The capitol is busy with activity, as the end of the legislative session looms closer. This week, Governor Walker gave his sixth State of the State address to a joint session of the legislature. With only three more floor days left in 2016 for the Assembly, bills are flying through the legislative process. In this edition of Tidbits, you will find a recap of the governor's address, an update on recent legislation, and information on the recent general fund estimates released by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau.
Also in the New Year, the governor's cabinet gets a little shuffled and public unions may take a beating on the national stage from the U.S. Supreme Court this year. You can read about this and more below.
|
| Gov. Walker's 2016 State of the State Address |
Gov. Scott Walker delivered his sixth State of the State address on Tuesday night before a joint session of the state legislature.
The governor highlighted Wisconsin's current economic strength, including the 20-year record lows in unemployment, income tax, and property tax rates, and 20-year record highs in the labor rate.
The governor also spent a significant part of the speech highlighting successes in education, and a workforce development package that will be rolled out in 2016. Included in these plans is funding for a new pilot program to connect academics with career plans. Beginning in 2017, all pupils in grades six to 12 will be provided career-planning services. The administration also plans to work with the UW System to create a three-year degree, which would allow students to begin a college degree program in grade 12.
The governor plans to pay for this program and provide more funding for education by reforming the
way health insurance is administered for state employees
.
Finally, Gov. Walker announced the "2020 Vision Project". Throughout 2016 the governor will hold listening session throughout the state. The project will focus on identifying where Wisconsin should be in the next two decades.
|
|
| 2016 Wisconsin State of the State Address |
Read more about the governor's address.
|
| Election Season Heats Up: Sen. Gudex, Reps. Heaton and Knudson Not Seeking Reelection |
With election season right around the corner, Wisconsin lawmakers are making important decisions on campaigning and reelections. So far, three prominent Wisconsin lawmakers have decided to not run for reelection.
30th Assembly District - Rep. Dean Knudson
Rep. Dean Knudson (R-Hudson) has announced he will not be seeking reelection to the 30th Assembly District. Knudson serves on the powerful Joint Committee on Finance (JFC). Knudson's departure will leave an open seat on the influential budget committee.
85th Assembly District - Rep. Dave Heaton
Freshman legislator Rep. Dave Heaton (R-Wausau) has also announced he will not run for reelection. In 2014, Rep. Heaton edged out Democratic incumbent Mandy Wright by 86 votes for the 85th Assembly seat, and was considered to be one of the Wisconsin GOP's biggest victories. Heaton serves on the Committee on Children and Families, Committee on Consumer Protection, Committee on Judiciary, Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, and Speaker's Task Force on Urban Education.
18th Senate District - Sen. Rick Gudex
In the Senate, Sen. Rick Gudex (R-Fond du Lac) announced in November he would not be seeking reelection to the 18th Senate District. The first term state senator was elected in 2012 and will complete his four year term following at the end of 2016. Sen. Gudex, president pro tempore of the Senate, serves on the Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges. Additionally, Sen. Gudex is the chair of the Committee on Economic Development and Commerce and vice-chair of the Committee on Workforce Development, Public Works and Military Affairs. Gudex is also a board member for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.
|
| LFB: Smaller Surplus for State Budget than Estimated |
Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) released its most recent estimate of
Wisconsin's general fund for the 2015-2017 biennium. LFB previously estimated the net general fund balance would have a $164 million surplus. In the updated estimate, LFB projects the surplus will be $70.2 million at the end of the biennium (June 30, 2017).
According to LFB, the smaller surplus is a result of:
- A decrease of $158.2 million in estimated tax collections;
- An increase in departmental revenues of $6.3 million;
- A decrease of $87.1 million in sum sufficient appropriation expenditures; and
- A $29.5 million decrease in estimated lapses to the general fund.
|
| Cabinet Shuffle in the New Year |
This week, the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Reggie Newson announced his resignation to pursue a position in the private sector. Newson was appointed Secretary of DWD in October 2011.
Newson will be replaced by current Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) Secretary Ray Allen.
Allen has served as DFI secretary for one year and prior to that was deputy secretary for four years.
Filling the DFI secretary vacancy will be Lon Roberts, a retired attorney from Wausau. Roberts has served as Chair of the State Wisconsin Investment Board since 2012.
|
Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association - Act 10 Nationwide?
|
The Court is taking up a variety of interesting cases this term ranging from affirmative action in undergraduate admissions to redistricting. A particularly interesting case is Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association et al. The case involves 10 nonunion public school teachers who argue their free speech rights are violated by having to pay the equivalent of union dues.
The case presents two issues: (1) whether Abood v. Detroit Board of Education should be overruled, and (2) does it violate the First Amendment to require that employees affirmatively object to fees subsidizing activities unrelated to collective bargaining.
Read more about the case and the oral arguments from last week.
|
| Passed in the Senate: Limits on Liability Imputed to an Adult Sponsor of a Minor Driver |
Sen. Kapenga (R-Delafield) and Rep. Kuglitsch (R-New Berlin) have championed legislation to limit the liability that may be imputed to an innocent parent or other adult who sponsors a person under the age of 18 in obtaining a motor vehicle operator's license. Under current Wisconsin law, Wisconsin is one of only eight states in which a parent or other adult who sponsors a minor driver has unlimited liability for injuries caused by the minor's negligent acts while driving. Twenty-seven states impute no liability to an adult sponsor.
Both the Assembly bill,
Assembly Bill 540, and the Senate companion bill,
Senate Bill 408, were this week recommended for passage by committee. Next, the legislation must be scheduled for a vote in the Assembly.
Read more about the bill.
|
| Bills to Overturn Nuclear Moratorium Get Hearings |
AB 384, introduced by Rep. Ken Petersen (R-Waupaca) and SB 288, introduced by Sen. Frank Lasee (R-De Pere) would end the moratorium on nuclear power plants in the state of Wisconsin. The moratorium, 1983 Wisconsin Act 401, was put in place following the Three Mile Island plant accident in 1979.
The Assembly Committee on Energy and Utilities approved the bipartisan legislation 13-0 in December, and was passed by a voice vote in the Assembly on January 12. The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy held a public hearing on the legislation on January 5, and has yet to schedule an executive session.
Read more about the bill.
|
TIF Bills Get Hearing
|
The Assembly Committee on Ways and Means held a public hearing and an executive session on part of the tax increment financing (TIF) bill package on January 21. The bills are a product of the 2014 Legislative Council study committee on TIF. The committee took action on AB 134, AB 137, and AB 138.
|
| Senate Votes to Eliminate State Treasurer |
On January 21, the Senate voted on a party-line vote to eliminate the Office of the State Treasurer from the state constitution.
In an executive session in September, the Senate Committee on Labor and Government Reform passed
Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 5, which would eliminate the state treasurer position from the Wisconsin Constitution. The resolution passed on party-line, 3-2 vote.
|
|
Marathon Petroleum Partners with Local Fire Department to Meet Regulatory Needs
|
Marathon Petroleum, partnered with the local fire department in Green Bay to make sure an oil spill response organization (OSRO) could respond quickly to protect the public and the environment.
Read more about the partnership.
|
Requirements on Unemployment Benefits for Season Workers Tightened
|
In June, the state's Department of Workforce Development tightened requirements for people receiving unemployment benefits that are laid off but expect to be called back by an employer.
Instead of allowing people to be exempt from work searches for 52 weeks, now they will only receive a waiver for eight weeks, with a possible extension to 12 weeks.
|
| Hamilton Consulting: Your Government Relations Easy Button |
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 news sorted by subject on the Hamilton Consulting website?
- 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.
|
|
The Hamilton Consulting Group Political Tidbits is a free newsletter on Wisconsin political and policy developments. Please it to others who may wish to receive this service.
If you require additional information about a topic addressed in Tidbits for your organization's board meeting or trade publication, please do not hesitate to contact a Hamilton Consulting Group lobbyist.
To ensure that Political Tidbits never gets caught in your spam filter, please add publications@hamilton-consulting.com to your address book/contacts list. If you are receiving these emails via a workplace email account, please advise your IT service desk to do this for you.
|
|
|
|
