After Court Rulings, In-Person Voting Proceeds in Supreme Court Election
Date Wed, Apr. 8, 2020 - 1:58pm By Hamilton
After rulings from the Supreme Court of the United States and the Wisconsin Supreme Court the night before election day upheld the April 7 date and absentee voting requirements, Wisconsin’s election for state Supreme Court proceeded with few changes. In-person voting was held, and absentee voter requirements were largely the same (though at record high […]
What’s Left This Session?
Date Fri, Mar. 6, 2020 - 11:34am By Hamilton
With the Wisconsin Assembly likely adjourned for the 2019-20 legislative session, there are a few items left on the table for the Senate to act on when it meets for the last time at the end of the month. Some notable items that the Senate could take up: DNC hours. AB 869 would extend bar […]
Latest Bills Signed & Vetoed by Gov. Evers (March 2020)
Date Fri, Mar. 6, 2020 - 9:47am By Hamilton
After February floor votes, the Assembly and Senate sent many bills to Gov. Tony Evers for review. In the past several weeks, Gov. Evers has signed into law nearly 80 bills and vetoed several others. Signed into Law On Feb. 28, Gov. Evers signed several law enforcement bills, including: AB 633 (Act 105), clarifying […]
Floor Report: Assembly Adjourns Regular Session, Second-To-Last Senate Floor Day
Date Fri, Feb. 21, 2020 - 2:08pm By Hamilton
After meeting on Feb. 11 and 18, the Assembly met last night, Feb. 20, for what Speaker Vos publicly said would be the last day of regular session until January 2021. The Senate met on Feb. 19 and has indicated it will meet for one more regular session day in late March before adjournment. With […]
PFAS Update: Status of PFAS Legislation, Agency Council Meets, EPA Action
Date Fri, Feb. 21, 2020 - 1:49pm By Hamilton
PFAS Legislation – New Provisions Passed Assembly, Final Status of Other Bills In what is likely the last Assembly floor session of 2019-20, the Assembly passed provisions to address PFAS contamination in Wisconsin. As an amendment tacked on to SB 559 (an unrelated bill), the Assembly passed on a party line vote language that: Directs […]
Legislature Passes Bill to Create Certificates of Qualification for Employment for Ex-Offenders
Date Thu, Feb. 20, 2020 - 4:17pm By Hamilton
This week, the Wisconsin Legislature sent to Gov. Evers’s desk a bill that would create a Council on Offender Employment to issue certificates of qualification for employment (CQEs) to ex-offenders. The bill seeks to reduce recidivism by helping ex-offenders re-enter the workforce. Under the legislation (AB 30), the certificates issued by the Council would qualify […]
Assembly Passes CARES Act to Eliminate Workforce Barriers for PAs, Expand Access to Care
Date Thu, Feb. 20, 2020 - 4:13pm By Hamilton
This week, the Wisconsin Assembly voted to pass the Collaboration and Rural Expansion of Services (CARES) Act (AB 575), which would update Wisconsin statutes related to physician assistants (PAs). The bill seeks to reduce workforce barriers for PAs, thus maintaining and increasing access to high quality medical care, particularly in underserved rural areas of the […]
Additional DOR Auditors Generate 11.8 to 1 Return on Investment
Date Mon, Jan. 27, 2020 - 12:35pm By Hamilton
According to a Department of Revenue (DOR) report from the end of December, new tax auditors hired in the 2015-17 budget cycle generated an 11.8 to 1 return on investment for the state in fiscal year 2019. The 2015-17 state budget required DOR to annually report to the Joint Finance Committee on the estimated tax […]
Senate Committee Introduces Worker’s Comp, UI Bills
Date Mon, Jan. 27, 2020 - 12:31pm By Hamilton
The Senate Committee on Labor & Regulatory Reform has introduced this session’s Worker’s Compensation and Unemployment Insurance (UI) reform bills. Worker’s Compensation Each session, management and labor members of the Worker’s Compensation Advisory Council (WCAC) come to an agreement and introduce a bill on worker’s compensation reforms. The Senate Committee on Labor & Regulatory […]
PFAS Update: Regulations Moving in Legislature & DNR
Date Mon, Jan. 27, 2020 - 12:00pm By Hamilton
Regulation of PFAS chemicals continues to develop in the Wisconsin Legislature and state agencies. Last week the Legislature passed a bill regulating PFAS-containing firefighting foams. Meanwhile, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposed rulemaking has been approved by the DNR Board. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are man-made chemicals found in many everyday products, including […]