Rep. Armstrong Votes To 'Fund the Police'

Press Release

MADISON, WI – The Wisconsin State Assembly took up a wide range of bills on June 22, from countering efforts to defund the police to ensuring truth in food labeling. The session calendar also included proposals to enhance election security and to improve the broadband expansion grant process.

“For over a year I’ve been hearing calls for defunding the police,” said State Rep. Dave Armstrong (R-Rice Lake). “While I recognize there is room for improvement in police practices and in how some officers interact with their communities, my colleagues and I have a responsibility to our constituents to ensure that they receive proper police protection. If a city chooses to reduce its funding for police services – or for fire or EMS services – I believe the state should cut that city’s shared revenue payment by the same amount. That is why I voted to concur in Senate Bill 119, to encourage local governments not to go down the ‘Defund the Police’ road.”

Representative Armstrong also supported several bills to protect election integrity: Senate Bills 203, 204, 205, 210, 212, and 292.

“This package is a commonsense response to concerns I’ve heard from constituents about the 2020 spring and fall elections,” Representative Armstrong explained. “SB 204, for example, addresses several concerns about the absentee ballot process. Among other things, it eliminates several loopholes involving indefinitely confined voters, such as the exemption from providing voter ID when they request absentee ballots. SB 204 also prohibits clerks from mailing ballot applications to people who haven’t requested them.”

The Assembly also approved – with Representative Armstrong’s support – a trio of bills (Assembly Bills 73, 74, and 75) that require truth in labeling for plant-based or cell-cultured foods, to eliminate consumer confusion about whether a given product includes real dairy or meat. The Assembly also passed Assembly Bill 371, which makes several changes to the Broadband Expansion Grant Program and encourages broader access to high-speed “100/20” service.