WisconsinEye’s Steve Walters interviewed Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) and Minority Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) on August 7, 2013 at the state Capitol. The two leaders discussed many different topics, including, same-sex marriage decisions, what they would like to see in the new University of Wisconsin system president, healthcare, drunk driving, raw milk, personhood, and […]
Vos and Barca Discuss Upcoming Legislative Session & Elections
Date Wed, Aug. 7, 2013 - 4:36pm By Hamilton
Wisconsin Supreme Court Limits DNR’s Regulatory Authority under the Public Trust Doctrine
Date Tue, Aug. 6, 2013 - 5:54pm By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Supreme Court recently issued a decision limiting the Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) regulatory authority under the public trust doctrine. The case is Rock-Koshkonong Lake District v. DNR, 2013 WI 74. The Supreme Court held that the DNR improperly relied upon the public trust doctrine for its authority to regulate non-navigable land or […]
New Bills Signed Into Law
Date Mon, Jul. 8, 2013 - 10:57am By Hamilton
Gov. Walker signed several bills into law on Friday, July 5, 2013. Please contact a member of the Hamilton Consulting team if you require further information on any of the laws below. Assembly Bill 20 – relating to the notice and degree requirements for the examination to practice as a certified public accountant. This […]
Budget Bill Heads to the Floor
Date Fri, Jun. 7, 2013 - 9:56am By Hamilton
After a marathon hearing that covered three of the biggest policy issues in the budget – medical assistance, K-12 education, and taxes – the Joint Finance Committee finalized its version of the 2013-15 budget. Highlights Medical Assistance As Gov. Walker recommended, the JFC voted (12-4 along party lines) to reject federal funds for expanding Medicaid […]
Court Upholds Voter ID Law
Date Thu, Jun. 6, 2013 - 10:01am By Hamilton
In its recent ruling in League of Women Voters v. Walker the IV District Court of Appeals declared the 2011 voter ID law to be constitutional on its face and, in doing so, vacated a lower court’s injunction against its enforcement. The court found that under the Wisconsin Constitution, the legislature may enact reasonable election […]
LRB Releases Map Showing Alcohol-Related Crashes
Date Thu, May. 23, 2013 - 10:43am By Hamilton
The Legislative Reference Bureau has prepared a map showing on a county by county basis the 3-Year average of alcohol-related crashes per 10,000 people. According to the LRB’s analysis, “alcohol-related crashes involving a vehicle have decreased dramatically since they peaked in the late 1970s.” The LRB suggests this is due to changes in the law […]
Misdemeanors in Wisconsin
Date Thu, May. 2, 2013 - 1:09pm By Hamilton
The non-partisan Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau has compiled an informational brief on the statutory differences between misdemeanors and felonies. The brief also includes a 32 page list of all the statutory misdemeanors in Wisconsin.
Legislature Considers Lemon Law Reforms
Date Wed, May. 1, 2013 - 4:02pm By Hamilton
A coalition of vehicle manufacturers and dealers, including Hamilton Consulting clients, are supporting a Lemon Law reform bill being circulated by Sen. Jerry Petrowski (R-Marathon) and Rep. Bill Kramer (R-Waukesha). In their request for co-authors for the bill, the groups set forth their rational for supporting the legislation: Wisconsin is universally known among automobile, motorcycle, […]
Statewide Budget Hearings Draw Crowds
Date Thu, Apr. 11, 2013 - 5:14pm By Hamilton
The Joint Finance Committee is traveling the state in an effort to give Wisconsinites a chance to comment on the state budget before the committee begins voting on specific items on April 25. Information and video from the four scheduled public hearings will be added as it becomes available: Thursday, April 4 at Greendale High […]
Mining Bill Passes Legislature
Date Thu, Mar. 7, 2013 - 7:40pm By Hamilton
This evening, after 9.5 hours of debate, the Wisconsin Assembly voted 58-39 to approve a comprehensive iron mining bill, which, when signed by the Governor, will usher in a mining renaissance in Wisconsin. SB1 would create new statutes to govern ferrous (iron) mining, which is currently regulated in the same manner as non-ferrous (non-iron minerals […]