Supreme Court Deals a Blow to Pharmaceutical Companies; Enriches Private Plaintiff Attorneys Hired by State

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has issued a decision that will negatively affect pharmaceutical companies doing business in Wisconsin. In the process, the Court enriched outside plaintiff attorneys hired by the State by awarding large attorney fees. The Court’s decision, State of Wisconsin v. Abbot Laboratories, et al., 2012 WI 62, is the latest in a […]

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There Is No Off Season

The legislature has adjourned and the recall elections are over, but that does not mean that the Hamilton Consulting team is slowing down! Now is the time to ensure that implementation of bills passed during the 2011-12 Legislative Session goes as planned and to prepare for next session. The Hamilton team is working to make […]

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Hamilton’s Political Fundraising Calendar Goes Live

Fundraisers provide a great opportunity to get to know current and prospective legislators, so the Hamilton Consulting Group has launched a Wisconsin political fundraising calendar to keep our clients informed about upcoming events. The information on the calendar comes from candidates and committees, so please be sure to RSVP to the person indicated in the […]

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November Elections on the Horizon

In this year of seemingly constant elections it is time to look forward to the next round. Prepare for the political TV adds to start anew as the regularly scheduled fall elections for President, Congress, and the Wisconsin Legislature are approaching. The partisan primary will be Aug. 14, and the general election is Nov. 6. […]

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Redistricting Appeal Dropped, Maps Finalized

The state Department of Justice has dropped its appeal of a court-ordered redistricting plan for two state Assembly districts and has agreed to pay the plaintiffs’ attorneys $185,000 in legal bills. The lawsuit was brought by Democrats and others challenging the constitutionality of the state’s election maps recently drawn by the Republican-controlled Legislature. In March, […]

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Recall Recount Begins

The Racine County Board of Canvassers started its recount in the 21st Senate District Recall Election between incumbent Sen. Van Wanggaard and Democrat John Lehman. Wanggaard is contesting the results of his 834-vote loss. In his recount petition to the Government Accountability Board (GAB), Wanggaard alleges numerous challenges by election observers were not properly documented […]

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State Economic Development Programs Audited

The non-partisan Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) has completed an audit of the 196 economic development programs administered by the state at some point during the 2007-09 and 2009-11 biennia. In response to the findings and recommendations of the LAB’s 2006 review of state economic development programs (report 06-9), 2007 Wisconsin Act 125 defined economic […]

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DHS Seeks Input on Senior Care

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is requesting comments on its SeniorCare program as part of its effort to get permission from the federal Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to extend the program through 2015. SeniorCare is a prescription drug assistance program for Wisconsin residents who are 65 years of age or […]

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LRB Releases List of State Agencies, Boards, Commissions, or Councils Created, Repealed, or Revised by the 2011 Legislature

The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) has released a list of state governmental bodies affected by actions of the 2011-2012 Wisconsin Legislature. The list is organized by type of action taken (Units Created, Units Repealed, Units Created and Repealed, or Units Revised), and provides the relevant statute section, act number, and governmental unit affected. This […]

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Oh to be a Fly on the Potato Salad at the Beer and Brat Summit

As part of an effort to rebuild working relationships between legislators and the executive, Gov. Walker will be hosting a Beer and Brat Summit at the State of Wisconsin Executive Residence tonight. In an effort to provide a relaxed environment for lawmakers to socialize with each other and with the Governor, the event will not […]

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