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Jan. 10, 2005
The 2005
Legislative Session is officially under way with the Legislature
convening this week to listen to the Governor deliver his State of
the State Address and to adopt legislation to restructure the
state debt and save some $11 million in potential interest
payments. What will be done with the $11 million saving is not
clear since the Governor, Assembly and Senate all have expressed
different ideas or priorities. It is also not clear if there will
be a resolution this week or if the $11 million will be in the mix
as the session moves forward.
What lies ahead? It will
probably be difficult for the Legislature and Governor to exceed the
“economic development” accomplishments of the last session but many
challenges and opportunities remain. Health care, job training and
re-training and capital formation issues are on pretty much everyone’s
agenda. There is another budget deficit, albeit not as large as two years
ago. There will be efforts advanced to “control the growth of government
spending” via legislative or constitutional routes—or both. Regulatory
reform (Jobs Creation II?) will be a priority issue through review of
administrative action and supplemental legislation. There will again be
debate on civil justice reform, school choice, W2 safeguards, transportation
funding and many other familiar sounding issues. Time will tell the extent
to which these and other issues receive partisan or non-partisan treatment.
(Probably some of both.)
As we follow the 2005-06
legislative session, we must also be cognizant of the fact that the second
year of this biennium is an election year in which Wisconsinites will vote
for Governor (a four-year term) as well as all members of the Assembly and
one-half of the Senate.
Policy Developments
Program to Link
Entrepreneurs with "Angel Investors"
Governor Jim Doyle
recently announced the launch of the Wisconsin Angel Network
(WAN), a program designed to spur the growth of early-stage
investing in Wisconsin. This program will help to link
entrepreneurs with "angel investors" - individuals or groups who
have an interest in early-stage companies.
As part of the Governor’s
“Grow Wisconsin” initiative, Doyle said "The creation of the Wisconsin Angel
Network will build investment capacity to fuel the growth of entrepreneurs,
turning research and ideas into viable, job-creating businesses. The
Wisconsin Angel Network is another step in the tremendous progress we are
making to grow Wisconsin and help strengthen our entrepreneurs."
Underheim to Run for State
Superintendent
The State
Elections Board on Friday verified that Rep. Gregg Underheim has enough
signatures to run for State Superintendent of Public Instruction in the
non-partisan Spring General Election. The Board is expected to certify that
fact on Tuesday of this week. In the meantime, the Democratic Party of
Wisconsin has filed a complaint challenging Underheim’s nomination papers.
The Board is expected to take up that complaint on Wednesday, January 12. If
Underheim qualifies for the ballot, he will join two others in challenging
incumbent Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster; Todd Stelzel, a teacher from
Black Earth, and Paul Yvarra, a University of Wisconsin-Whitewater professor
from Whitewater.
Health Care for State
Employees Part of Budget Plan
The non-profit
Wisconsin Policy Research Institute issued a report [48 page pdf doc]
estimating that more than $100 million a year could be saved across
Wisconsin if teachers chose from the same options in health insurance
offered to state employees. The report's authors said that would be about 10
percent of what school districts spend on health insurance currently.
The study addressed
concerns raised in a recent report by Governor Doyle’s Task Force on
Educational Excellence, which identified Wisconsin teacher compensation as a
major problem in the attraction and retention of quality educators. The
report highlighted the troubling quandary of rising health insurance costs
for school districts eating into teacher salary increases.
The WPRI report argued that
establishing a system that allows school districts to competitively bid
teacher health insurance carriers would significantly lower insurance
premiums, and allow the teachers to benefit in the form of higher salaries.
Wisconsin
Politics
Doyle Calls for
Special Session on Debt Refinancing/Republicans to Expand Agenda
Gov. Doyle has asked the Legislature to meet in a special
session on Jan. 12 to approve a deal to refinance state debt and
save $11 million.
The legislation would allow
the state to achieve savings on bonding by obtaining a lower interest rate.
The economic refunding of about $350 million of general obligation debt
would allow for about $11 million in interest savings. While this would
typically be included in a budget proposal, maximum savings can be achieved
by acting as soon as possible on the refinancing.
Assembly leadership has
announced that the Assembly will meet on Wednesday to adopt the debt
refinancing called for by the Governor, but also to discuss enactment of
legislation providing for a Health Savings Account (HSA) tax credit for
individuals that would cost about $7.5 million of the $11 million. Senate
Republicans also believe that the $11 million should be applied to health
care related concerns, but apparently believe that applying the money to the
state Medicaid deficit is a higher priority than the HSA credits at the
moment, despite significant support for adopting HSA legislation sometime
this session.
What action, if any, that
will be taken on either of these issues this week is unclear as of this
writing.
Lawmakers Oath of
Office/State of the State/Budget Message/Floorperiods
Legislators took the oath of office at a swearing in ceremony on the start
of the new two-year (2005-06) session Jan. 3. The Governor will present his
State of the State Address on Jan. 12 and deliver his budget message on
February 8.
Dates of the floorperiods
outlined in the Senate Joint Resolution are as follows:
2005
January 12 (State of the
State)
January 25-27.
February 8 (Budget
Message)
February 15-24.
March 8-17.
April 5-14.
April 18 (All bills
passed to governor)
May 3-12.
May 31 to July 1 or
budget passage, whichever is later.
August 11 (All non-budget
bills to governor)
August 11 or later
(Budget bill to governor)
September 20-29.
October 25-November 10.
December 6-15.
2006
January 5 (All bills
passed to governor)
January 17-February 2.
February 21 - March 9.
April 13. (All bills
passed to governor)
April 5-May 4. Last
general business session.
May 16-18. Limited
business floorperiod
May 23. (All bills passed
to governor)
May 30 and 31. Veto
review session.
June 14. (All bills to
governor)
December 27-28. Limited
business floorperiod.
December 29. (All bills
passed to governor.)
2005-07 Legislative Session
Extended
Legislators have extended the session until Dec. 28, 2006, although
according to Assembly Speaker John Gard, it is “very unlikely” they will be
in session on Dec. 27, and 28. Typically, the session ends in May. Last
session, for example, ended May 12, 2004.
The extension of the
session only applies to bills originating from the Joint Committee for
Review of Administrative Rules.
Legislative leaders have
completed the job of appointing committee chairs and members, both parties,
to all standing committees in both houses and joint committees. Please go to
Assembly Committees and
Joint Committees for their complete
listings.
The Senate Committee
assignments are as follows:
-
Agriculture and Insurance:
Republicans: Kapanke, Chair; Brown; Kedzie; Olsen. Democrats: Erpenbach,
Hansen, Miller.
-
Campaign Finance Reform and Ethics:
Republicans: Ellis,
chair; Lasee; Kedzie. Democrats: Risser, Miller.
-
Education:
Republicans: Olsen, Chair; Darling; Harsdorf; Grothman. Democrats: Jauch,
Erpenbach, Hansen.
-
Energy, Utilities and Information Technology:
Republicans: Cowles, Chair; Leibham; Kapanke. Democrats: Plale, Wirch.
-
Health, Children, Families, Aging and Long Term Care:
Republicans: Roessler, Chair; Darling; Brown. Democrats: Erpenbach,
Carpenter.
-
Higher Education and Tourism:
Republicans: Harsdorf, Chair; Kedzie; Kapanke. Democrats: Breske, Plale.
-
Housing and Financial Institutions:
Republicans: Stepp, Chair; Harsdorf; Brown; Reynolds. Democrats: Plale,
Lassa, Coggs.
-
Job Creation, Economic Development and Consumer Affairs:
Republicans: Kanavas, Chair; Zien; Reynolds. Democrats: Lassa, Decker.
-
Judiciary, Corrections and Privacy:
Republicans: Zien, Chair; Roessler; Grothman. Democrats: Coggs, Taylor.
-
Labor and Election Process Reform:
Republicans: Reynolds, Chair; Lazich; Kanavas. Democrats: Hansen,
Carpenter.
-
Natural Resources and Transportation:
Republicans: Kedzie, Chair; Stepp, Kapanke. Democrats: Wirch, Breske.
-
Senate Organization Committee:
Republicans: Schultz, Chair; Kedzie; Lasee. Democrats: Robson, Hansen.
-
State and Federal Relations:
Republicans: Ellis, Chair; Schultz. Democrats: Risser, Carpenter.
-
Veterans, Homeland Security, Military Affairs, Small Business and
Government Reform.
Republicans: Brown, Chair; Zien; Kanavas. Democrats: Breske, Wirch.
Political News
Underheim has signatures to get on ballot: Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel, Jan. 9, 2005.
Burmaster faces challengers, justice will keep seat: Appleton
Post-Crescent, Jan. 5, 2005.
Lawmakers
hold off giving W-2 funds for city providers: Appleton Post-Crescent,
Jan. 5, 2005.
Down
to business: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan. 5, 2005.
Event turns spotlight on Wisconsin politics: Green Bay Press-Gazette,
Jan. 5, 2005.
More than 1,100 form People's Legislature: Wisconsin State Journal, Jan.
5, 2005.
Factory orders surge, especially good sign in state: Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel, Jan. 5, 2005.
Group
helps more be touched by an angel: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan. 5,
2005.
Health care costs can fall, provided basic rules followed (opinion):
Oshkosh Northwestern, Jan. 5, 2005.
Report: Districts could save with state health insurance program:
Janesville Gazette, Jan. 4, 2005.
Medicare prescription law drags states into feds’ mess (opinion):
Appleton Post-Crescent, Jan. 4, 2004.
Shifting the tax doesn’t provide relief (opinion): Sheboygan Press, Jan.
4, 2005.
Fight over gas markup law returns: Madison Capital Times, Jan. 4, 2005.
New faces: Madison Capital Times, Jan. 4, 2005. State legislators sworn
in at Capitol.
Lawmakers sworn in at start of new term: Appleton Post-Crescent, Jan. 4,
2004.
Referendum sought on state mandates: Appleton Post-Crescent, Jan. 4,
2004.
Politics pause only briefly at legislative inauguration: Green Bay
Press-Gazette, Jan. 4, 2004.
State
mandates need debate, not only on April ballot (opinion): Oshkosh
Northwestern, Jan. 4, 2004.
Legislators have tough year ahead: Appleton Post-Crescent, Jan. 3, 2005.
Budget fixing tops Doyle’s list: Appleton Post-Crescent, Jan. 3, 2005.
Cable might cover debates in legislature: Manitowoc Herald Times, Jan.
3, 2005.
Wisconsin State Journal agenda for 2005 (opinion): Wisconsin State
Journal, Jan. 3, 2005.
Event billed as People's Legislature's scheduled Tuesday: Janesville
Gazette, Jan. 3, 2005.
Limiting
debate time not answer to raucous sessions (opinion): Sheboygan Press,
Jan. 3, 2005.
Doyle's
wrong on records (opinion): Madison Capital Times, Jan. 3, 2005.
Colorado’s TABOR lesson (opinion): Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan. 3,
2005. The Colorado experience can provide some guidance.
Upcoming Fundraisers
Thursday, Jan. 13
Tuesday, Jan. 18
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