Wisconsin political news for
clients and colleagues.
Previous issues of
Political Tidbits can be found at Tidbits Archive.
Click here to begin your free subscription.
Feb. 6, 2004
Following an
active week of floor sessions, the Legislature will use the next
two weeks for committee work to prepare for the final three weeks
(February 24 to March 11) of the 2003-04 regular legislative
session. Numerous outstanding proposals will be competing for the
opportunity to be acted upon by the Legislature and sent to the
Governor for his action.
Key legislative activity of
the past week is summarized below. A number of bills were “trailers” to the
earlier adopted regulatory reform package. The Senate also gave final
approval to a proposal that would provide refundable tax credits for the
various Commerce zone programs including Technology, Community, and
Enterprise Development Zones aimed at additional job creation and assistance
to small and start-up companies, many in distressed areas. The Senate also
approved a bill intended to tighten the standards for expert opinion
evidence in civil cases and to eliminate or reduce the use of “junk science”
in our court cases. That bill has not yet been addressed by the Assembly.
Policy
Developments
This Week in the
Legislature
Senate
On Tuesday, February 3, the
Senate passed several bills. Among them:
-
SB 49, relating to expert opinion evidence, by a vote of 18-15. A
public hearing by the Assembly Committee on the Courts has been scheduled
for Wednesday, February 11, at 9:30 a.m. in Room 400 NE, Capitol. (See
press release from the bill’s author, Sen. Bob Welch.)
-
AB 508, relating to refundable tax credits for all of the zone
programs and extending the loss carry forward for the income and franchise
tax credit for sales tax and use tax paid on fuel and electricity consumed
in manufacturing, by a vote of 23-10. This bill passed the Assembly,
73-23, on Nov. 12, 2003. It is now headed to the Governor for action. (See
press release from the bill’s co-authors, Sen. Bob Welch and Rep.
Steve Wieckert.)
On Wednesday, February 4,
the Senate took action on several bills from its current, Regular Session,
as well as some bills remaining from the recent Extraordinary Session.
In Regular Session, the
Senate passed:
In Extraordinary Session,
the Senate passed:
-
AB 729, relating to petitions by certain telecommunications utilities
regarding unbundled network or service elements, as amended by Senate
Substitute Amendment 2. (Passed by the Assembly on Jan. 13, 57-37.) The
bill as amended by the Senate was concurred by the Assembly on Thursday,
February 5.
-
AB 732, relating to nonmetallic mining reclamation financial
assurances, voice vote. (Passed by the Assembly on Jan. 13, 58-36.)
-
AB 733, relating to reciprocal agreements for real estate licenses,
31-1. (Passed by the Assembly on Jan. 20, 57-38.)
-
AB 735, relating to strategic energy assessments, voice vote. (Passed
by the Assembly on Jan. 13, 57-37.)
-
SB 372, relating to making patient health care records concerning
health care operations inapplicable to restrictions on release without
informed consent, 29-4.
-
SB 374, relating to the acquisition of in-state banks and in-state
bank holding companies, voice vote.
-
SB 375, relating to comprehensive planning by local governmental units
and fees imposed by political subdivisions (changes to ‘Smart Growth’), as
amended by
Senate Substitute Amendment 1, voice vote. The bill, as amended by
the Senate, was concurred by the Assembly on Thursday, February 5.
Assembly
Thursday action:
-
AB 668, relating to various changes in the unemployment insurance law,
granting rule-making authority, and making appropriations. (Passed, voice
vote.)
-
AB 669, relating to making various changes in the worker's
compensation law and granting rule-making authority. (Passed, voice vote.)
-
AB 728, Smart Growth changes; local fees. (Passed, 60-37.)
-
SB 381, (In lieu of AB 739) Regulatory examinations of savings banks
and savings and loan associations. (Passed, voice vote.)
-
AB 595, relating to civil liability exemption for claims resulting
from weight gain and obesity. (Engrossed on voice vote. Final action
delayed until February 24.)
Governor Vetoes JFC
Oversight of Stewardship Fund
On Wednesday, February 4, Governor Doyle
announced his veto of
SB 252, relating to authorizing the Joint Committee on Finance to review
land acquisitions by the Department of Natural Resources’ stewardship
program. (The bill previously passed the Senate, 18-14, on Nov. 5, 2003, and
the Assembly, 58-37, on Jan. 20, 2004.)
Governor’s Conference on
Economic Development
The 2004 Governor’s Conference on Economic Development will be held at the
Concourse Hotel in
Madison on February 12 and 13. The Conference is produced by the
Wisconsin Economic Development Association. Additional information can be
obtained at
www.weda.org.
Wisconsin
Politics
Toles Sworn In to
Assembly
On Tuesday, February 3, Barbara L. Toles (D-Milwaukee) was sworn
in to the Wisconsin State Assembly as the Representative for the
17th District. Toles replaces former Representative and
current State Senator Spencer Coggs (D-Milwaukee), who was elected
to the State Senate last fall. (See
press release from Rep. Toles.)
Governor Announces
Appointments
On Tuesday, February 3, Governor Doyle
announced several appointments, effective as of Feb. 1, 2004. (For a
list of the appointments, please follow the link to the Governor’s
announcement.)
Governor Announces PGA
Partnership
On Thursday, February 5, Governor Doyle
announced an anticipated partnership between the State of
Wisconsin and the Professional Golf Association (PGA). The partnership is
related to the PGA national championship which will be held Aug. 9-15, 2004
at Whistling Straits golf course near
Kohler, Wisconsin.
Federal
Developments
EPA Proposes
Interstate Transport and Mercury Reduction Rules
On Jan. 30, 2004, the EPA published two proposed rules aimed at
further reducing air emissions in areas that are not currently
attaining the national air quality standards (NAAQS) for certain
air pollutants. The two rules are the
Rule to Reduce Interstate Transport of Fine Particulate Matter and
Ozone (Interstate Air Quality Rule), and the
Proposed National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants;
and, in the Alternative, Proposed Standards of Performance for New
and Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Steam Generating
Units; Proposed Rule (also known as the Proposed Mercury
Reductions Rule).
Political
News
Assembly
backs bill banning obese from suing eateries: Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel, Feb. 6, 2004.
Forum will focus on area growth: St. Paul Pioneer Press, Feb 6,
2004.
Automakers continue to think big: Janesville Gazette, Feb. 5, 2004.
Assembly OKs Montgomery’s education, logo-use bills: Green Bay
Press-Gazette, Feb. 5, 2004.
Doyle acts
to preserve nearly 800 acres: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb. 6,
2004.
More
ire on plant emissions: Madison Capital Times, Feb. 5, 2004.
Senate
approves bill allowing care refusal: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,
Feb. 5, 2004.
Concealed-weapons ban upheld by one vote: Wisconsin State Journal,
Feb. 4, 2004.
Court ruling could affect Wisconsin's lemon law: St. Paul Pioneer
Press, Feb. 3, 2004.
Recovery
gaining momentum: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb. 3, 2004.
Identity theft called fast-growing crime: Manitowoc Herald Times,
Feb. 4, 2004.
Lemon of a
law? Court ruling could affect consumer statute: Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel, Feb. 2, 2004.
Doyle seeks local help to `Grow Wisconsin': Racine Journal Times,
Feb. 2, 2004.
Doyle maps out economic plan for state agriculture industry: Fond du
Lac Reporter, Feb. 1, 2004.
Economic
growth slower than hoped: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb. 1, 2004.
Lautenschlager surpasses Doyle in actions for environment offenses:
Green Bay Press-Gazette, Feb. 2, 2004.
Transparency on the roads (opinion): Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,
Feb. 1, 2004.
Petri pushes gas tax to fund highway projects: Appleton
Post-Crescent, Feb. 2, 2004.
Upcoming
Fundraisers
Monday, February
9, 2004:
Tuesday, February 10, 2004:
Wednesday, February 11, 2004:
-
St. Sen., and Candidate
for 3rd Congressional District, Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center), 5:30
p.m., Onalaska, Wis.
Thursday, February 12, 2004:
-
St. Rep. Steve Wieckert
(R-Appleton), 7:30 a.m., Appleton, Wis.
-
St. Reps. Mike Huebsch
(R-Onalaska), and DuWayne Johnsrud (R-Eastman), 5:00 p.m. Madison, Wis.
|
