MADISON – Democratic lawmakers are hoping to enshrine a right to clean water, air and soil in the Wisconsin Constitution. A group of lawmakers announced their plan April 16 to release legislation that would guarantee environmental protections for future generations in the state constitution, known as the "Green Amendment." Here's what you should know.
What exactly is a 'green amendment'? According to the lawmakers who introduced the amendment, its language is short and sweet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In part, the proposed amendment will say: "The people, including future generations, have the right to a clean, safe and healthy natural environment, including clean water, clean air, healthy soils, self-sustaining ecosystems in a safe and stable climate and to the preservation of our natural, cultural and helpful qualities of our environment.
These rights shall never be infringed. And shall be subject to strict scrutiny review in court, shall be protected equitably for all communities in the state, and this constitutional amendment is self-executing." Who introduced the legislation and what they said The proposed legislation is being championed by a group of Democratic lawmakers: Rep. Darrin Madison of Milwaukee, Sen. Mark Spreitzer of Beloit and Sen. Jodi Habush Sinykin of Whitefish Bay.
Tony Wilkin Gibart, the executive director of the advocacy group Midwest Environmental Advocates, also spoke at the presentation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: New in the Legislature: Democrats' bill seeks to commit Wisconsin to clean emissions goal Habush Sinykin, who served as an environmental lawyer before winning a spot in the Legislature last year, said putting forth legislation like the amendment is why she ran. "In these times of increasing uncertainty, accelerating climate change and mass extinctions, it is incumbent upon us as a state and a citizenry to be proactive and do all that we can to take care of our environment with the best available science and science-based approaches at our disposal," she said.
What comes next? The amendment will be circulated for co-sponsorship among lawmakers in the coming weeks. After that, it would have to go before Senate and Assembly committees for a vote.
Then the amendment could be taken up on the floor of the Assembly and Senate and either approved or denied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If it's approved, it would have to then receive a yes vote from the next Legislature, and then go to a statewide vote for final approval from residents of Wisconsin. What are the chances of the amendment passing?
Likely very slim. So far, no Republicans have yet signed on. Support from conservative members of the Legislature is crucial because Republicans hold the majority in both the Assembly and Senate.
Without their support the amendment won't come to a vote. Are other states considering a similar amendment to their constitutions? Yes, similar constitutional language is being considered in other states, including Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, New Mexico, Kentucky, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia, according to the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators.
Michigan has also recently introduced similar legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Laura Schulte can be reached at leschulte@jrn.com and on X @SchulteLaura. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Democrats introduce a 'Green Amendment' to the Wisconsin constitution
