May 31st 2024.
The state of Wisconsin is currently facing a heated debate between Republican state senators and the Department of Justice. This disagreement revolves around a proposed legislation that aims to address the pressing issue of missing and murdered Black women in the state. Spearheaded by Representative Shelia Stubbs from Madison, the bill received rare bipartisan support in February and even passed through the Senate Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families with a unanimous vote. However, its progress was halted when it failed to be brought to the Senate floor for a vote, causing frustration among Democrats who tried to push it forward during a recent session.
The Republicans who impeded the bill's progress have now turned to Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, urging him to create a task force on his own. Senator Duey Stroebel, who chairs the Senate Committee on Government Operations, wrote a letter to Kaul citing his previous establishment of a task force focused on missing and murdered Indigenous women. Stroebel stated that he believed the creation of a DOJ task force did not require legislation, referring to Kaul's unilateral establishment of a similar task force in 2020. However, Kaul believes that this is just a tactic to shift the blame from the Republicans for their failure to take action on the bill.
Kaul, being the state's top law enforcement official, highlighted the differences between the two proposed task forces. He pointed out that the task force for Indigenous women was funded by the federal Violence Against Women Act, which is currently unavailable, making it difficult to establish a similar task force for Black women. Kaul also emphasized the involvement of tribal governments and the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the Indigenous women's task force, which would require different processes for gathering and storing information.
Initially, Senator Stroebel had blocked a hearing for the bill, arguing that all missing and murdered individuals should receive equal attention regardless of race or gender. However, Kaul and others argue that Black women are disproportionately affected by this issue and require specific measures to address it. The conversation about the task force continues between Kaul, Stubbs, and other legislators.
One of the main concerns raised by Stroebel is the cost of the task force, estimated to be $380,000 for one year of operation. However, Kaul believes that the cost is a small price to pay for addressing such a critical issue. Ultimately, the decision to create the task force lies in the hands of the Department of Justice, and the conversation about it is ongoing.
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