Wisconsin Legislators Seek to Criminalize Climate, Environmental Protests with Latest Bill


Wisconsin Legislators Seek to Criminalize Climate, Environmental Protests with Latest Bill


Lawmakers in Wisconsin introduced a bill on September 5 designed to chill protests around oil and gas pipelines and other energy infrastructure in the state by imposing harsh criminal penalties for trespassing on or damaging the property of a broad range of "energy providers."

Senate Bill 386 echoes similar "critical infrastructure protection" model bills pushed out by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the Council of State Governments over the last two years to prevent future protests like the one against the Dakota Access Pipeline.

The bill would expand a current law passed in 2015 that made it a felony to trespass on or damage property owned, operated, or leased by an electrical or gas company. Under the new bill, water, oil, petroleum, and renewable fuel companies` properties will be covered. Indeed, SB 386 goes even further than ALEC`s bill by including all property held by the oil and gas industry in the state instead of a finite list of "critical infrastructure."...

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Ken Notes: What! I am not a fan of damaging property, but there are already laws for that, I understand the need for limiting trespass but there are already laws for that, I understand the need for safety but there are already laws for that. This is pandering to lobbyists of the worst kind! This is special interests protecting themselves from photo ops not damage. And most importantly this is designed to prevent people from free speech because of penalties tied to the edges of that speech.

What if we were to pass a law preventing the use of eminent domain to build a power line or pipe line. What if there were a law that mandated reverse metering without restrictions. What if the law said no utilities on public lands or lands held by tribes.

Why should we stop at utilities, why not the exact same protections for pharmaceutical manufacturers, or gasoline auto manufacturers, and of course there are a lot of protests at the Capitol -- lets ban those.

I have often written about the fact that I believe problems should be settled at the table not on the streets and I still believe that. But removing the streets from the equation makes it impossible to get to the table in the first place. If this passes it should be vetoed, and we need to remember who demanded this in the first place. I hope at least one power company, utility, pipeline, or transmission company comes out and suggests this law goes too far. You`ll be my hero!

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- - Volume: 7 - WEEK: 39 Date: 9/23/2019 8:57:51 AM -