MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Assembly has approved a proposal amending the state constitution to make it harder for violent criminal defendants to get out on bail. The chamber approved the amendment 70-21 on Tuesday. The proposal must pass two consecutive legislative sessions and a statewide referendum before it can be added to the constitution. Supporters hope to capitalize on anger over the killing of six people by a driver who plowed into a Christmas parade in Waukesha. The man charged in that case, Darrell Brooks Jr., had posted $1,000 bail on an earlier case two days before the parade. Republicans have been trying to pass the amendment since 2017. The parade incident has given the the proposal new momentum.
