News

The Assembly Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Assembly Bill 786 – Creating a Guardian Training Requirement. This bill would create a modest requirement that volunteer and noncorporate guardians receive basic training in the areas in which they will be expected to exercise decision-making prior to accepting appointment. As the Protection and Advocacy agency for people with disabilities, we are frequently contacted about conflicts between wards and guardians. Based on that experience, there is a…

Madison, Wis. – Attorney Susan R. Tyndall of Habush Habush & Rottier S.C. is acting as counsel, filing a “friend of the court” brief in the Wisconsin Supreme Court, for several organizations championing the rights of citizens with handicaps,  Amicus Curiae Disability Rights Wisconsin, National Disability Rights Network and National Association of the Deaf, in a case considering individuals’ rights to an interpreter in court and to a meaningful appeal.  Read the rest of this…

Disability Rights Wisconsin Applauds Senate for Approving the Common Sense Changes to the Seclusion and Restraint Law Disability Rights Wisconsin thanks the Senate for passing the common-sense changes to the seclusion and restraint law in SB 527. We especially thank Senator Olsen for his leadership in authoring the changes to this law, and all the time and effort over the last five years from his office. In February 2016, Wisconsin Family Ties (WFT), Disability Rights…

Please Save the Date for Disability Advocacy Day! Tuesday, March 24, 2020 Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, One John Nolen Drive,  Madison, WI Sponsored by Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations Here is the flyer for this event (accessible pdf). Disability Advocacy Day is designed to connect you with your legislators so you can talk about issues that matter to you. You are the expert in sharing how legislative policies affect people with disabilities…

A fair and accurate decennial census is crucial for people with disabilities—and, indeed, for every person in the United States. Your responses to the 2020 Census will help determine how many seats in Congress each U.S. state will receive, influence where the boundaries of legislative, school, and voting districts are drawn, and guide the allocation of $1.5 trillion federal funds. How can you be prepared? You can support a fair and accurate 2020 Census by…

According to an article posted by the Racine Journal Times a recent report of the Racine Unified’s special education program “there has to be meaningful shifts in beliefs, attitudes, and practice.  The report was the result of a review of Racine Unified’s special education program by an outside agency ordered by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction in February.  The review was ordered following a complaint filed by Disability Rights Wisconsin in December 2018 on…

PAIMI is DRW’s Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness program.    DRW’s PAIMI Advisory Council (PAC) works to protect the rights of children and adults with serious mental health conditions, and to advise the DRW staff and Board on priorities for our advocacy work. Council members are appointed for a two years term.  They are asked to attend PAC meetings (at least three times a year) and to assist with outreach to educate…

The Wisconsin Assembly Committee on Mental Health considered and approved Assembly Bill 633 – Transport for Emergency Detention. The bill would clarify that law enforcement agencies can contract with third parties to transport those in mental health crisis for emergency detention. The committee supported an amendment that requires the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to establish criteria for transport companies that aren’t law enforcement agencies or ambulance services to be certified to receive Medicaid…

Bars and restaurants cannot automatically distribute single-use plastic straws, beginning April 14, 2020, under a new rule in the city of Milwaukee. Milwaukee’s Common Council approved the measure by a vote of 14 to 1 on Nov. 26. They can also provide straws upon customer request. The latter provision accommodates a suggestion by Bill Crowley, an attorney for Disability Rights Wisconsin.  Here is an article about the new rule.