Rep. Ryan Clancy and the Assembly’s Corrections Committee Hear Bills Improving Conditions in Wisconsin’s Jails and Prisons

Madison, WI – Today, Rep. Ryan Clancy (D-19) and his fellow members of the Assembly Committee on Corrections considered two bills developed by his office in close consultation with people who are incarcerated, people who are formerly incarcerated, their loved ones, and advocacy organizations dedicated to improving conditions in Wisconsin’s jails and prisons. Rep. Clancy joined these allies to release AB 736 and AB 741 as part of a seventeen bill package called Conditions of Confinement.

The bills that received a public hearing today are:

• AB 736 requires DOC and county sheriffs to provide nontoxic menstrual products free of charge
• AB 741 caps the prices of most personal hygiene products, requires access to culturally-sensitive hygiene products, and provides a $25/mo stipend to people who are incarcerated to afford the products they need.

Rep. Ryan Clancy released the following statement:

“Wisconsin’s jails and prisons are in shameful, overcrowded condition. We are locking up too many people, for too many crimes, for far too long. But until we end mass incarceration for good, we can and must improve those conditions and restore dignity to people in the Department of Corrections’ and counties’ care. Today, by hearing AB 736 and AB 741 in the Assembly’s Committee on Corrections, we finally moved in the right direction.

“People who are incarcerated, people who are formerly incarcerated, and their loved ones, know best how to improve those conditions. I’m very proud to work with them to develop policies making those improvements possible, alongside powerful advocacy organizations that have the needed expertise such as WISDOM Wisconsin, the ACLU of Wisconsin, Ex-incarcerated People Organizing (EXPO), Milwaukee Turners, Dream.org, the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and many more organizations and individuals doing this hard work on the ground. Their incredible organizing efforts led to a packed hearing room, with every member of the public testifying in favor of this legislation.

“Last October, we released our updated seventeen bill Conditions of Confinement with little hope of getting those bills heard in the Republican-led Committee on Corrections. But happily, Corrections Chair Rep. Dean Kaufert gave two of those bills the fair hearing and consideration they deserve earlier today. AB 741 caps the prices of most personal hygiene products, including culturally sensitive products, while providing twenty-five dollars a month to purchase those items. AB 736 requires DOC and county facilities to provide quality, nontoxic menstrual products to the people in their care.

“We know this policy works because we’ve already made it a mandatory policy in Milwaukee County. When I was on the County Board in 2021, our allies’ organizing efforts and public pressure led to a cap on commissary prices for food and hygiene products in Milwaukee County jails. That cap took effect with a new vendor contract in March 2024. We are already hearing positive feedback from people reaching out to our office from county facilities, as well as many other facilities in Wisconsin.

“We cannot make this a reality on our own, though. That’s why I’m deeply grateful for the policy expertise of Corrections Committee ranking member Rep. Sheila Stubbs, along with Rep. Robyn Vining, Senator LaTonya Johnson, and Rep. Darrin Madison all of whom gave powerful testimony or remarks today. I’m also grateful to Chair Kaufert and his Republican colleagues on the Corrections Committee for giving this legislation the consideration it deserves. I hope we can work together to move these bills forward and bring them to Governor Tony Evers’ desk as soon as possible.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.