Dane County Circuit Court Judge Jacob Frost has struck down key provisions of a 2011 law, including provisions barring general employees from negotiating for anything other than base wage increases capped for inflation and prohibiting public employee unions from forcing employees to pay dues. The reform has saved state and local units of government $17 […]
County Judge Strikes Down Parts of Walker-Era Collective Bargaining Reforms
Date Thu, Dec. 19, 2024 - 2:33pm By Hamilton
Study Committee Update: Direct Primary Care Committee Discusses Employer Models, Physician Burnout, Legislation
Date Thu, Sep. 13, 2018 - 10:23am By Hamilton
The Study Committee on Direct Primary Care (DPC) met for the second time on Aug. 29. The committee heard from several presenters and engaged in discussion on what the future work from the committee might look like. First, Rep. Joe Sanfelippo (R-New Berlin) and Sen. Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield) gave the committee an overview of the […]
Study Committee Update: School Trust Funds Committee Discusses Fund Management Strategy
Date Thu, Sep. 13, 2018 - 10:17am By Hamilton
The Study Committee on Investment and Use of School Trust Funds met for the second time on Sept. 5. The meeting focused on how and by whom the school trust fund should be managed. Areas of interest to committee members included adopting new strategies to increase the fund’s returns and reexamining the Board of Commissioners […]
Study Committee Update: Alcohol Beverages Enforcement Committee Discusses Three-Tier, Agency Enforcement
Date Fri, Aug. 24, 2018 - 11:26am By Hamilton
The Study Committee on Alcohol Beverages Enforcement met for the second time on Aug. 22. The hearing started with attorneys from Wisconsin Towns and Wisconsin Municipalities Associations discussing how they handle inquiries from their members as to what is and is not allowable under Wisconsin law. Both groups said that they predominantly deal with the […]
EPA Proposes Affordable Clean Energy Rule
Date Thu, Aug. 23, 2018 - 2:00pm By Hamilton
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released the proposed Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Rule, which replaces the 2015 Clean Power Plan. A rule promulgated during the previous administration, the Clean Power Plan imposed costly regulatory burdens on power plants in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. EPA proposed repealing the Clean Power Plan […]
Study Committee on Investment and Use of School Trust Funds Meets
Date Tue, Aug. 21, 2018 - 8:47am By Hamilton
The Study Committee on the Investment and Use of the School Trust Funds met for the first time on Aug. 16, 2018. The committee, chaired by Rep. Terry Katsma (R-Oostburg) and Sen. Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee), is tasked with reviewing the investment process and loan programs under the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands (BCPL). The […]
Study Committee on Property Tax Assessments Meets
Date Tue, Aug. 21, 2018 - 8:43am By Hamilton
The Study Committee on Property Tax Assessment Practices met for the first time on Aug. 7, 2018. The committee, chaired by Sen. Luther Olsen (R-Ripon) and Rep. Scott Allen (R-Waukesha), is tasked with reviewing and recommending changes to current property tax assessment practices in Wisconsin, including the role of comparable sales and market segments in […]
Study Committee on Body Cameras Meets
Date Thu, Aug. 2, 2018 - 10:30am By Hamilton
The Study Committee on the Use of Police Body Cameras met for the first time on July 26, 2018. The committee, chaired by Sen. Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point) and Rep. Chris Taylor (D-Madison), is tasked with “review[ing] law enforcement policies regarding the use of body cameras and recommend[ing] legislation to establish uniform procedures regarding the […]
Study Committee on Alcohol Beverages Enforcement Meets
Date Mon, Jul. 30, 2018 - 1:19pm By Hamilton
The Study Committee on Alcohol Beverages Enforcement met for the first time on July 25, 2018. The committee, chaired by Rep. Rob Swearingen (R-Rhinelander) and Sen. Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac), is tasked with reviewing the structure and enforcement of Wisconsin’s alcohol regulation efforts within the Department of Revenue (DOR). The study committee comes after a […]
Thompson Center Holds Criminal Justice Conference
Date Tue, May. 1, 2018 - 2:34pm By Hamilton
The Tommy Thompson Center on Public Leadership held a two-day conference last week focusing on Criminal Justice Reform. The program discussed how lawmakers can address criminal justice reform in “more cost-efficient and liberty-enhancing” ways while still prioritizing public safety. Topics included prisoner re-entry into the workforce, prosecutorial discretion, and civil asset forfeiture. The first panels […]