GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A pair of Green Bay area lawmakers want to tighten the rules for recording audio in government buildings.
This after microphones were installed at Green Bay City Hall, raising privacy concerns.
State Rep. David Steffen, R-4th District, and State Sen. Eric Wimberger, R- 30th District, want to set up more controls over microphones.
The Republicans say they want to: “Ensure that not another single community in the state of Wisconsin will ever go down this path again,” says Steffen.
The proposed bill would set requirements for local and state governments to record audio in government buildings, excluding police departments.
Under the bill:
- Devices must get approval from two-thirds of the governing body.
- Authorization must be renewed every year.
- Signs must be posted.
- And recordings must be deleted after 240 days.
The bill however does not address video recording.
Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich, a former Democratic lawmaker, called the bill “political gamesmanship.”
In a statement, Genrich said:
“This is yet another example of MAGA Republicans weaponizing government and politicizing public security for their own partisan purposes. We’ll continue to ignore political gamesmanship and instead focus on the safety needs of the community and our employees as we work with the Common Council to upgrade security systems and protocols within city facilities.”
City Council Member Randy Scannell, says he agrees that this bill has political motives, coming less than three weeks before the mayoral election.
“If you look at it as this is a safety concern, how should this be handled, okay then lets have that discussion, but to just open up this can of worms to play politics,” says Scannell.
However, Steffen says the proposal is not politically motivated.
“The discovery was a month and a half ago…in the modern days is there any point when we’re not in an election season,” says Steffen.
Scannell wished Steffen would have gotten feedback from other municipalities before bringing it to the state level.
Steffen is hoping for bipartisan support on the bill.
State Rep. Kristina Shelton, D-90th District, accused Steffen and Wimberger of “weaponizing” privacy concerns so close to an election.
Shelton said in a statement:
“Every Green Bay resident cares deeply about free speech and personal privacy. It’s our role as elected leaders to ensure we uphold individual rights under the law and protect public employees from potential harm. Unfortunately, some in our community, including Rep. Steffen and Sen. Wimberger, are weaponizing these concerns in an attempt to sway a municipal election. Instead of divisive fearmongering, elected officials should work together to ensure public safety, freedom of speech, and trust in government. I am committed to advancing measures that prioritize public safety, including potential legislation, should my colleagues come to the table in good faith.”
Right now, the bill is being circulated for support.
It has not been introduced yet.
