The Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) has approved a motion to release $350 million in bonding for transportation projects. The motion will allow $200 million in bonding for 2015-2016, and $150 million in 2016-2017. The Department of Transportation (DOT) requested $200 million on October 19, which would require JFC to approve the request with no […]
Legislature Releases $350 Million in Additional Bonding for Transportation
Date Fri, Nov. 13, 2015 - 10:37am By Hamilton
Building Materials Tax Exemption Passed by Senate
Date Fri, Nov. 13, 2015 - 10:34am By Hamilton
In an extraordinary session last week the Senate passed Senate Bill 227, a bill that will allow contractors to directly purchase construction materials on behalf of their tax-exempt clients without paying the sales tax. The proposal was originally included in the tax reform package of the budget by the Joint Finance Committee. However, the governor […]
Senate Passes Campaign Finance Reforms Bill with Significant Changes to Coordination Restrictions
Date Fri, Nov. 13, 2015 - 10:31am By Hamilton
New campaign finance reforms continue to make their way through the legislative process. The reforms completely rewrite Chapter 11 in Wisconsin statutes and make significant changes. The Senate passed the bill 17-15 with an amendment, which made the following changes to the bill: Lowers the monetary threshold triggering registration for political action committees (PACs) and […]
Governor Walker Urges Legislature to Release $200 Million in Additional Bonding for Transportation
Date Thu, Oct. 29, 2015 - 9:52pm By Hamilton
The recently-enacted biennial state budget bill reduced the level of bonding from Governor Walker’s recommended $1.3 billion in new bonding to $500 million, and allows for an additional $350 million in general obligation bonds to be issued upon approval by the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee (JFC). This $350 million in contingent bonding may be used […]
Legislature Moves Bill to Change “Dog Bite” Statute
Date Thu, Oct. 29, 2015 - 3:29pm By Hamilton
Senator Frank Lasee (R-De Pere) introduced Senate Bill 286 on October 2. This bill proposes to change Wisconsin’s long standing, and flawed, “dog bite” statute. Under current law, Wis. Stat. § 174.02(1)(b) mandates double damages for dogs that cause injury to people, domestic animals, or property if they have previously done so. Current law does not take […]
GOP Presidential Debate to Arrive in Milwaukee
Date Thu, Oct. 29, 2015 - 3:15pm By Hamilton
The fourth GOP Presidential Debate is set to take place in Milwaukee in two weeks on November 10. Fox Business Network and the Wall Street Journal have teamed up to host the debate at the Milwaukee Theater. The network has announced the debate will include an “undercard” debate for candidates registering at least 1 percent, […]
TIF Bills Pass Committees
Date Thu, Oct. 29, 2015 - 3:14pm By Hamilton
The Assembly Ways and Means committee has passed legislation for numerous bills that are part of the tax increment financing (TIF) bill package. The package comes from recommendations from 2014 Legislative Council Study Committee on the Review of TIF. During the committee, Assembly Bill 136 had a delayed committee vote due to amendments that were […]
Governor Walker Signs John Doe Legislation
Date Thu, Oct. 29, 2015 - 3:12pm By Hamilton
Governor Scott Walker has signed legislation limiting the types of crimes allowed to be investigated using John Doe proceedings and making changes to several of the procedures and processes of John Doe investigations. The bill was approved by the legislature on party line votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Wisconsin is the only state with […]
Nygren HOPE Agenda Moves Forward
Date Thu, Oct. 29, 2015 - 3:10pm By Hamilton
The Assembly Committee on Health unanimously approved all four of Representative John Nygren’s (R-Marinette) HOPE Agenda bills during an executive session last week. Additionally, the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services unanimously approved Senate Bills 268, 271, and 272. The Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety also passed the bill on law enforcement […]
Federal Government Publishes Controversial Clean Power Plan Rule
Date Thu, Oct. 29, 2015 - 3:08pm By Hamilton
A coalition of 24 states filed a lawsuit on Friday challenging the Obama Administration’s signature environmental regulation, the Clean Power Plan, in response to the regulation being published in the Federal Register last Friday, October 23. West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is leading the litigation against the plan which he has called, “the single […]