Assembly Passes WIAA Bill

Introduced by Rep. John Nygren (R-Marinette) and Sen. Roger Roth (R-Appleton) Assembly Bill 873 and Senate Bill 704 would prohibit a school district from being a member of an interscholastic athletic association unless the association elects to be governed by Wisconsin’s public records and open meetings laws. In other words, the bill attempts to subject […]

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Vehicle Data Recorders Legislation Moves out of Committee

Rep. Kremer (R-Kewaskum), Rep. Quinn (R-Rice Lake) and Sen. Stroebel (R-Saukville) have introduced legislation (Assembly Bill 838/Senate Bill 697) that would prohibit accessing, collecting, or transferring certain types of information about a motor vehicle without written consent of the motor vehicle owner. The companion bills were fast-tracked, with introduction and hearing occurring within the first […]

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WEDC Fraud Bill Passes Assembly, Status of the Bill Unclear in the Senate

Assembly Bill 669/Senate Bill authored by Rep. Samantha Kerkman (R-Salem) and Sen. Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) has passed the Assembly, however it is uncertain whether the Senate will take up the bill. The legislation would establish criminal penalties for committing fraud against the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). The bill would make it a crime […]

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Tobacco License Bill Heads to Governor

Assembly Bill 628/Senate Bill 528, authored Rep. Evan Goyke (D-Milwaukee) and Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) makes changes to the circumstances and procedures under which a local municipality can suspend retail tobacco licenses. The legislation passed the Senate and the Assembly via voice votes and now heads to Governor Walker for a signature. Under the […]

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Legislature Passes Some TIF Bills

UPDATE: Governor Walker signed these bills into law as 2015 Wisconsin Acts 254, 255, 256, and 257 on Tuesday, March 1, 2016.  This week, the Assembly passed the following legislation part of the tax increment financing (TIF) bill package. The bills are a product of the 2014 Legislative Council study committee on TIF. The Senate passed […]

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Legislation to Eliminate Twelve-Hour Hold for Strip Searches Passes

UPDATE: Governor Scott Walker signed this bill into law as 2015 Wisconsin Act 206 on Tuesday, March 1, 2016. On February 18, the Assembly concurred on legislation to remove the twelve-hour hold provision for strip searches. The legislation, Senate Bill 248, would remove the requirement that jail administrators hold detainees for 12 hours before being […]

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Minor Driver’s Sponsorship Liability Bills Pass Legislature

UPDATE: Governor Scott Walker signed this bill into law as 2015 Wisconsin Act 202 on Tuesday, March 1, 2016. Sen. Kapenga (R-Delafield) and Rep. Kuglitsch (R-New Berlin) championed legislation (Assembly Bill 540/Senate Bill 408) to limit the liability that may be imputed to an innocent parent or other adult who sponsors a person under the […]

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Social and Financial Impact for Health Care Mandates Legislation Passes Assembly

Assembly Bill 543 and Senate Bill 413, authored by Rep. John Jagler (R-Watertown) and Sen. Leah Vukmir (R-Brookfield), would prevent 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 report from the Commissioner of Insurance. Under current law, […]

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Room Tax Technical Clarification Bill Advances

Assembly Bill 714/Senate Bill 578 authored by Rep. Mike Rohrkaste (R-Neenah) and Sen. Roger Roth (R-Appleton) clarifies the definition of tourism entities that collect room tax. The legislation adjusts the creation date of an existing tourism entity to help those created after 1992 but before January 1, 2016. It changes a provision that requires all […]

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Prohibition of Regulating Auxiliary Containers Passes Assembly

Legislation that would prohibit a city, village, town, or county from regulating auxiliary containers (a bag, cup, bottle, etc.) made of cloth, paper, plastic cardboard, corrugated material, aluminum, glass, postconsumer recycled material, or similar substances, has passed the Assembly. In effect, this legislation would prohibit political subdivisions from regulating auxiliary containers, but would not prohibit […]

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