Legislative Council, a nonpartisan legislative service has announced the legislative study committees and symposiums, which will meet throughout the summer with both legislators and citizens serving on the committee. Mike Harrigan and Peter Thillman, both members of the Wisconsin Economic Development Association were named to the Legislative Council Study Committee on the Review of Tax […]
LRB Releases Data on Tenure and Turnover in Legislature
Date Wed, May. 21, 2014 - 4:18pm By Hamilton
This election season marks a major shift in the Wisconsin State Legislature as 22 representatives and 7 senators announced they will not be seeking reelection in their previously held seats. What is difficult to say, is whether this is a new trend, a rarity, or common. The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau released a report covering […]
Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Upholds Act 10
Date Fri, Apr. 25, 2014 - 12:23pm By Hamilton
In September, we reported that the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin upheld Wisconsin Act 10, also known as the Budget Repair Bill. The plaintiffs failed to prove that Act 10 improperly restricts collective bargaining rights, and that Act 10 violates the Equal Protection Clause by treating individuals represented by a collective […]
Governor Walker Signs More Than 100 Bills
Date Fri, Apr. 25, 2014 - 10:55am By Hamilton
Governor Walker signed over 100 bills in the last two weeks. Many of the bills passed both houses of the State Legislature in the final days of session, in mid-March. You can find a full list of the bills Governor Walker signed on the Governor’s website. Energy Assembly Bill 344– requires property owners to disclose […]
Building Commission Approves New Projects
Date Thu, Apr. 24, 2014 - 3:05pm By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Building Commission, chaired by Governor and made up of Republican and Democratic state legislators, and one citizen member, passed four new state building projects: Construction of new motor vehicle storage facilities at the Onalaska Readiness Center in La Crosse County and the Portage Readiness Center in Columbia County; Expansion of the UW Hospital […]
LRB Provides Online Privacy and Security Info
Date Thu, Apr. 24, 2014 - 3:02pm By Hamilton
In the wake of the Internet scare caused by the “Heartbleed Bug”, the Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau has released two reports detailing online privacy and state services regarding cyber security. Regarding online privacy, a hot topic in the nation after the revelations in the media relating to the National Security Agency’s surveillance, many states are […]
New Voting Guideline Bills Signed into Law
Date Thu, Apr. 3, 2014 - 5:34pm By Hamilton
Governor Scott Walker signed a number of bills this week which have been very controversial over the course of the 2013-2014 legislative session. According to a press release from the Governor’s office, the bills include: Assembly Bill 24 – permits the Board of Canvassers to determine whether or not to conduct a recount of an […]
Final Legislation Goes Through State Senate
Date Thu, Apr. 3, 2014 - 5:13pm By Hamilton
As we reported last week, an amended version of a bill regarding insurance coverage of oral chemotherapy (SB 300)was passed in the Assembly. The amended version of the bill returned to the Senate this week, and was passed (26-7). The amended version of the bill provides that an insurance plan that covers both intravenous chemotherapy […]
Law Enforcement Bills Headed to Governor’s Desk
Date Thu, Apr. 3, 2014 - 4:16pm By Hamilton
On its last day of session, the Wisconsin Senate passed a number of bills of interest to law enforcement. Most notable was legislation (SB 373) that fixed a significant issue – the collection of DNA samples. In 2013, Gov. Scott Walker included language in the Budget bill that would allow law enforcement to collect DNA […]
Walker Signs TIF Bill with Bipartisan Support
Date Thu, Apr. 3, 2014 - 3:48pm By Hamilton
Governor Walker signed Senate Bill 252, which allows the Department of Revenue (DOR) to reduce the base value of certain tax increment finance districts that have suffered significant declines from their original values. As one of the Wisconsin Economic Development Association’s (WEDA) top legislative priorities, this bill is another example of the retooling that’s continually […]