The legislature is back in session after a very short summer break. Committee hearings and votes are coming faster, legislative days in the capitol have started back up and even some election news for next year is trickling out. You can read about some of the bills the Senate passed this week in Tidbits
, and read an account of the Audit Committee's hearing on WEDC. In election news, State Supreme Court Justice Patrick Crooks, often the key swing vote on opinions, has announced he won't be running for reelection in 2016.
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| Audit Committee Holds Hearing on 2015 WEDC Audit |
The Joint Legislative Audit Committee met on Wednesday, September 9, to discuss the findings of the Legislative Audit Bureau's (LAB) audit of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), released in May of this year. WEDA members presented extensive testimony that hit on nearly all of the points committee members raised while questioning the LAB, WEDC, and WEDC Board members.
Senator Rob Cowles (R-Green Bay) chaired the hearing and kicked it off by asking LAB if any improvements have been made since the 2006 audit. LAB responded improvements had been made, specifically in the areas of policies governing grants and loans, financial management, and data collection.
Read more about the hearing and WEDA's testimony.
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| Supreme Court Race Heats Up |
As summer winds down the race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court is heating up. On Wednesday, September 17, Justice Patrick Crooks announced he would not be seeking another term on the court. Justice Crooks served on the bench for thirty-eight years, first on the Brown County Circuit Court and then on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. While this news has long been expected in some circles, the lack of an incumbent shakes up the race. The only time an incumbent has been beat in the last half century is when Justice Michael Gableman defeated Justice Louis Butler in 2008.
The race started off unusually early this year with two candidates declaring their candidacies in mid-June. They are Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Joe Donald and State Court of Appeals Judge JoAnn Kloppenburg. Judge Donald, who was appointed to the bench in 1996, is leading in fundraising so far with more than $100,000 raised while Judge Kloppenburg, who challenged Justice David Prosser in 2011, has raised less than half that amount. Judge Kloppenburg was elected to the state court of appeals in 2012.
Read more about the race.
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| Bills of Note: Heroin Prevention, TIF, and a Constitutional Amendment |
Nygren Announces HOPE agenda legislation
Representative John Nygren (R-Marinette) announced a bill package that if passed would provide additional heroin, opiate prevention and education to combat the heroin and opiate epidemic in Wisconsin. The bills are a continuation of Rep. Nygren's plan to combat the heroin epidemic.
Read about the legislation.
More TIF bills pass Senate
The State Senate met this week for the first time since the budget bill was passed in July. During the day's floor period, the Senate passed three bills that are part of TIF Bill package. The TIF Bill Package was introduced by the Joint Legislative Council as a result of the 2014 summer study committee on TIF.
Read more about the TIF bills that passed this week.
Wisconsin Treasurer Adamczyk supports eliminating position
A constitutional amendment to remove Wisconsin's State Treasurer is gaining steam amongst lawmakers. Senate Joint Resolution 4, authored by Senator Rick Gudex and Rep. Michael Schraa (R-Oshkosh), was introduced to the Senate Committee on State Affairs and Government Operations in January and a public hearing was held Tuesday.
Read more about the proposed constitutional amendment.
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| Mark Hogan Named New CEO of WEDC |
Governor Scott Walker has announced the appointment of Mark Hogan as CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC).
Hogan has worked for nearly 40 years at M&I Bank and BMO Harris Bank. After retiring as M&I's Executive President/Chief Credit Officer, he joined BMO Harris in 2011 to serve as a Senior Advisor.
Read more about the new CEO.
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Newsmakers with DOT Secretary Mark Gottlieb
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In a recent interview, Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Mark Gottlieb sat down with Wisconsin Eye to discuss the state of Wisconsin's transportation issues. In the interview, Gottlieb talks about the budget, bonding, the extra Joint Finance Committee authorization, and the state of Wisconsin's roads.
Watch the video here.
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U.S. Senate Takes on "Litigation Finance" Industry
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Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), Senate Majority Whip, are calling for more transparency in the litigation finance industry. Litigation finance firms fund plaintiffs to pursue lawsuits, taking a cut of the recovery if plaintiffs win or settle with the defendants. Critics of the industry say that firms fund frivolous lawsuits, drive up costs for all litigation, and exercise undue influence in the strategy and decision making for those they fund. Advocates for litigation financing say it helps plaintiffs, who would not otherwise be able to pursue lawsuits, have their day in court.
Read more about the proposed legislation.
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Wisconsin Slips in Institute for Legal Reform's Rankings of State Liability Systems
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Rankings Drop Driven in Part by Judicial Behavior
The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) routinely conducts a survey of in-house general counsels, senior litigators, and other senior executives at companies with at least $100 million in annual revenues with recent litigation experience in each state (within the last four years). 75% of survey respondents reported that a state's litigation environment is likely to impact important business decisions at their companies such as whether to locate or do business in the state.
Read more about the state's rankings.
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| Aggregate Producers of Wisconsin Hold Legislative Day |
Aggregate Producers of Wisconsin (APW) held their legislative day in Madison this week.
Attendees spent the morning listening to legislative, regulatory, and administration speakers. Pat Stevens, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division Administrator for Air, Waste, and Remediation and Redevelopment presented on the DNR's new reorganized structure, and on how permitting and regulation is changing at the DNR. Katie Ignatowski, Chief Legal Counsel for Governor Walker, also spoke on regulatory reform legislation currently being considered by the legislature.
Read more about APW.
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| WEDA Recognizes Legislators with Economic Development Policy Awards |
The Wisconsin Economic Development Association (WEDA) has recognized four legislators for their legislative policies and support that promote and foster economic development.
Senator Rick Gudex (R-Fond du Lac) received the WEDA Legislative Champion Award, which is given to legislators who provide legislative leadership with regards to advancing Wisconsin's economic development programs and policies. Sen. Gudex's leadership during the 2013-2014 legislative session paved the way for the development of the Wisconsin Fast Forward program, which provides workforce training assistance to firms that represent a number of Wisconsin's, existing as well as emerging, targeted industries. Additionally, Sen. Gudex led the Legislative Special Study Committee on the review of Tax Incremental Financing (TIF). This committee's work has been instrumental with identifying a number of key solutions that will improve TIF's application, as well as its accountability. Sen. Gudex continued to support these policy initiatives, and other key WEDA legislative priorities too, by shepherding various reforms through the Senate during the 2015-2016 legislative session.
Read more about the awards given to Representatives Loudenbeck, Ohnstad, and former Senator Tim Cullen.
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