the payroll, a situation Jacobson says taxpayers should not have to bear.

Under the amended AB 380, judges suspended for criminal conduct would lose their salaries during the suspension period but would be entitled to backpay if cleared of all charges. Jacobson emphasized the importance of judicial accountability, stating, “When someone trusted to uphold the law is accused of breaking it, continuing to pay their salary is not fair to taxpayers.” The bill passed the committee despite opposition from Democratic members.

Additional judiciary measures passed

Rep. Jacobson also reported voting in favor of four other bills addressing public safety and legal procedures:

AB 136: Increases penalties for impersonating a police officer, a crime that has become more prevalent.

AB 148: Permits court interpreters to participate remotely by phone or video, reducing costs and delays in court proceedings.

AB 195: Streamlines the process for transferring property upon death, with technical improvements to existing law.

AB 433: Removes the regulation requiring legal notices in newspapers to be published only in Arial typeface, giving newspapers more flexibility.

Fighting human trafficking and sexual assault

Jacobson also highlighted progress made in the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, where he supported three bills to combat human trafficking and sexual assault:

AB 265: Establishes mandatory minimum sentences for human trafficking offenses.

AB 236: Protects the rights and dignity of sexual assault victims.

AB 414: Expands investigative tools available to law enforcement for tracking sexual assault perpetrators.

All three bills received bipartisan support and passed the committee. Jacobson expressed optimism that the cooperation would continue when the measures reach the full Assembly for a vote.

Looking ahead

Rep. Jacobson called on lawmakers from both parties to support efforts to increase accountability and protect public safety. He remains hopeful that bipartisan collaboration will help advance these important measures for the people of Wisconsin.