Wisconsin Senate approves youth-prison reporting bill (UPDATE)

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state Senate has passed a bill that would force guards at Wisconsin’s troubled Lincoln Hills youth prison to report child abuse.

The Senate approved the measure on a voice vote Tuesday. The sponsor of the bill, Democratic Sen. LaTonya Johnson, called the proposal a first step to mend what she calls a “broken juvenile justice system.” It’s the first action the Legislature has taken in response to reports of abuse at the state’s juvenile prisons.

The FBI is investigating allegations of widespread abuse of juveniles at the prison near Irma. Inmates have filed two federal lawsuits challenging conditions at the prison and demanding improvements.

The bill would make juvenile prison guards mandatory child-abuse reporters, a change that would protect them from being fired for reporting suspected instances of abuse.

Workers in nearly 30 professions are mandatory reporters under Wisconsin law.