Legislation altering the landlord-tenant dynamic in Wisconsin is headed to the governor’s desk. The Assembly concurred in the Senate-passed bill as the legislative session wound to an end Friday. Ashland Democrat, Representative Janet Bewley, said the measure goes too far. “It does remove very important protections for tenants, in ways that are really unnecessary,” she said. “I just hate to see us end the session in a way that continues to denigrate, once again, the rights of the many for the profits of the few,” said Representative Kelda Roys of Madison. “I hope people understand that we will be back, in the next session, coming to a reasonable accommodation for the rights of renters, not just landlords,” said Madison Democrat, Representative Brett Hulsey.
The bill, authored by DePere Republican, state Senator Frank Lasee, would prohibit local governments from enacting a moratorium on evictions, allow landlords to immediately dispose of the property of evicted tenants, and to continue evictions against tenants who’ve paid them past-due rents.