Committee Recap: September 18-29

Fall session is officially here after Gov. Scott Walker signed the budget and Foxconn bills last week. In this week’s Committee Recap, catch up with the latest action on regulatory reform, law enforcement, health, and other issues that are being addressed in bills throughout the legislature.

  • On Tuesday, Sept. 19, the Assembly Regulatory Licensing Reform held a public hearing on Rep. Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna) and Sen. Alberta Darling’s (R-River Hills) bill that would require administrative rules to expire after seven years.
  • The Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety voted in executive session on 19 to pass Sen. Daniel Feyen (R-Fond du Lac) and Rep. Ron Tusler’s (R-Appleton) bill (SB 339) on huber release for probationers in county jails for a probation violation.
  • The Senate Judiciary Committee also passed Marsy’s Law (SJR 53) in a 3-2 vote with a single amendment to the Substitute Amendment already passed by the Assembly committee.
  • The Senate Judiciary Committee passed 3-2 a third bill on Sept. 19, authored by Sen. David Craig (R-Big Bend) and Rep. Mary Felzkowski (R-Irma), that would allow concealed carry of a weapon without a permit.
  • On Thursday, Sept. 21 the Assembly Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee held an executive session on Rep. Joel Kleefisch (R-Oconomowoc) and Rep. Andre Jacque’s (R-DePere) child trafficking prevention All four bills passed on bipartisan votes.
  • The Assembly Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee also held a hearing on Sept. 21 on device use while driving.
  • Also on Sept. 21, the Assembly Education Committee passed unanimously in executive session a bill requiring tuberculosis screening for school district employees. On Sept. 28, the Senate Committee on Education voted unanimously via paper ballot to pass the bill.
  • Also on Sept. 21, the Assembly Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on a set of bills (AB 395, 396, and 397), authored by Rep. John Spiros (R-Marshfield), defining “riot” and providing penalties for participating in a riot.
  • On Wednesday, Sept. 27 the Assembly Committee on Financial Institutions held a public hearing on a bill that would allow shareholders to participate in shareholders’ meetings
  • On Thursday, Sept. 28, the Assembly Health Committee held a public hearing on a bill that would give Medicaid patients access to complex rehabilitation technology.
  • The Assembly Health Committee also held an executive session on dental patient records on Sept. 28 and unanimously recommended the bill for passage.
  • Also on Sept. 28, the Senate Committee on Public Benefits, Licensing and State-Federal Relations executive session on occupational licensing reform. The bill passed 3-2, with three amendments.