A state amendment that would modify the recall process for elected officials passed the state Assembly Thursday.
Under current law, elected officials would have to be charged with a serious crime or be found to be in violation of the state code of ethics to start a recall process against them.
The recall process has been a larger issue recently in light of the attempted recall of Gov. Scott Walker in 2012. Recall petitions, like the one to recall Walker, would not be feasible under the proposed state constitutional amendment as Walker’ s decision to cut collective bargaining rights for public workers was not a crime.
State Rep. Janet Bewley, D-Ashland, argued against the resolution on the state Assembly floor, saying the amendment would take away constituents’ voices.
“Everybody … has the right not to participate in a recall,” Bewley said. “But what I don’t have the right to do is to tell my constituents that their voice doesn’t matter and I that won’t give them the right to sign the petition.”
On the other side of the aisle, state Rep. Jim Steineke, R- Kaukauna, author of the proposed legislation, argued the amendment tightens recall requirements and restores the original purpose of the recall amendment.
“With this constitutional amendment in place, there must be a minimum threshold in place of criminal or ethical misconduct before an elected official can be recalled,” Steineke said. “These provisions will prevent arbitrary recalls over disagreements on policy.”
The resolution is scheduled to now move to the state Senate. It will have to be approved by state Legislatures in two consecutive sessions, as well as in a statewide referendum before it can take effect.
