The legislative session is quickly winding down and legislators are rushing to get their bills done before they head home for campaign season. Just this week 34 committee hearings and meetings were held in the capitol. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has repeatedly said the Assembly will wrap up its work in February. State representatives will […]
Legislation to Allow Out-of-State Companies to Purchase Water & Sewer Utilities Advances
Date Fri, Feb. 5, 2016 - 11:24am By Hamilton
A bill (AB 554/SB 432) that creates a process for out-of-state utility companies to purchase or lease sewer utilities in Wisconsin is advancing through the legislature. Representative Tyler August (R-Lake Geneva) and Senator Frank Lasee (R-De Pere) introduced the legislation in December. The Assembly passed AB 554 on a voice vote in January. Last week, […]
Collateral Source Bill Passes Committee
Date Fri, Feb. 5, 2016 - 11:12am By Hamilton
Companion bills, Assembly Bill 539/Senate Bill 405, introduced by Senator Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield) and Representative Mike Kuglitsch (R-New Berlin), would allow evidence of payments to be submitted as evidence in personal injury or underinsured motorist cases when a jury must decide on the reasonable value of a claim. The Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public […]
Bills to Overturn Nuclear Moratorium Get Hearings
Date Fri, Jan. 22, 2016 - 11:46am By Hamilton
AB 384, introduced by Rep. Ken Petersen (R-Waupaca) and SB 288, introduced by Sen. Frank Lasee (R-De Pere) would end the moratorium on nuclear power plants in the state of Wisconsin. The moratorium, 1983 Wisconsin Act 401, was put in place following the Three Mile Island plant accident in 1979. At public hearings for both […]
Passed in the Senate: Limits on Liability Imputed to an Adult Sponsor of a Minor Driver
Date Fri, Jan. 22, 2016 - 10:46am By Hamilton
Sen. Kapenga (R-Delafield) and Rep. Kuglitsch (R-New Berlin) have championed legislation to limit the liability that may be imputed to an innocent parent or other adult who sponsors a person under the age of 18 in obtaining a motor vehicle operator’s license. Under current Wisconsin law, Wisconsin is one of only eight states in which […]
Economic Development Legislation Coming in 2016
Date Tue, Dec. 22, 2015 - 3:49pm By Hamilton
Senators Gudex and Darling announce Economic Development Plan Sen. Rick Gudex (R – Fond du Lac) and Sen. Alberta Darling (R – River Hills) announced last week their plans to introduce a series of bills designed to increase economic development across the state. According to their press release, the bill package will reduce red tape, […]
Collateral Source Legislation Introduced
Date Fri, Dec. 11, 2015 - 10:50am By Hamilton
Assembly Bill 539/Senate Bill 405, introduced by Senator Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield) and Representative Mike Kuglitsch (R-New Berlin), would allow evidence of payments to be submitted as evidence in personal injury or underinsured motorist cases when a jury must decide on the reasonable value of a claim. Under current law, defendants are not allowed to introduce […]
Legislation Would Limit Liability for Sponsors of Minor Drivers
Date Fri, Dec. 11, 2015 - 10:44am By Hamilton
A new bill that would limit the liability imputed to a parent or other adult sponsor of a minor’s driver’s license was reviewed during a public hearing in the Assembly Committee on the Judiciary this week. Assembly Bill 540/Senate Bill 408, which was introduced by Senator Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield) and Representative Mike Kuglitsch (R-New Berlin), […]
Legislation Introduced to Allow Purchase of Water & Sewer Utilities
Date Fri, Dec. 11, 2015 - 10:38am By Hamilton
Representative Tyler August (R-Lake Geneva) and Senator Frank Lasee (R-De Pere) have introduced Assembly Bill 554/Senate Bill 432, which creates a process for out-of-state utility companies to purchase or lease water or sewer utilities in Wisconsin. Under current law, if a municipality seeks to sell or lease any utility, the municipality must first pass a […]
Sen. Gudex Will Not Seek Re-election
Date Fri, Dec. 11, 2015 - 10:34am By Hamilton
Senator Rick Gudex (R-Fond du Lac) recently announced he would not be seeking re-election to the 18 Senate District. The first term state senator was elected in 2012 and will complete his four year term following the 2016 fall election cycle. Sen. Gudex, the president pro tempore of the Senate, serves on the Committee on […]