Wisconsin Legislature changing internal complaint process

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The office that investigates sexual harassment complaints against Wisconsin lawmakers would report its findings directly to legislative leaders, not to nonpartisan clerks of the state Senate and Assembly, under a move that a bipartisan legislative committee was asked to approve Tuesday.

The change, worked on behind the scenes by lawmakers before the ballot was made public Tuesday, comes in the wake of two lawmakers being accused of sexual harassment since 2017. It was not immediately clear why the change was being made, and the legislative leaders who were pushing it did not immediately reply to messages seeking details.

The newly reformulated Legislative Human Resources Office would still be charged with investigating complaints related to harassment, discrimination, violence, retaliation and bullying. The findings of its investigations would be presented to “the appropriate legislative leader or supervisor,” according to the ballot sent to the Joint Committee on Legislative Organization for approval.

The director of the office would report directly to the legislative committee, rather to either Senate Clerk Jeff Renk or Assembly Clerk Patrick Fuller. They are employed by the Legislature and have worked under both Republican and Democratic control.

The Joint Committee on Legislative Organization is comprised of six Republicans and four Democrats. It is co-chaired by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate President Roger Roth, both Republicans. Neither of them immediately replied to messages seeking comment on the change.

Democratic leaders on the committee, Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling and Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz, also did not immediately return messages.

The ballot to approve the changes says that the human...