MADISON, Wis. — It was a busy day at the State Capitol on Tuesday as the State Assembly returned to the floor for the first time in the new year.
Assembly Republicans had several different priorities during the session.
One of them was a bill authored by State Rep. Amanda Nedweski, R-Pleasant Prairie, that would criminalize grooming a child for sexual activity.
“The lack of criminal definition for grooming in Wisconsin allows predators to exploit loopholes, avoid accountability, and evade meaningful justice under the law,” Nedweski said.
Under the bill, anyone criminally convicted of grooming could face up to 10 years in prison.
The bill passed through the Assembly despite six Democrats voting “no.”
A larger number of Democrats stood in opposition to Assembly Joint Resolution 102.
The constitutional amendment would prohibit governmental entities from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, individuals or groups based on race, sex or ethnicity.
The resolution’s author is State Rep. David Murphy, R-Hortonville, who said he calls it the “equality amendment.”
“What it does is it restores merit, fairness and equality to government practices in Wisconsin, all the way from the State Capitol, down to our school boards,” Murphy said.
State Rep. Margaret Arney, D-Wauwatosa, said the resolution would negatively affect diversity in state government.
“By passing this into the Constitution, we’re looking at having fewer homegrown leaders from our Black community that I’m privileged to represent,” Arney said.
Other Democrats, such as State Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde, D-Milwaukee, said they believe Republicans have an ulterior motive behind the resolution.
“The United States Constitution, the State Constitution and any court in the land would not allow you to discriminate based upon race, so why do we have this superfluous law?” Omokunde said. “I think it’s an opportunity to rev up votes for November, and an opportunity to give meat to the base.”
The resolution passed along party lines and was sent to the State Senate.
If it makes it through the Senate, voters would see it on their ballots in November.
After Tuesday’s session, the calendar was finalized for another State Assembly session on Thursday.