Assembly Bill 543 and Senate Bill 413, authored by Rep. John Jagler (R-Watertown) and Sen. Leah Vukmir (R-Brookfield), would prevent the legislature from holding a hearing on or taking a vote on legislation that creates new health care insurance mandates until after it has received a report from the Commissioner of Insurance. Under current law, […]
Social and Financial Impact for Health Care Mandates Legislation Passes Assembly
Date Thu, Feb. 18, 2016 - 7:47pm By Hamilton
Room Tax Technical Clarification Bill Advances
Date Thu, Feb. 18, 2016 - 7:39pm By Hamilton
Assembly Bill 714/Senate Bill 578 authored by Rep. Mike Rohrkaste (R-Neenah) and Sen. Roger Roth (R-Appleton) clarifies the definition of tourism entities that collect room tax. The legislation adjusts the creation date of an existing tourism entity to help those created after 1992 but before January 1, 2016. It changes a provision that requires all […]
Prohibition of Regulating Auxiliary Containers Passes Assembly
Date Thu, Feb. 18, 2016 - 7:35pm By Hamilton
Legislation that would prohibit a city, village, town, or county from regulating auxiliary containers (a bag, cup, bottle, etc.) made of cloth, paper, plastic cardboard, corrugated material, aluminum, glass, postconsumer recycled material, or similar substances, has passed the Assembly. In effect, this legislation would prohibit political subdivisions from regulating auxiliary containers, but would not prohibit […]
Nuclear Moratorium Bill Heads to Governor
Date Thu, Feb. 18, 2016 - 7:30pm By Hamilton
Assembly Bill 384, introduced by Rep. Ken Petersen (R-Waupaca) and Senate Bill 288, introduced by Sen. Frank Lasee (R-De Pere) would end the moratorium on nuclear power plants in the state of Wisconsin. The moratorium, 1983 Wisconsin Act 401, was put in place following the Three Mile Island plant accident in 1979. The Assembly Committee […]
Sen. Lasee to Run for 8th Congressional District
Date Thu, Feb. 18, 2016 - 6:24pm By Hamilton
Sen. Frank Lasee (R-De Pere) has announced his plans to run for the 8th Congressional District in Northeast Wisconsin left open by U.S. Rep. Reid Ribble’s retirement. Lasee served in the Wisconsin Assembly from 1994 to 2006 and was elected to the State Senate in 2010. In his campaign announcement, Lasee stated his focus is […]
Legislation Would Support New Frank Lloyd Wright Heritage Trail
Date Fri, Feb. 5, 2016 - 11:40am By Hamilton
Bipartisan legislation to create a new “Frank Lloyd Wright Heritage Trail” through Wisconsin will be on the floor of the Assembly next week, where it is expected to pass. Assembly Bill 512/Senate Bill 384, introduced by Rep. Todd Novak (R-Dodgeville), Rep. Cory Mason (D-Racine), and Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green), will direct the Department of […]
Legislature Running Out of Time
Date Fri, Feb. 5, 2016 - 11:26am By Hamilton
The legislative session is quickly winding down and legislators are rushing to get their bills done before they head home for campaign season. Just this week 34 committee hearings and meetings were held in the capitol. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has repeatedly said the Assembly will wrap up its work in February. State representatives will […]
Legislation to Allow Out-of-State Companies to Purchase Water & Sewer Utilities Advances
Date Fri, Feb. 5, 2016 - 11:24am By Hamilton
A bill (AB 554/SB 432) that creates a process for out-of-state utility companies to purchase or lease sewer utilities in Wisconsin is advancing through the legislature. Representative Tyler August (R-Lake Geneva) and Senator Frank Lasee (R-De Pere) introduced the legislation in December. The Assembly passed AB 554 on a voice vote in January. Last week, […]
Collateral Source Bill Passes Committee
Date Fri, Feb. 5, 2016 - 11:12am By Hamilton
Companion bills, Assembly Bill 539/Senate Bill 405, introduced by Senator Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield) and Representative Mike Kuglitsch (R-New Berlin), would allow evidence of payments to be submitted as evidence in personal injury or underinsured motorist cases when a jury must decide on the reasonable value of a claim. The Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public […]
Bills to Overturn Nuclear Moratorium Get Hearings
Date Fri, Jan. 22, 2016 - 11:46am By Hamilton
AB 384, introduced by Rep. Ken Petersen (R-Waupaca) and SB 288, introduced by Sen. Frank Lasee (R-De Pere) would end the moratorium on nuclear power plants in the state of Wisconsin. The moratorium, 1983 Wisconsin Act 401, was put in place following the Three Mile Island plant accident in 1979. At public hearings for both […]