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"Busy" is an understatement for Capitol Square this week as the area was overflowing with activity. Right to work legislation wrapped up after 11 hours of testimony and debate in committee, followed by a marathon 24 hour debate on the Assembly floor. At the same time, the Joint Finance Committee held agency budget briefings with department secretaries for three consecutive days. Just down the street, the Monona Terrace was brimming with over 1,000 attendees in town for Business Day. In this week's Tidbits, we have the info on all three events. In addition, we have provided a budget summary on the governor's recommended state judiciary budget.
Stay up to date on the state budget process! Check our State Budget Issue Update page and follow us on Twitter.
If you wish to receive additional information about a topic addressed in Tidbits, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Hamilton Consulting Team.
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| Right to Work Passes on Party Line Vote |
Earlier this morning, on a party line vote, the State Assembly passed "Right-to-Work". The bill was messaged to Governor Walker who has said he'll sign it on Monday.
This morning's vote capped a whirlwind two weeks that saw quick introduction and relatively easy passage of a bill many thought would be too controversial to move this quickly, this early in the legislative session.
Assembly members endured 24 straight hours of contentious debate before passage this morning. Some observers believed a handful of Republicans might vote against the bill, but in the end the vote was 62-35 along party lines with two votes paired for absences.
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| State Judiciary Budget Summary |
Governor Walker submitted his 2015-2017 biennial budget to the legislature on February 3. The governor's proposed budget for the Judiciary (the State Supreme Court, the court of appeals, and the circuit courts) includes several initiatives intended to generate program flexibility and efficiencies through the creation of two block grants, Supreme Court Block Grant and Circuit Court Block Grant. The governor has also proposed the consolidation and elimination of several programs. This includes a proposal to eliminate the Judicial Council, the consolidation of appropriations for the Judicial Commission under the State Supreme Court, the creation of a Judicial Compensation Commission, and the modification of surcharge exemptions and court interpreter fees.
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| JFC Holds Agency Briefings for Three Days |
The Joint Finance Committee (JFC) met for three days this week to hear testimony from nearly all state agencies on thegovernor's proposed budget. Legislators posed questions to the department secretaries on the implementation of budget proposals and asked other questions pertaining to agency services.
JFC members heard testimony from most agencies, however a few did not testify, including the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection , Department of Tourism, Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of State Employment Relations, Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Public Service Commission.
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| Historic Preservation Tax Credit Report Released |
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) submitted its annual report on Historic Preservation Tax Credit Assistance program to the Joint Committee on Finance (JFC).
The report provides a summary of the total level of credits awarded under the program from its inception and details on the projects that received the credit. The historic tax credit, which began on January 1, 2014, has been awarded to 39 projects for a total amount of $41.7 million. The report, which includes both the Historic Preservation Tax Credit and the Historic Preservation Tax Credit-Qualified Rehabilitation program, is statutorily required to be submitted to the JFC by WEDC and state historical society.
Read more...
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| Bills of Note: TIF and Screenings for Newborns |
In this week's edition of Bills of Note, we update you on the tax increment financing (TIF) bill package and a bill that requires newborns be screened for lysosomal storage disorders.
TIF Bill Package The tax increment financing bill package is a product of the 2014 Legislative Council study committee on TIF - also referred to as a Tax Incremental District (TID). The package, which includes eight bills, has been introduced in the legislature and includes a number of reforms to streamline administrative processes and increase local flexibility. After being introduced by Joint Legislative Council, the bills have been referred to the Senate committee on Economic Development and Commerce.
Newborn Screenings Current law states all infants must be tested for some congenital and metabolic disorders before being discharged from a hospital, or if born outside of a hospital, within one week of birth. New legislation introduced by Senator Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point) and Representative Todd Novak (R-Dodgeville), would require infants also be tested for lysosomal storage disorders.
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Additional Changes to Governor Walker's Administration
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Last week, Governor Walker made additional changes to his staff and cabinet with the appointment of a senior advisor and new cabinet secretary.
The governor appointed Ray Allen as the Secretary of the Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) and Matt Moroney as a Senior Advisor in the governor's office.
Read more...
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| Business Day in Madison 2015 |
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| | Business Day in Madison 2015 |
Business Day in Madison is the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce largest event of the year, with record setting attendance, speakers, seminars, and legislative visits.
Read more...
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| Prominent Political Commentator to Speak in Madison |
Prominent political commentator Ezra Klein is set to speak at Memorial Union in Madison next week for a public lecture. Klein lead The Washington Post's Wonkblog, before leaving to create Vox.com, a general news site that provides context to complicated current events.
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