Stiffer penalties for catalytic converters thefts; election bills signed into law

 

MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Governor Tony Evers signed a series of bills into law, including proposals that aim to crack down on catalytic converter thefts and prevent last-minute closures of polling places.

One would make it easier to charge people who steal catalytic converters, as they've become a hot item to take and then sell. The proposal, that passed the GOP-controlled Legislature with bipartisan support, would require people to show proof they own a catalytic converter before selling it to a car dealer.

It also adds converters to the list of major vehicle parts in state statute, along with things like engines and transmissions.

Another bill signed by Evers prohibits municipalities from closing half of their polling locations. The measure was introduced after voters experienced long lines and hours-long waits in some of the state's largest cities during the April 2020 election. In the midst of the pandemic, the city of Milwaukee had just five in-person voting sites.

The governor also signed a bill that requires campaigns to disclose if artificial intelligence, AI, is used in political advertisement.

Evers also vetoed a series of GOP election bills. One would have required a post-election audit, and another would have allowed election observers to stand three feet from those working the polls.

He also rejected proposals related to absentee ballots. One would have required residents in nursing homes to contact a family member if they intent to vote absentee. Another sought to prohibit clerks from curing ballots to fill in missing information on an absentee ballot envelope.

Republican lawmakers have criticized voting in nursing homes after the 2020 election, when guidelines during COVID prevented election workers from entering facilities to assist voters in casting a ballot.