A group of state lawmakers want to keep businesses from breaking the law when employees set up office pools during March Madness.
Under current state law, people who participate in the annual college basketball ritual could actually face jail time or fines. State Senator Jeff Plale (D-South Milwaukee) is co-sponsoring a bill that would lift the criminal penalties against running a pool with a cash prize, something he says millions of Wisconsinites are probably doing right now.
Plale admits he'd be hard pressed to find a prosecutor who has actually gone after an office pool. Although, he says that's reason enough to do away with the obsolete laws against them.
The legislation would not de-criminalize all types of betting pools or lotteries. It would limit them to those with a buy-in of under $50, only office employees could participate, and all money paid in would have to be given out to participants.
Plale says it's all just innocent fun, and should not be considered an illegal activity.
AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (MP3 1:06)
