The Wisconsin State Senate last week passed three bills authored by Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) aimed at expanding transparency and efficiency in both government and public safety — including Senate Bill 194.
The bills were detailed in a May 20, 2025 article that appeared in the Northwoods River News in Rhinelander.
SB 194 will fix a Supreme Court decision that undermined the state’s Open Records laws. In 2022, Wanggaard said, the Wisconsin Supreme Court changed the open records law, and, since then, there has been an increase in people not complying with the law.
“Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski had to settle a court case for records,” Wanggaard said. “Superintendent Jill Underly withheld records for eight months and was threatened with a lawsuit before complying with a request. The Madison school district has been sued repeatedly for failing to respond to open records requests. Everyone, re- gardless of party, should agree that these actions were wrong.” His bill allows the awarding of attorneys’ fees and costs if the threat of a lawsuit was a significant factor in obtaining the records.
The Wisconsin Newspaper Association spoke in favor of Senate Bill 194 during testimony on Wednesday, April 30, before the State Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
Joining WNA attorney Max Lenz were co-sponsor Wanggaard, Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council President Bill Lueders and Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty Director of Policy Kyle Koenen.
In addition to Wanggaard, the bill is also co-sponsored by State Senators Feyen, Kapenga, Quinn, Roys, Spreitzer, Stafsholt, Nass and Tomczyk; and co-sponsored by Assembly Representatives Novak, Swearingen, Anderson, Armstrong, Behnke, Franklin, Goeben, Gundrum, Gustafson, Kitchens, Knodl, Murphy, Mursau, Nedweski, O’Connor, Rodriguez, Steffen, Tittl, Tranel, Tusler, Wichgers, Wittke and Allen.
The bill has also been publicly supported by a wide cross-section of groups including the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association, Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, Wisconsin Transparency Project, and Americans for Prosperity – WI .
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