Congressional Quarterly, a publishing company specializing primarily in U.S. Congressional reporting, has released their second annual 50 State Project. The Project highlights differences in bill passage between the U.S. Congress and statehouses around the nation. Additionally included in the report are the top issues in the states and in the U.S. Congress, as ranked by […]
Congressional Quarterly’s 50 State Project Highlights State Issues
Date Fri, Sep. 4, 2015 - 9:57am By Hamilton
CATO Institute: Wisconsin’s Unfair Sales Act and the Folly of Antidumping Laws
Date Fri, Sep. 4, 2015 - 9:52am By Hamilton
The CATO Institute recently published the article below on Wisconsin’s Unfair Sales Act: A Michigan-based supermarket trying to expand into Wisconsin has come up against an absurd law against selling products at “unfairly low” prices. As reported by MLive, the Meijer grocery store chain is facing complaints that its grand opening sales violated Wisconsin law for offering […]
Bills of Note: Building Materials Tax Exemption
Date Fri, Sep. 4, 2015 - 9:49am By Hamilton
A public hearing was held on Senate Bill 227, a bill that to 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 vetoed the language […]
Still Debating Trumps Viability
Date Fri, Aug. 14, 2015 - 11:24am By Hamilton
Viewers across the country tuned in last Thursday to what turned out to be a record setting audience for the televised Republican primary debate in Cleveland. Post-debate pundits thought Donald Trump’s brash behavior toward host Megyn Kelly signaled the beginning of the end of a campaign many Republicans are hoping implodes sooner rather than later. […]
Walker Legal Counsel Appointed to Court of Appeals
Date Thu, Aug. 13, 2015 - 4:36pm By Hamilton
At the end of July, Governor Scott Walker announced the appointment of Brian Hagedorn as Court of Appeals Judge for District II. Prior to the appointment Hagedorn served as Chief Legal Counsel in the governor’s office. In this position, Hagedorn managed litigation and provided legal counsel on legislation. The move from legal counsel to judicial […]
Speaker Vos Creates Three New Task Forces
Date Thu, Aug. 13, 2015 - 4:30pm By Hamilton
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has announced the creation of three bipartisan task forces on Youth Workforce Readiness, Alzheimer’s and Dementia, and Urban Education. The Task Force on Youth Workforce Readiness will examine ways to encourage youth and students to pursue careers in trade, manufacturing and other technical fields. Vos claims that many manufacturing positions remain […]
Financing Plan for Bucks Arena Signed into Law
Date Thu, Aug. 13, 2015 - 4:27pm By Hamilton
Legislation for a new Bucks Arena was signed into law by Governor Walker this week, after being passed by the legislature at the end of July. On July 28, the Assembly passed Senate Bill 209 in a mixed-party vote of 52-34, with eight votes paired. 35 Republicans and 17 Democrats voted to approve the bill, […]
EPA Releases Final Draft of Clean Power Plan Rule
Date Thu, Aug. 13, 2015 - 4:24pm By Hamilton
Last week the White House and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the final version of the Clean Power Plan rule, which regulates carbon dioxide emissions, and various pollutants, by power plants in the United States. As widely expected, the final draft of the rule is stricter than the proposed regulation released last year. The compliance […]
Abrahamson Loses Lawsuit to Retain Role as Chief Justice
Date Thu, Aug. 13, 2015 - 4:22pm By Hamilton
Federal District Court Judge James Peterson, of the Western District of Wisconsin, granted the defendants’ motion for summary judgment and dismissed Justice Abrahamson’s lawsuit against the State on Friday, July 31. Justice Abrahamson sued in an attempt to retain her position as Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court after voters ratified an amendment to […]
Special Election for 99th Assembly District
Date Thu, Aug. 13, 2015 - 4:19pm By Hamilton
Governor Scott Walker has issued an executive order to set September 1 as a special primary election for the 99th Assembly District. Chris Kapenga represented the district since 2010 and had his last day in the Assembly on August 5. Kapenga defeated Democrat Sherryll Shaddock in a special election for the 33rd Senate District, which […]