State of Wisconsin
Department of Justice
November 15, 2005
The Honorable, The Legislature:
I am very pleased to present the 2003-2005 Biennial Report of the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ). Since January 2003 it has been my privilege to represent the people of Wisconsin as Attorney General. The Department of Justice is working successfully with local Wisconsin law enforcement to help make our communities safer, and protect the rights of all our citizens through our thorough enforcement of law.
As the state's legal representative, we work everyday to ensure that Wisconsin's laws are upheld on behalf of all our citizens, and violators are prosecuted. As law enforcement officers we provide support and training to Wisconsin's first responders against crime. We also investigate and solve crimes involving distribution of illegal drugs, the exploitation of children over the internet, and consumers scams. I am proud that in two short years we were able to not only initiate Wisconsin's Amber Alert Program, to reunite abducted children with their families, but make it one of the most state-of-the-art programs in the nation. We addressed legal fees issues in the caucus scandal, making sure guilty parties will not have their legal bills paid for at taxpayer expense. As an innovative outgrowth of this effort, and to address a real need, we created a new Public Integrity Unit at DOJ to assure the public rights to public rights to public records and open meetings, as well as address criminal allegations against public office holders.
We also set forth a new initiative to fight against elder financial abuse, one of the fastest growing crimes. A task force was assembled to seek better ways to prevent crimes in which the financial assets of elderly people are stolen from them, all too often from a supposedly trusted caregiver. We also opened a new Crime Lab in Madison, the first such expansion in a generation, to meet increasing demand for crime lab resources. Our analysts now have more room in a state-of-the-art facility, to help law enforcement throughout Wisconsin in solving crimes, exonerating innocent persons, and processing critical evidence for trial.
Fast ID-the latest in instant fingerprint identification-debuted in several Wisconsin communities in the past two years. Connecting local law enforcement to DOJ's vast fingerprint database has resulted in numerous success stories-and the instant apprehension of wanted offenders attempting to hide their true identities.
DOJ continues to take an aggressive stance on behalf of Wisconsin's environment. We stepped in to demand the Metropolitan Milwaukee Sewerage District work with the state Department of Natural Resources to prevent dumping waste into Lake Michigan and other waters. We sued the federal government over its plans to roll back air quality standards.
We also enforced Wisconsin's popular No-Call law, went to court on behalf of workers' right to be paid when plants close down, filed an historic lawsuit to require truth in pricing information for the costs of prescription drugs and called for contraceptive equity in health plans to name just some of the Department's many accomplishments.
I look forward to working with you, with our partners in local law enforcement, and with the dedicated professionals who are helping every day to make Wisconsin stronger, safer and more secure.
Sincerely,
PEGGY A. LAUTENSCHLAGER
Attorney General
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referrals and receipt of committee reports concerning proposed administrative rules
The committee on Job Creation, Economic Development and Consumer Affairs reports and recommends:
Relating to cleaning methods for historic buildings.
No action taken.
Ted Kanavas
Chairperson
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AMENDMENTS OFFERED
Senate amendment 1 to Senate Bill 152 offered by Senator Darling.
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Chief Clerk's Report
The Chief Clerk records:
Senate Joint Resolution 48
Deposited in the office of the Secretary of State on November 23, 2005.
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