Hamilton Political Tidbits – July 13, 2018

Political Tidbits - July 13, 2018
Hamilton Consulting Group
 July 13, 2018
Wisconsin political news for clients and colleagues.

In this week's Tidbits:
If you wish to receive additional information about a topic addressed in Tidbits, please do not hesitate to 

First Study Committee Meetings Scheduled

Each interim summer, the Wisconsin Legislative Council staff provides legal and policy support to several study committees established by the Joint Legislative Council. The first study committee meetings have been noticed.
 

Gov. Walker's Autonomous Vehicle Committee Releases Final Report

At the end of June, the Governor's Steering Committee on Autonomous and Connected Vehicle Testing and Deployment submitted their final report to the governor. For the past nine months the steering committee convened monthly to hear presentations from a variety of stakeholders and discuss the impact of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) in Wisconsin.


Wisconsin To Begin Collecting Online Sales Tax

Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in South Dakota v. Wayfair that states may collect online sales tax from sellers with no physical presence in the state. Gov. Walker's administration has announced that the Department of Revenue (DOR) will promulgate rules for administering Wisconsin's 5 percent sales tax online and begin collection in October.
 

Marquette Poll June 2018

On June 20, Marquette University (MU) released its second poll of 2018 that compiled interviews with nearly 800 registered voters in Wisconsin between June 13-17, 2018. The poll detailed voter opinions on Wisconsin's current representatives and candidates for primaries in the November 2018 elections.
 
 
U.S. Supreme Court Decides Plaintiffs in Redistricting Case Lack Standing

In a long-awaited decision of this term, the U.S. Supreme Court decided the plaintiffs in Gill v. Whitford, the legal challenge to Wisconsin Republicans' 2010 redistricting map, lack standing to challenge the statewide map.
 
 
Supreme Court Upholds $750,000 Limit on Noneconomic Damages in Med Malpractice Cases

The Wisconsin Supreme Court in a 5-2 decision (Mayo v. Wisconsin Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund) has upheld Wisconsin's $750,000 limit on noneconomic damages in medical malpractice cases. The Court determined that the cap is constitutional because the legislature had a rational basis in enacting the cap statute to ensure affordable and accessible health care in Wisconsin.
 
 
Supreme Court Ends Agency Deference

The Wisconsin Supreme Court recently issued a decision (Tetra Tech v. Department of Revenue) that ends the "agency deference" doctrine. Under the decision, courts will continue to give "due weight," or respectful consideration, to agencies' expertise but not yield to them.
 
 
DHS Projects $102 Million Medicaid Surplus for 2017-19 Biennium

On June 29, the Department of Health Services (DHS) submitted its quarterly report to the Joint Finance Committee co-chairs, detailing the latest Medicaid projection for the 2017-19 biennium. DHS estimates a $102.4 million surplus in General Purpose Revenue (GPR) by the end of the biennium (June 30, 2019).
 
 
Hamilton Consulting Group Informational Resources

In addition to our Political Tidbits newsletter, Hamilton Consulting Group has unmatched information services for clients and colleagues regarding political and policy developments in Wisconsin.
 
The Hamilton Consulting Group Blog provides analysis on the latest political news around the state Capitol.
 
Issue Updates provide in-depth discussions of policies making their way through the Wisconsin legislature and include resources such as timelines, graphics, analysis, bill tracking, and histories of the issues.
  • 2018 Election: Includes election timeline, political fundraising calendar, full updated listing of candidates for each office, and recent elections news and analysis.
  • Health Care Policy 2017-18: Includes state legislation, state agency documents, federal documents, and recent health care news and analysis.
  • Opioid Abuse Treatment, Prevention and Education: Includes a timeline of and links to relevant legislation and executive orders; Task Force on Opioid Abuse meeting dates, recordings, and reports; and recent opioid abuse policy news and analysis.
  • 2017-19 State Budget: Includes an overview of the budget process in Wisconsin, links to Legislative Fiscal Bureau and Department of Administration documents, and recent state budget news and analysis. Coming soon: 2019-21 State Budget Issue Update.
News Clips provide links to articles from around the state by issue area.
 
The Political Fundraising Calendar tracks fundraisers for Wisconsin legislature and U.S. Congressional candidates.
 


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