WisconsinEye’s Steve Walters recently hosted a Capitol Roundtable with a handful of the state’s most well-known Capitol correspondents, Scott Bauer, AP; JR Ross, WisPolitics; Mary Spicuzza, Wisconsin State Journal; Bob Hague, Wisconsin Radio Network. The journalists provided an interesting take on what happened during the first half of the 2013-14 Legislative Session and what sort […]
Last Floor Sessions of 2013
Date Tue, Nov. 19, 2013 - 11:59pm By Hamilton
The Senate and Assembly have adjourned their last regular sessions for 2013. Both houses had busy agendas as they moved to get bills passed before the end of the calendar year. Elections and Politics The most contentious issues involved elections – from voting to recalls and redistricting. Party line votes and long debates were abundant. […]
Legislature Debating Nonmetallic Mining Law
Date Sun, Nov. 10, 2013 - 8:06pm By Hamilton
Iron ore mining features heavily in Wisconsin’s history, but that is not the only type of mining the state is known for. Wisconsin has long been considered one of the nation’s best sources of industrial sand and stone. While many quarries have dotted the landscape for past 100 years, the sand mining boom in Western […]
Schultz Goes In-Depth with WisconsinEye
Date Sun, Nov. 10, 2013 - 7:45pm By Hamilton
Sen. Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) is something of an enigma in the Wisconsin Senate. Formerly one of the state Republican Party’s leaders, Schultz is now on the outs with many members of the party after voting with Democrats against the 2011 budget repair bill and against the mining bill in 2012. Schultz now faces a […]
Recommendations from the Mental Health Taskforce
Date Thu, Oct. 24, 2013 - 8:43pm By Hamilton
Recently, the Speaker’s Task Force on Mental Health published a report containing their recommendations to improve Wisconsin’s mental health services and laws. The bipartisan Task Force chaired by Rep. Severson, brought together legislators, specialists, law enforcement officers, and mental health care providers to develop the recommendations. The report recommendations include: Hospital Diversion, Emergency Detention, and Civil […]
New Committee Chairs Named
Date Thu, Oct. 24, 2013 - 8:26pm By Hamilton
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos announced the following new committee chair assignments in response to the resignations of Reps. Honadel, Stone, and Suder: Committee on Energy and Utilities – Rep. Mike Kuglitsch (R-New Berlin) Committee on Government Operations and State Licensing – Rep. Chad Weininger (R-Green Bay) Committee on Small Business Development – Rep. Gary Tauchen […]
LRB Publishes Latest Blue Book
Date Tue, Oct. 8, 2013 - 12:33pm By Hamilton
Since 1853, Wisconsinites have turned to the Blue Book as the ultimate reference guide on the state of Wisconsin. The 2013-14 edition is now available. The first edition of the Blue Book was prepared in 1853, under the direction of the speaker of the assembly. Except for a gap in publication between 1853 and […]
GAB Releases Lobbying Report for First Half of 2013
Date Tue, Oct. 8, 2013 - 12:27pm By Hamilton
The Government Accountability Board (GAB) has published a summary of the lobbying activity conducted during the first six months of 2013. Each of the 674 organizations that employed lobbyists in Wisconsin during the 2013-2014 legislative session reported to the GAB the number of hours and dollars it spent on lobbying-related efforts through the end of […]
Rep. Stone Headed to PSC
Date Fri, Oct. 4, 2013 - 9:30am By Hamilton
Yet another legislator has announced they will be resigning their office this fall. Rep. Jeff Stone (R-Greendale) is resigning his office effective October 14th in order to join the Public Service Commission as its new Division Administrator for Water Compliance and Consumer Affairs. If this announcement has you feeling déjà vu, it might be because […]
Special Elections Scheduled
Date Wed, Sep. 18, 2013 - 8:57am By Hamilton
Gov. Walker has called a special election to fill the seats of departing Assembly members Scott Suder (the 69th District) and Mark Honadel (the 21st District). The elections will take place on November 19, and, if necessary, a primary will be held on October 22. Because the representatives resigned on different days, Gov. Walker issued […]