Students across Wisconsin voted to support a statewide campaign to institute a policy that protects students from punishment for underage drinking when calling police to help in an emergency, according to Associated Students of Madison Legislative Affairs Vice Chair Morgan Rae.
In a Legislative Affairs meeting Monday, Rae said the United Council of University of Wisconsin students adopted a form of the ASM Responsible Action campaign at its conference this weekend. Students from schools including UW-Platteville, UW-Eau Claire and UW-La Crosse now plan to write letters to their state representatives in support of the policy.
According to Rae, the policy will be introduced to the state Legislature in January.
Legislative Affairs Vice Chair Rachel Lepak said the committee is also moving forward with its 18+ Campaign, which aims to increase campus entertainment options for students between the ages of 18 and 20.
According to Lepak, the next step is to continue lobbying new local businesses to consider 18-20 year olds as a possible new source of customers, rather than focusing on 21-plus entertainment, as well as to continue engagement with city officials and police.
The committee also discussed ongoing efforts to lobby Gov. Scott Walker and state legislators to support increasing funding for Wisconsin’s universities in the state biennial budget, which will pass this spring.
Legislative Affairs Chair Dan Statter said committee members are hoping to contact Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills; Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison; and Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, in addition to meeting with Walker’s staff.
The committee is also working on writing letters to various legislators, according to Statter.
