The Wisconsin Assembly has passed a controversial Republican bill, aimed at preventing another backlog of rape test kits. It adds language on immigration and private school vouchers to legislation that’s already passed the state State Senate. Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz (D-Ohskosh) lambasted the bill – and Republican leaders – on Tuesday.
“When you do the kinds of things that you’re doing, your goal is to muddy the waters, and to try to play political games in the final two weeks,” Hintz said. “How sick do you have to be to play political games when we’re talking about the testing of rape kits?”
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) argued that the additions improve the measure. “Let’s remember that Representative Hintz, his job is to be a bomb thrower, and to exagerate and create division where none should really exist,” Vos said. “We’re choosing to take the things that we put in, which I think are better.”
Vos added that Democrats are “objecting to the bill because of their own personal ideology.” The Assembly bill, just like the earlier Senate legislation, provides for procedures to test the kits. It now requires Senate approval. Hintz said he’d surprised, if the Senate takes it up.