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Democrats Introduce Bill Concerning Corrections Reforms

wisconsin.gov

Democrats are out with a proposal(Correctional Officer Workplace Safety Bill--LRB 4225) to address what they say are significant issues inside Wisconsin's Correctional Facilities, including Lincoln Hills Juvenile Detention Center in Irma.

Senate Democratic Leader Jennifer Shilling says there has been significant problems within the institutions including safety, morale, assaults on staff. Shilling says they've introduced a measure to reform worker training, forced overtime, safety conditions, medication administration training, and general staffing issues. She says the situation at Lincoln Hills is an example...

".....Issues and concerns at Lincoln Hills juvenile correction facility came to light, there's been an investigation by the FBI, so yes, as we look to bolster safety in our correctional facilities, this would also impact Lincoln Hills..."

She says there also have been assaults on guards at adult facilities at Green Bay, Racine and Columbia.

Shilling says making reforms within the Corrections system should be bi-partisan and she extended an offer to Republicans to sit down and look at finding solutions to problems within many of the states corrections facilities.

".....and if they have concerns about the ideas we are putting out, then what are they're(Republican) suggestion, what are they're ideas, what is their resolution, their solutions to these concerns. How are we addressing overtime pay, forced overtime and the safety and training issues people are talking about?"

One sticking point in the bill might be restoring the right of correctional officers to collectively bargain over workplace safety issues.

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