On March 21, the governor signed Assembly Bill 512 into law as 2015 Wisconsin Act 270, creating a new “Frank Lloyd Wright Heritage Trail” through Wisconsin. The bipartisan bill passed the Assembly and Senate a few weeks before. Rep. Todd Novak (R-Dodgeville), Rep. Cory Mason (D-Racine), and Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) introduced the legislation, […]
Signed into Law: Tourism Entity Clarified
Date Wed, Mar. 30, 2016 - 3:52pm By Hamilton
On March 30, Governor Walker signed Assembly Bill 714 into law as 2015 Wisconsin Act 301, clarifying the definition of a tourism entity that collects room tax. The bill recently passed the Assembly and Senate with no opposition. The legislation, authored by Rep. Mike Rohrkaste (R-Neenah) and Sen. Roger Roth (R-Appleton), makes technical changes to […]
Social and Financial Impact for Health Care Mandates Legislation Signed into law
Date Wed, Mar. 30, 2016 - 3:50pm By Hamilton
On March 30, Governor Walker signed Assembly Bill 543 into law as 2015 Wisconsin Act 288. Authored by Rep. John Jagler (R-Watertown) and Sen. Leah Vukmir (R-Brookfield), Act 288 prevents the legislature from holding a hearing on or taking a vote on legislation that creates new health care insurance mandates until after it has received a […]
PSC Reform Bill Signed into Law
Date Wed, Mar. 30, 2016 - 3:45pm By Hamilton
On March 30, 2016, Governor Walker signed Assembly Bill 804, otherwise known as the Public Service Commission (PSC) Reform Bill, into law as 2015 Wisconsin Act 299. Rep. Mike Kuglitsch (R-New Berlin) and Sen. Roger Roth (R-Appleton) introduced Assembly Bill 804 and Senate Bill 654. The PSC developed the legislation through many discussions with PSC […]
Signed into Law: Prohibition of Regulating Auxiliary Containers
Date Wed, Mar. 30, 2016 - 3:43pm By Hamilton
On March 30, amongst many other bills, Governor Walker signed Assembly Bill 730 into law as 2015 Wisconsin Act 302. The law prohibits political subdivisions from regulating auxiliary containers. More specifically, a city, village, town, or county cannot regulate the use of or create a fee for containers (bag, cup, bottle, etc.) made of cloth, […]
Group Hails Civil Litigation Reform Successes – Some Offense, Some Defense
Date Wed, Mar. 30, 2016 - 3:25pm By Hamilton
According to their end of session lookback, Wisconsin Civil Justice Council continued to advance civil litigation reforms this past session, albeit without the sweeping reforms seen in the prior two sessions. WCJC recently released their end of session report noting the following enacted reforms: Repeal of “False Claims for Medical Assistance Act” – Signed into […]
Signed into Law: Statutes of Limitation on Claims Involving Property Damage or Motor Vehicle Accident
Date Mon, Mar. 28, 2016 - 3:10pm By Hamilton
Governor Walker signed AB 223 into law as 2015 Wisconsin Act 133 on February 4, 2016. Assembly Bill 223 introduced by Rep. Spiros (R-Marshfield) and Sen. Lasee (R-De Pere). Under current law, the time limit for initiating a civil action on a contract or obligation, including an insurance policy, is generally six years after the […]
Dies in Committee: Loss-of-Use Liability for Rental Motor Vehicles
Date Mon, Mar. 28, 2016 - 3:08pm By Hamilton
Under Assembly Bill 672/Senate Bill 495, introduced by Rep. Nancy VanderMeer (R-Tomah) and Sen. Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield), a rental company may hold a renter or driver of a rental car liable for loss of use that results from an accident if the renter or driver is cited or charged with inattentive or reckless driving or […]
Dies in Committee: Reviver Statute – Statute of Limitations for Sexual Contact with a Child
Date Mon, Mar. 28, 2016 - 3:06pm By Hamilton
Under current law, the time a person has to bring an action for an injury resulting from being sexually assaulted or subject to incest as a child, or from being subject to sexual contact by a member of the clergy as a child, is any time before the injured party reaches the age of 35. […]
Awaiting Governor’s Signature: Immunity for Private Campgrounds
Date Mon, Mar. 28, 2016 - 3:02pm By Hamilton
Assembly Bill 174/Senate Bill 131, introduced by Rep. Joel Kitchens (R-Sturgeon Bay) and Sen. Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg), as amended, would create immunity from civil liability for a private campground in certain circumstances. The legislation passed the Assembly on February 16, 2016, and the Senate on March 16. The enrolled legislation now awaits gubernatorial approval. Under […]