Fraud Prevention Bill Passes Assembly

Assembly Bill 912, a WISPIRG-backed bill to give consumers the ability to freeze their credit reports, passed the Legislature and was signed by Gov. Doyle on March 16 at a ceremony in New Berlin.

The bill, authored by Rep. Fitzgerald (Beaver Dam), allows any consumer to limit access to their credit report. By restricting access to their credit report, consumers lock identity thieves out by only allowing the creditors they have chosen to access the report. Consumers who participate will be issued a PIN number that they could use to freeze and unfreeze their credit report.

WISPIRG worked with AARP to pass the law.

The average victim of identity theft spends over 175 hours and over $800 clearing his or her name. The average fraud victim loses over $1,100.  

Save Our Lakes

More than 50 local and statewide environmental groups, lake associations and small business owners have signed on to WISPIRG’s campaign to update rules that would protect our state’s lakes and waterways from overdevelopment.

Eighty percent of Wisconsin’s lakes contain dangerous levels of phosphorous. Phosphorous causes lakes to become choked with aquatic weeds and algae, is commonly added to water as a result of nearby development. Wisconsin’s rate of development is extremely high—enough to cover all privately owned lakeshore property with buildings.

Last summer the DNR held a public comment period to get feedback from citizens about whether to go forward with strengthening the protections our lakes. WISPIRG members, along with the general public, testified in favor of the new rules at hearings around the state and in written testimony. Ultimately, the DNR received over 12,000 comments and the vast majority of these were in favor of the stronger rules.

Despite broad public support for solutions, the DNR has yet to issue a final lakeshore zoning rule, NR115. WISPIRG organizers are working with thousands of activists across the state to call on Gov. Doyle to order the DNR to go forward with new rules for protecting our lakes.

FDA Lets Drug Makers Off The Hook

The Federal Drug Administration’s new drug-labeling rules would give drug makers protection from lawsuits filed in state court.

As more unsafe drugs like Vioxx find their way to the pharmacist’s shelves, the FDA’s rule would shield drug makers from responsibility, even if the company sells a drug after safety trials expose dangerous side effects. Vioxx manufacturer Merck was responsible for as many as 40,000 cases of heart disease just five years after Vioxx hit the market.

The state PIRGs are working to stop the FDA’s rule and others that override strong state laws.

Coalition Presents Lobbying Reform Plan

With Congress under the gun to strengthen the rules governing lobbying in the wake of the JackAbramoff scandal, a coalition including the state PIRGs has laid out a roadmap on how to do it. Congress has been slow to make real change, according to a coalition of organizations advocating lobbying reform.

The coalition, which includes U.S. PIRG, the national lobbying office of the state PIRGs, called on Congress to cap contributions to candidates from lobbyists, prohibit private interests from financing trips, ban gifts to members of Congress, enforce ethics rules through an independent office, increase penalties for violations, slow the revolving door and strengthen financial disclosure reporting.

“With Congressional elections around the corner, senators and representatives are eager to take some action, but it ought to be strong reform that fixes the problem, not the symptoms,” said Gary Kalman, the PIRGs federal democracy advocate.