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Judiciary & Legislation Committee updates legislative package; backs sprinkler retrofit lobbying, crypto education and other items
Summary
The Judiciary & Legislation Committee approved multiple legislative actions, including lobbying for a sprinkler retrofit grant program for older multifamily buildings and supporting a cryptocurrency-education measure.
The Milwaukee Common Council Judiciary & Legislation Committee moved several legislative items and updates during its meeting, instructing staff to pursue state and federal advocacy on a range of topics.
Sprinkler retrofit grant program: Committee members reconsidered and adopted a substitute resolution asking the city’s intergovernmental relations and legislative affairs staff to lobby the state and federal government to explore a grant program to incentivize owners of older multifamily properties to retrofit fire-suppression systems. Proponents said a federal or state subsidy could help owners install sprinklers in buildings constructed before modern requirements, noting recent deadly fires and local concerns about occupant safety. Committee members discussed building outreach to other Wisconsin municipalities and the Wisconsin League of Municipalities to broaden support before pursuing the policy in Madison.
Cryptocurrency education: The committee also approved a substitute resolution expressing city support for the Wisconsin Innovation Network (WIN) bill, which would have the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions establish a cryptocurrency education and outreach function to enhance consumer protections and public understanding.
Legislative updates: Staff presented a slate of bills the city intends to register on or monitor, including proposals tied to an LGBTQ rights package (marriage-equality technical fixes, conversion-therapy prohibitions, recognition of Pride month, school-counselor training grants and related criminal-justice changes), and a “safe summer” set of bills addressing gun-violence interventions (expanded background checks, waiting-period proposals, extreme risk/protective orders, ghost-gun bans). Intergovernmental relations staff said they would coordinate with other municipalities and stakeholders and track the state budget window for opportunities to advance the sprinkler incentive proposal.
988 transfers and 911-dispatch immunity: The committee heard a recommendation to support legislation that would provide legal immunity to 911 call centers and dispatchers who transfer crisis calls to the national 988 lifeline; emergency-communications leadership told the committee that such protection would help their PSAP implement transfers to the 988 suicide-and-crisis lifeline without exposing dispatchers to litigation risk.
Honorary resolution: The committee also signaled support for a state resolution honoring the late Anna Mae Robinson for her civic contributions.
All adopted recommendations and adopted legislative registrations will be forwarded to the full Common Council for any final positions or approvals on June 24, 2025.
