By Shawn Henry 
A bipartisan effort to strengthen penalties for reckless driving in Wisconsin has cleared its final legislative hurdle and now awaits Gov. Tony Evers’ signature.
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The bill, co-authored by Republican lawmakers Rep. Bob Donovan of Greenfield and Sen. Van Wanggaard of Racine, expands on a 2023 law allowing police to tow and impound vehicles involved in reckless driving. Under the current statute, officers can only impound cars owned by the driver cited for the offense, limiting its use in cases involving borrowed or stolen vehicles.
The new measure broadens that authority. If enacted, it would allow police to impound any vehicle operated recklessly, regardless of ownership, with the costs of towing and outstanding fines required to be paid before release. Police must still make a reasonable effort to determine whether a vehicle was stolen and contact the rightful owner. Those whose vehicles were stolen would not face impound fees.
The legislation passed the Assembly earlier this year and the Senate in mid-October after months of delay. Lawmakers added an amendment clarifying that officers have discretion in deciding when to impound a vehicle, addressing concerns raised by some Democrats about unintentional misuse, such as parents lending a car to a reckless driver. Evers’ office has indicated he plans to sign the measure following that revision.
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Support for the bill extends across party lines and includes Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, the Common Council, and several law enforcement associations. City leaders view the legislation as an important deterrent in a community struggling with persistent reckless driving and hit-and-run crashes.
Even after Evers signs it, municipalities such as Milwaukee will need to adopt local ordinances before police can enforce the expanded impound authority statewide.
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Eve