1-5-23 wisconsin legislature moving ahead with bail amendment

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Legislature is moving quickly to put a constitutional amendment on the April ballot that would make it harder for criminal defendants to get out of jail on bail. The proposal has been around for years, but it gained new momentum last year after a man out on bail drove his SUV through a Christmas parade in Waukesha, killing six and injuring dozens more. The Legislature last year approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would require court officials to consider a defendant’s risk to public safety when setting bail. Currently, bail is set only as a means to ensure the person returns to court. Republican sponsors of the measure introduced it again Wednesday.