Madison Reporter

State Senator Julian Bradley and State Representative Chuck Wichgers have introduced new legislation aimed at establishing minimum bail amounts for individuals previously convicted of felonies or violent misdemeanors. This legislative effort follows the release of Darrell Brooks Jr. on low bail by Milwaukee District Attorney John Chisholm's office, which resulted in a tragic incident in Waukesha where six people were killed and many others injured.

Senator Bradley emphasized the importance of community safety in determining bail conditions, stating, "Community safety has to be a factor as our state considers the flight risk of criminals." He criticized current practices, saying, "Wisconsin lives are in danger because of the low bail that soft-on-crime judges and DAs are currently setting."

The proposed legislation consists of three bills:

The first bill, co-authored by Senator Steve Nass, seeks to impose a minimum bond requirement of $10,000 for defendants with prior felony or violent misdemeanor convictions. The bill aims to address what it describes as lax bond policies.

The second bill prohibits courts from setting unsecured bonds or releasing without bail individuals previously convicted of bail jumping. Under this proposal, such defendants would need to execute a secured bond or deposit cash amounting to at least $5,000 for release.

The third bill focuses on increasing transparency within the pretrial release process. Co-authored by Senators Eric Wimberger and Nass, it mandates that the Department of Justice publish a report detailing each crime charged along with information about release conditions, presiding judges, and prosecuting attorneys involved.