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Madison Transportation Commission backs ordinance raising penalty for disorderly conduct directed at transit operators
Summary
The commission voted to recommend a change to city code that increases the municipal citation bond amount for disorderly conduct directed at city transit operators; proponents said the measure gives Metro drivers quicker municipal‑court remedies while criminal charges remain available for serious assaults.
The Madison Transportation Commission voted April 23 to recommend that the Common Council amend city code to increase the municipal bond amount for disorderly conduct directed at city transit operators.
City Attorney Mike Haas explained the change is modeled on a 2022 ordinance that elevated penalties for disorderly conduct directed at election officials. The ordinance does not change the definition of disorderly conduct; it increases the bond amount used on municipal citations for incidents aimed at drivers while leaving the existing range of forfeitures unchanged. Haas said the higher bond amount would be $500 (resulting in a larger total penalty when court fees are included) and that more serious physical assaults can still be charged as misdemeanors or felonies by prosecutors.
Brian Mulroney, Metro chief of operations, described a recent increase in assaults and said drivers want faster, reliable avenues for municipal‑court penalties. Mulroney and Metro staff said the change is intended to give transit operators a prompt municipal-court remedy; it does not replace felony or misdemeanor charges where those are appropriate.
Alder Dina Nina Martinez Rutherford moved the commission to recommend approval; Bill Bremer seconded. The commission asked several policy questions about how officers and municipal court would apply the ordinance, equity concerns about higher fines, and available alternatives such as diversion or reduced forfeitures. Mike Haas and Metro staff said police and prosecutors retain discretion: officers are not required to use the enhanced bond amount in all cases, diversion and hold‑open options exist in Municipal Court, and the city also plans interagency incident review and non‑enforcement responses where appropriate.
A roll‑call recommendation vote was recorded as nine yes, one no (Hailey Jamieson). The motion carried. Commissioners and staff said they will report back on the interagency reviews and any further operational proposals related to driver safety.
