MADISON — Gov. Scott Walker on Thursday, March 24th signed into law a bill aimed at ensuring sexual assault victims and people who report sexual assaults can't be cited or disciplined for underage drinking.
Rep. Joan Ballweg, a Markesan Republican, introduced the bill in January in hopes the change would encourage more reporting of sexual assaults. According to a 2014 U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics report, about 80 percent of student rapes and sexual assaults go unreported.
Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel says Wisconsin colleges and police typically don't discipline or cite people for underage drinking if they're sexual assault victims or reported the crime. The bill's supporters say the measure will solidify that practice in statute.
Walker signed the bill late Thursday afternoon on the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point campus.
Schimel released the following statement on this bill signing: