On Feb. 6, the Senate Committee on Labor and Regulatory Reform held a public hearing on two bills that would change agency rule-making process in Wisconsin. AB 384, authored by Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna) and Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills), would put expiration dates on administrative rules. SB 745, authored by Sen. David […]
Senate Committee Holds Hearing on Regulatory Reform Bills
Date Fri, Feb. 16, 2018 - 9:44am By Hamilton
Wisconsin Supreme Court Primary Election Next Tuesday
Date Fri, Feb. 16, 2018 - 9:11am By Hamilton
Next Tuesday, voters will decide which two judicial candidates to the Supreme Court of Wisconsin will advance to the general primary held on April 3, 2018. The three candidates are Madison attorney Tim Burns, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Rebecca Dallet, and Sauk County Circuit Court Judge Michael Screnock. The seat is currently held by […]
Bills of Note: Opioid Abuse Treatment, Prevention & Education
Date Fri, Feb. 16, 2018 - 9:08am By Hamilton
Rep. John Nygren’s (R- Marinette) latest package of bills to combat the opioid epidemic is scheduled for a vote on the Assembly floor on Tuesday, Feb. 20. The two bills, AB 906 and AB 907, were introduced in January. This legislative package was drafted in consideration from the recent Pew Charitable Trust’s recommendations to the Governor’s Task […]
DOA, PSC Staff Changes
Date Fri, Feb. 16, 2018 - 9:02am By Hamilton
Gov. Scott Walker announced this week that Department of Administration Secretary Scott Neitzel will leave his position on March 2 after serving almost two years at the department. Neitzel will be replaced by current Public Service Commission (PSC) Chairperson Ellen Nowak. Lon Roberts will temporarily replace Nowak as PSC Chairperson. Nowak has served on PSC […]
Assembly Committee Holds Tourism Information Hearing
Date Fri, Feb. 16, 2018 - 8:58am By Hamilton
On Feb. 7, the Assembly Committee on Tourism held an informational hearing on the Department of Tourism. The Department Secretary Stephanie Klett, joined by Deputy Secretary Sarah Klavas and Marketing Director Shane Brossard, presented to the committee the latest Travel Wisconsin commercials and the Department’s 2017 annual report. The Wisconsin Department of Tourism is tasked […]
Senate Committee Changes
Date Fri, Feb. 2, 2018 - 11:28am By Hamilton
Following the January special election and the departure of Sen. Frank Lasee (R-De Pere) to the Department of Workforce Development, the Senate has made several leadership and committee changes. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) – appointed Chair of Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) – added to Committee on Agriculture, Small Business and […]
Floor Report: Legislature Passes Lead Pipes, PSC Bills
Date Fri, Feb. 2, 2018 - 11:27am By Hamilton
The Senate and Assembly both met in floor sessions on Jan. 23, 2018. Both houses of the legislature passed bills on a largely bipartisan basis, with a few outstanding exceptions. The Senate plans to meet again on Feb. 20, and the Assembly has indicated they will meet three to four times next month. The Jan. […]
Bills of Note: Welfare Special Session
Date Fri, Feb. 2, 2018 - 10:22am By Hamilton
The Senate Committee on Public Benefits, Licensing and State-Federal Relations and the Assembly Committee on Public Benefit Reform held a joint hearing on Jan. 31 on 10 bills as part of the Special Session on Welfare Reform called by Gov. Scott Walker earlier this month. The committees heard first from the bills’ authors, Assembly Speaker […]
Senate Committee Holds Hearing on Litigation Reform
Date Fri, Feb. 2, 2018 - 10:20am By Hamilton
The Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety held a hearing on Jan. 30 on a bill that would reform Wisconsin’s civil liability statutes to lower litigation costs for Wisconsin businesses and government. SB 645, authored by Sens. Tom Tiffany (R-Hazelhurst) and David Craig (R-Big Bend) and Reps. Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) and John Nygren (R-Marinette), […]
Court of Appeals Decision Allows Temporary Employees to Sue Employers Rather Than File Worker’s Comp Claim
Date Fri, Feb. 2, 2018 - 10:15am By Hamilton
Earlier this year, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, Dist. III, issued a decision (Ehr v. West Bend Mutual Ins. Co.) that significantly altered the Worker’s Compensation Act. The court ruled that the estate of a deceased employee could sue the employee’s temporary employer for an action in tort instead of filing a worker’s compensation claim […]