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Wisconsin Lawmakers Introduce Police Reform Package, Push for March Vaccine Eligibility for Public

PIXABAY.COM

 Wisconsin lawmakers introduce police reform package

Two Republican lawmakers have introduced legislation aimed at reforming police use-of-force policies and investigations. Republican Sens. Van Wanggaard and Alberta Darling unveiled the package on Wednesday. The legislation would create a board that could investigate officer-involved deaths, require annual reports tallying use-of-force incidents, prohibit training on the use of chokeholds and reduce state aid to municipalities that reduce spending on hiring, training and retaining police. The package comes after Wisconsin experienced multiple protests last year over police brutality and racism. An Illinois teen has been charged with killing two people during one of the demonstrations in Kenosha in August.

Assembly Republicans want public to have vaccine by March

The Wisconsin Assembly Health Committee has heard a bill proposing that everyone in the state would be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine by mid-March, regardless of how much vaccine is available. The bill sponsored by committee chairman Rep. Joe Sanfelippo was heard at a public hearing Wednesday. It grew out of Republican criticism about vaccine distribution. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers the state’s health leaders have defended the rollout, saying the speed of vaccinations is limited by the number of doses sent by the federal government. The bill is unlikely to become law. It has to pass the Senate and Assembly, and be signed by Evers.

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