WJI's Daily Reads for Feb. 3, 2022

Associated Press: Voces de la Frontera allowed to join lawsuit challenging subpoenas.

Dane County Circuit Judge Rhonda Lanford on Wednesday granted the Voces de la Frontera request, saying the issues at play were sufficiently similar and that the group’s interests were distinct enough to warrant it.

“It makes no sense to this court to expend more judicial resources and more taxpayer dollars to challenge these subpoenas in a separate lawsuit given all of their similarities,” Lanford ruled.

Westport News (AP report): Republicans propose another state constitutional amendment, this time on grants to fund elections.

Wisconsin Republicans on Wednesday proposed making it unconstitutional to accept private grant money to help administer elections, the latest front in the ongoing battle over how to run elections in the presidential battleground state. . . . 

The amendment addresses a Republican complaint about grant money that came to Wisconsin in 2020 from the Center for Tech and Civic Life, which is funded by Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan. The state's five largest cities received $8.8 million but more than 200 communities in Wisconsin received funding as part of $350 million given out nationally.

Colorado Politics: Proposed Colorado bill to automatically seal records of nonviolent offenses.

Senate Bill 22-099 would implement an automatic sealing process for non-violent criminal records, including civil infractions, by expanding an existing automatic sealing process exclusive to certain drug offenses. The legislation would apply to those who are eligible to request record sealing under the current system, meaning they have finished their sentence, completed a required waiting period and have not committed another criminal offense.

Truthout: The impact of COVID in youth facilities.

The Omicron variant brought a predictable spike in COVID cases inside prisons for children and teens. In response to to these spikes, juvenile facilities have limited educational and recreational activities, and suspended in-person visitation, further isolating incarcerated youth and increasing costs for anxious parents who are desperately trying to look out for their children.

NPR: Mississippi legalizes medical marijuana.