Governor Tony Evers made the trip from Madison to Milwaukee for a signing ceremony for two bills designed to combat reckless driving and increase road safety. The bills passed the legislature earlier this year with broad bipartisan support from both Democrats and Republicans.
Gov. Evers signed the bills at Grace Lutheran Evangelical Church, which was the same church that a Milwaukee pastor, Aaron Strong, used to help lead before he was struck and killed by a reckless driver. His wife, Abbie Strong, became a fierce campaigner to increase penalties for reckless driving in Milwaukee and across the state.
The bills signed on May 10 are:
- Increases the penalties for reckless driving; and
- Requires that the driver improvement surcharge and safe ride surcharge are imposed on anyone convicted of reckless driving.
- Reorganizes the crimes of intentionally taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent;
- Creates a new “carjacking” section of the criminal code; and
- Increases certain penalties related to carjacking crimes
Senate Bill 76 is not specifically related to reckless driving, but the crimes of carjacking and reckless driving are often seen together, with stolen cars being used for reckless joyriding.
The two bills are the second and third signed by Gov. Evers into law since his second term began. The first was another reckless driving bill, 2023 Wisconsin Act 1, which was signed in April.
That legislation allows counties and municipalities to enact ordinances allowing law enforcement to impound a vehicle if its owner is cited for reckless driving, has a prior conviction for reckless driving, or has not paid the imposed forfeiture for that offense.
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