Senator Frank Lasee (R-De Pere) introduced Senate Bill 286 on October 2. This bill proposes to change Wisconsin’s long standing, and flawed, “dog bite” statute. Under current law, Wis. Stat. § 174.02(1)(b) mandates double damages for dogs that cause injury to people, domestic animals, or property if they have previously done so. Current law does not take […]
TIF Bills Pass Committees
Date Thu, Oct. 29, 2015 - 3:14pm By Hamilton
The Assembly Ways and Means committee has passed legislation for numerous bills that are part of the tax increment financing (TIF) bill package. The package comes from recommendations from 2014 Legislative Council Study Committee on the Review of TIF. During the committee, Assembly Bill 136 had a delayed committee vote due to amendments that were […]
Governor Walker Signs John Doe Legislation
Date Thu, Oct. 29, 2015 - 3:12pm By Hamilton
Governor Scott Walker has signed legislation limiting the types of crimes allowed to be investigated using John Doe proceedings and making changes to several of the procedures and processes of John Doe investigations. The bill was approved by the legislature on party line votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Wisconsin is the only state with […]
Nygren HOPE Agenda Moves Forward
Date Thu, Oct. 29, 2015 - 3:10pm By Hamilton
The Assembly Committee on Health unanimously approved all four of Representative John Nygren’s (R-Marinette) HOPE Agenda bills during an executive session last week. Additionally, the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services unanimously approved Senate Bills 268, 271, and 272. The Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety also passed the bill on law enforcement […]
Federal Government Publishes Controversial Clean Power Plan Rule
Date Thu, Oct. 29, 2015 - 3:08pm By Hamilton
A coalition of 24 states filed a lawsuit on Friday challenging the Obama Administration’s signature environmental regulation, the Clean Power Plan, in response to the regulation being published in the Federal Register last Friday, October 23. West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is leading the litigation against the plan which he has called, “the single […]
Campaign Finance Reform Slows Down
Date Thu, Oct. 29, 2015 - 3:06pm By Hamilton
New campaign finance reforms continue to make their way through the legislative process. The reforms completely rewrite Chapter 11 in Wisconsin statutes and make significant changes. The Assembly passed the bill 61-0, after all Assembly Democrats recused themselves from the vote. Democrats argued they had a substantial financial interest in seeing the bill pass, therefore […]
Capitol Busy with Campaign Finance Reform
Date Thu, Oct. 15, 2015 - 5:09pm By Hamilton
Last week, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) rolled out legislation that will change current campaign finance laws in Wisconsin. While public reaction to the bill is mixed, the bills have been fast-tracked and will likely receive floor votes next week. The bill, which comes in at over 100 […]
Waters of the U.S. Rule
Date Thu, Oct. 1, 2015 - 2:29pm By Hamilton
On May 27, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its finalized Waters of the United States rule just over a year after it released its proposed rule. This rule was proposed to clarify the EPA’s jurisdiction over the nation’s waterways under the Clean Water Act after the Supreme Court’s decisions in Solid Waste Agency […]
Bills of Note: Legal Notices, WRS Pensions and Deaths in the Line of Duty
Date Thu, Oct. 1, 2015 - 2:09pm By Hamilton
As the legislative session heats up, bills are quickly moving through the legislature. This week’s Bills of Note includes changes to the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS), legal notices on internet sites for municipalities, and a death in the line of duty bill for law enforcement families. Legal Notice on Internet Sites In late April, Senator […]
Bills of Note: Heroin Prevention, TIF, and a Constitutional Amendment
Date Thu, Sep. 17, 2015 - 3:00pm By Hamilton
Nygren Announces HOPE Agenda Legislation Representative John Nygren (R-Marinette) announced a bill package that if passed would provide additional heroin, opiate prevention and education to combat the heroin and opiate epidemic in Wisconsin. The bills are a continuation of Rep. Nygren’s plan to combat the heroin epidemic. The four new bills, which have yet to […]