Assembly Democrats have decided to restore $5.4 million in budget cuts to the Department of Justice.

An amendment offered by 19 Democrats, including Speaker Mike Sheridan, JFC co-chair Mark Pocan, and JFC members Pedro Colon and Cory Mason, was passed by a show of hands in closed caucus.

Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen has pursued a media campaign against the proposed cuts to DOJ in the Joint Finance Committee version of the budget.

"We are committed to ensuring that our state's top law enforcement agency has the tools and resources it needs to keep our citizens safe, and we were pleased to work with Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen in a bipartisan way to make this budget even stronger for Wisconsin's public safety," Sheridan said in a statement.

See the press release here.

See the amendment here.

See Pocan's statement here.

See AG Van Hollen's statement here.

-- By Greg Bump