Like Horses waiting to head for the barn, many legislators are chomping at the bit to get this session done and head back to their districts. But there is still plenty of work to be done, including dozens of bills being taken up by the Senate tomorrow.
Both houses are still hammering out the final amendments to some of the more controversial pieces relating to Common Core, election law changes and campaign finance reform to name a few. Some bills will pass, but more and more are falling by the wayside with each day.
The Senate and Assembly are both scheduled to be in the week of March 17-21 (Senate on March 18, Assembly on March 20), and the Senate is prepared to go in on April 1 to finish out any lingering or amended bills that make it through the Assembly on the 20th.
Our Hamilton team will provide a wrap-up report once the session is officially closed, or for the cool, upon adjournment sine die (from the Latin "without day"). Below we report on those initiatives still worth noting, but the transformation from policy-making to electioneering has begun.
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| Legislators Weigh in on Worker's Compensation Bills |
In the last edition of Hamilton Consulting's Political Tidbits, we reported on the Joint Committee hearing on Worker's Compensation. The proposed bill plans to establish cost controls in the system by implementing a fee schedule for medical costs by mid-year 2015.
Addressing issues seen in the bill, Senator Glen Grothman, Chair of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor, and Representative Dan Knodl, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Labor released a letter to provide commentary on one provision of the law.
Read more..
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New Lemon Law into Effect March 1
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2013 Wisconsin Act 101, which amends Wisconsin's lemon law, went into effect on March 1. Prior to Act 101, Wisconsin notoriously had one of the worst lemon laws in the country.
The law placed unreasonable and unworkable requirements on vehicle manufacturers that allows lawyers like self-proclaimed "Lemon Law King," Vince Megna, to win outsized awards that have no nexus to fairness or the underlying goals of the law.
Read more...
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Wisconsin Renewable Energy Act Introduced
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Despite its sweeping policies, the Wisconsin Renewable Energy Act was recently introduced with muted fanfare and debate that reflects its likely demise. Fair to say: too late, too much, and wrong party.
Introduced by Sen. Mark Miller (D-Monona), Rep. Katrina Shankland (D-Stevens Point), and Rep. Cory Mason (D-Racine), the legislation sets a course to reach 30% renewable energy by 2030 through a new renewable energy standard mandate. The bill also differentiates energy sources, providing preferences or penalties, depending on perspective, for certain electrons based upon how and where generated.
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Nonmetallic Mining Property Rights Protection Bill
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Senator Tom Tiffany (R-Hazelhurst) and Representative Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan) introduced legislation on February 26th that would secure legal nonconforming use rights for existing nonmetallic mining operations. The Senate bill was passed by the Senate Committee (3-2), and is now available for a vote on the Senate floor.
Read more...
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| U.S. Supreme Court Hears Case on Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions |
On Monday, February 24, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments for the case Utility Air Regulatory Group v. Environmental Protection Agency.This is the first case since the Court's Massachusetts v. EPA opinion to address the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act (CAA). In Massachusetts, the Court held that the EPA did have authority under the CAA. The case could potentially either expand or rein in the EPA's regulatory authority under the CAA. Read more...
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Tax Credit Transfer Bill Passes Assembly
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A bill which would authorize the transfer of certain tax credits connected to economic development in Wisconsin was passed unanimously in the State Assembly, sending the bill to the Governor's desk to be signed into law.
In a press release, the bill's author Rep. Amy Loudenbeck (R-Clinton), stated, "For over six months I have worked... to craft a limited economic development tax credit transferability bill that is unique to Wisconsin. Providing for the limited transfer of tax credits within the existing vendor or supplier network of a project will allow qualified applicants with no income tax liability to move forward with economic development projects, thus providing the missing value that is unavailable under current law."
The bill will allow for up to $15 million of economic development tax credits.
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Roundabout Legislation Likely Going Nowhere
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A bill has been introduced in the legislature that would allow municipalities to veto proposed roundabouts on state and county highways. At a recent public hearing, the American Council of Engineering Companies of Wisconsin explained that roundabouts are supported by research and engineers who believe roundabouts are the safest and most efficient design for an intersection.
The implementation of roundabouts in Wisconsin began in the 1990s, as Wisconsin had above average crash problems at intersections. A Wisconsin DOT study shows severe crashes have decreased by 38%, but less serious collisions have grown 12%.
The bill's author, Rep. David Craig (R-Town of Vernon) also testified. In a press release Rep. Craig stated the legislation allows local communities to decide what is best for their roads.
With this year's legislation session almost over, the bill is unlikely to see any time on the Senate or Assembly floor for a vote.
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| Wisconsin Governor's Conference on Tourism Takes Flight |
The Wisconsin Governor's Conference on Tourism was hosted this past week in Lake Geneva, which celebrates one of Wisconsin's leading industries and shares the Department of Tourism's outlook and plans for the future.
This year the conference was held at the Grand Geneva Resort and Spa in Lake Geneva, and featured a unique commercial debut. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Robert Hays teamed up to make a spoof of the movie "Airplane!" in a commercial promoting the beauty of Wisconsin and the state as a travel destination.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel jumped in with commentary on the commercial as well, explaining that the ad's angle in reference to the movie hopes to cut in against tourism ads from other states that concentrate on views of scenery.
 | | Airplane! Stars Shirley Love Wisconsin Summers |
Read more..
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| Lt. Governor Kleefisch Discusses Tax Reform Roundtables |
On Feb. 19th, 2014, WisconsinEye senior producer Steve Walters hosted a Newsmakers Interview with Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch. They discussed the upcoming tax reforms in the State of Wisconsin.
The interview concentrated largely on the new tax reform roundtables, which are held throughout the state to gather input from Wisconsin citizens.
Kleefisch also discussed an online version of the tax roundtables people can provide input about what taxes they would like to see reformed through a digital medium.
More information may be found at the website: taxreform.wi.gov.
This post was authored by Jake Heyka, an intern at the Hamilton Consulting Group.
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| Walmart Visits State Capitol |
Nearly 100 members of management teams and suppliers at Walmart visited the Wisconsin State Capitol this week to speak about growth in jobs in the US.
Read more...
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Kramer out, Strachota in
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As has been widely reported, GOP Majority Leader Bill Kramer was ousted by the Assembly Republican caucus due to allegations of sexual harassment.
In a unanimous vote, the GOP voted to remove Rep. Kramer from his leadership position. With a position open, the caucus immediately moved into elections, and Rep. Pat Strachota (R-West Bend) was elected as new Majority Leader. Strachota previously announced she will not be running for re-election this fall, therefore leaving room for new leadership next fall.
A number of elected officials, including Governor Scott Walker, have stated that should the allegations be true, Rep. Kramer should either resign or not run for re-election.
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High Court Hears Oral Argument for Voter ID Cases
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The Wisconsin Supreme court held oral argument for the Voter ID cases last month. The two cases, League of Women Voters v. Scott Walker and Milwaukee Branch of the NAACP v. Scott Walker challenge the constitutionality of the laws in Wisconsin requiring that one present a photo identification at the ballot. Read more...
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Walker Signs Newborn Testing Legislation
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On Monday, March 3, Governor Walker signed Senate Bill 523, which gives the Department of Health Services (DHS) the authority it needs for testing of newborn babies for congenital and metabolic diseases.
According to the press release:
"This is a potentially life-saving measure for our newborns," Governor Walker said. "All babies deserve the best chance at a happy, healthy life. When a simple test can lead to early detection of a critical disease, making sure our newborns get that screening is the right thing to do."
The pulse oximetry test, which can detect certain critical, congenital heart defects, is likely to be the first test reviewed under this bill.
The non-invasive test measures oxygen saturation in the blood using a sensor. Early detection of congenital heart defects leads to earlier treatment, which can be life-saving for a newborn.
The bill passed on a voice vote with bipartisan support. It is 2013 Wis. Act 135.
Learn more about screening for congenital heart defects.
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Hamilton Consulting: Your Government Relations Easy Button
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As the 2013-14 Legislative Session progresses, the Hamilton team is working to make sure our clients have the tools necessary to accomplish their government relations goals. We encourage our clients to remember to make use of all the many services we provide:
- Political Tidbits - Political Tidbits is our FREE email newsletter on political and policy developments in Wisconsin, including links to relevant news articles, policy papers, and other informative documents. We are constantly updating our mailing list and we could use your help! Please let us know if your email address is changing so you will continue to receive our newsletter. Also, feel free to forward this newsletter to others who may be interested in subscribing.
- News Clips - President Harry Truman once wrote that you can't get all the facts from just one newspaper, and without the facts, "you cannot make proper judgments about what is going on." The right column of Political Tidbits contains a selection of the most important news stories, but did you know you can always get the latest news sorted by subject on the Hamilton Consulting website?
- Tracking Reports - Tracking Reports provide timely, in-depth coverage of your legislative initiatives. If your organization did not have a tracking report last session and you are interested in having one during the coming session, please contact one of our team members.
- Political Fundraising Calendar - Hamilton's political fundraising calendar allows you to see all of the upcoming fundraising events and import them to your own calendar.
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