From WisPolitics.com
: During its executive session late yesterday, the Joint Finance Committee voted 11-4 to approve a $10 million boost in general purpose revenue for the Department of Justice. That’s a fraction of the $92 million that Dem Gov. Tony Evers had proposed adding to the agency’s funding.
The funds the committee rejected included a call to put more state money into the Office of School Safety.
The office is currently supported by $1.8 million in COVID-19 funds that will end in December. That money supports 12.2 full-time equivalent positions with another 3.8 backed by general purpose revenue.
The committee’s action means the GPR-supported positions are the only ones that will remain with the office.
Attorney General Josh Kaul said the action would “gut” the office.
“Without prompt legislative action to remedy this issue, core services that office has provided — including the 24/7 tip line that has received thousands of contacts — will end,” Kaul said. “At a time when we have a historic budget surplus, dismantling the Office of School Safety and discontinuing services that keep our kids safe is simply inexplicable.”
The DOJ in September 2020 launched Speak Up, Speak Out, the 24/7 statewide confidential reporting system that is free to all state schools. According to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, it received 3,871 tips from 63 counties between May 2022 and May 2023. That most frequent reports were bullying and suicide threats.
GOP members of the Finance Committee didn’t address the office ahead of the vote on the DOJ motion.
