Wisconsin Legislative Council
AMENDMENT MEMO
One Ea st Ma in Stre e t, Suite 401 • Ma dison, W I 53703 • (608) 266-1304 • le g.council@le gis.wisconsin.gov • http://www.le gis.wisconsin.gov/lc
Memo published: November 9, 2023 Contact: Ethan Lauer, Senior Staff Attorney
2023 Assembly Bill 219
Assembly
Amendment 1
BACKGROUND
Under current law, the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) is required to administer and oversee the
operation of current and future statewide public safety interoperable communication systems. These
systems allow emergency responders from public safety agencies to communicate across jurisdictions.
The current system, WISCOM, is in the process of being replaced with a system that will have fewer
limitations. Local public safety agencies will have to upgrade their current systems to use the new
statewide system for daily use and dispatch.
2023 ASSEMBLY BILL 219
2023 Assembly Bill 219 creates a grant program for public safety interoperable communication system
upgrades to be administered by the DMA. The department must establish guidelines for the grant
program, including eligibility criteria consistent with statutory requirements. For the first four years of
the program, DMA must award 70 percent of the grants to daily users of the statewide public safety
interoperable communication system.
ASSEMBLY AMENDMENT 1
Assembly Amendment 1 clarifies the required eligibility criteria for grants awarded under the program.
Specifically, for a local unit of government that is not currently a daily user but would like to be
considered one for purposes of the grant program, the amendment requires that the local unit of
government indicate in writing its intention to join the new statewide public safety interoperable
communication system when that system becomes available. The bill requires all types of local units of
government, including current daily users, to indicate their intention to join the new system. Also, the
amendment specifies the type of radio eligible to be purchased with grant funding.
The amendment also specifies that, for the first four years of the program, 30 percent of the grants must
be awarded to agencies or entities that are not daily users.
BILL HISTORY
Representative Kurtz offered Assembly Amendment 1 on May 5, 2023. On November 8, 2023, the
Assembly Committee on State Affairs recommended adoption of Assembly Amendment 1 and passage
of the bill, as amended, on votes of Ayes, 12; Noes, 0.
For a full history of the bill, visit the Legislature’s bill history page.
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