MADISON -- Lawmakers voted Wednesday to end a controversial early release program in Wisconsin state prisons. Call it ‘earned release’, or ‘early release’, the program enacted under the Doyle administration is going way.

Assembly Speaker Scott Suder said the program was putting ‘identity thieves and murderers and five time drunk drivers’ back on the street too soon.

But Representative Mark Pocan said most were in the last year of their term, many represent no threat at all, and the program saved money. The bill which earlier passed the Senate now heads to Governor Scott Walker.