On Feb. 8, Gov. Scott Walker gave his biennial State Budget Address to the legislature. The governor’s budget focused on three themes: Student Success, Accountable Government and Rewarding Work. Republicans were generally pleased with Walker’s proposal, but both parties agreed that the budget did not go far enough to address Wisconsin’s transportation budget shortfall. Republicans […]
Gov. Walker’s 2017-19 State Budget Address: Legislators Respond
Date Fri, Feb. 10, 2017 - 11:53am By Hamilton
Special Session Bill Package Circulates
Date Fri, Feb. 3, 2017 - 10:58am By Hamilton
In early January, Governor Walker issued Executive Order 230, calling the Wisconsin State Legislature into special session to combat opioid abuse. In addition to calling for a special session, the governor directed his state agencies to take various administrative actions. The announcement came after the release of a report from the Governor’s Task Force on Opioid Abuse. […]
Bills of Note: SB 3 and AB 24 – Project Labor Agreements Neutrality
Date Fri, Feb. 3, 2017 - 10:30am By Hamilton
Rep. Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield) and Sen. Leah Vukmir (R-Brookfield) introduced bills in their respective chambers requiring government to be neutral regarding the use of Project Labor Agreements (PLAs). The Senate bill, SB 3, was recommended for passage on a partisan 3-2 vote by the Senate Committee on Labor and Regulatory Reform on Feb. 2. We […]
Bills of Note: SB 10 – CBD Oil
Date Fri, Feb. 3, 2017 - 10:29am By Hamilton
Reprising a bill from last session, Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) and Rep. Scott Krug (R-Nekoosa) introduced a bill that would allow parents easier access to use non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD oil) as a treatment for a medical condition. The bill, SB 10, allows for possession of CBD oil with written certification from a Wisconsin-licensed doctor. The […]
Republicans to Hire Outside Counsel to Defend Redistricting Map
Date Fri, Feb. 3, 2017 - 10:24am By Hamilton
On Feb. 2, the leadership committees in both the Wisconsin Senate and Assembly approved the hiring of an outside law firm to file a friend-of-the-court brief in defense of their redistricting map. The redistricting plan, enacted as 2011 Wis. Act 43, was struck down by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. In their 159-page […]
Get to Know a Freshman – Week 3
Date Fri, Feb. 3, 2017 - 10:16am By Hamilton
In the final segment of Get to Know a Freshman, Political Tidbits highlights three new Republican representatives and two new Democrats. The first and second segments of Get to Know a Freshman can be found on Hamilton Consulting Group’s Political Tidbits blog. Rep. David Crowley (D-Milwaukee) Rep. Crowley, representing District 17, was born in Milwaukee, […]
Get to Know a Freshman – Week 2
Date Thu, Jan. 12, 2017 - 4:34pm By Hamilton
Thirteen new members were voted into the Wisconsin Legislature on Nov. 9. There will be two fresh faces in the Wisconsin Senate, Sens. Patrick Testin (R-Marinette) and Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac). Also, joining the Senate from the Assembly will be now Sens. Dave Craig (R- Big Bend) and LaTonya Johnson (D-Milwaukee). The State Assembly […]
Leadership Positions Announced for State Senate Committees
Date Thu, Jan. 12, 2017 - 4:24pm By Hamilton
Just before the end of 2016, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) announced leadership positions for the standing committees for the 2017-18 legislative session. The committees and their chairs largely remained the same. Fitzgerald shuffled a few chairs and committee names and added one new committee: Financial Services, Constitution and Federalism, chaired by Sen. David […]
Leadership Positions Announced for State Assembly Committees
Date Tue, Dec. 20, 2016 - 8:53am By Hamilton
Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) announced leadership positions for the standing committees for the 2017-18 legislative session. The Speaker also added five new Assembly committees: Urban Revitalization; Science and Technology; Federalism and Interstate Relations; Government Accountability and Oversight; and Regulatory Licensing Reform. Recently, Vos announced that Rep. John Nygren (R-Marinette) will remain co-chair of the Joint […]
Assembly Committee Holds Hearing on DOT’s Budget
Date Tue, Dec. 20, 2016 - 8:49am By Hamilton
The Assembly Committee on Transportation held a hearing on the Department of Transportation’s 2017-19 state budget request on Tuesday, Dec. 6. This budget request includes $500 million in new bonding, but no tax or fee increases. Committee chairperson Rep. Keith Ripp (R-Lodi) and the committee heard from 14 groups with a stake in the transportation […]