Senate puts off vote on conviction compensation

By: Associated Press//February 16, 2016//

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The future of a bill that would dramatically boost compensation for the wrongly convicted is now uncertain, with the Wisconsin Senate putting off a vote Tuesday.

The bipartisan bill would provide the wrongly convicted up to $50,000 per year spent behind bars, plus transitional services and access to state health insurance.

It already passed the Assembly but has drawn flak from open records advocates about a provision to seal court records related to the conviction. They say that would hinder efforts to examine where the case went wrong.

The Senate was set to vote on the measure Tuesday but instead returned it to the Joint Finance Committee. Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald’s office said it was removed due to some concerns but may still be considered in March.

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