Scott Walker was officially sworn into office this week as Wisconsin’s 45th governor and the Legislature has begun the 2011-12 session. Within minutes after taking the oath of office, Gov. Walker declared an economic emergency and called a special session to pass legislation aimed at adding jobs and sending a message that “Wisconsin is open for business.”

In the short two months between election night and inauguration, Gov. Walker unveiled numerous policies he plans to pursue soon after being sworn in and calling a special session focusing on job creation.

Those priorities include:

• Revamping the Wisconsin Department of Commerce to make it more business-friendly;
• Passing civil liability reforms to attract and retain businesses;
• Creating major regulatory reforms that will provide more checks and balances on state agencies, particularly those which have been assailed by employers as creating obstacles to legitimate business development; and,
• Eliminating state taxes on health savings accounts.

For details on the civil liability reforms, see the WCJC Special Session Analysis.