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Wisconsin Legislative SpotlightMaintained by the Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB), this page provides an overview of recent and upcoming activities in the Wisconsin Legislature. The LRB revises its content weekly during legislative floorperiods and less often when the legislature is not in session. Links to more detailed information are highlighted in the text. |
The Wisconsin Legislature has approved a contract with WisconsinEYE. The seven-year contract gives WisconsinEYE exclusive rights to mount cameras and wiring in the State Capitol to provide C-SPAN-style coverage of the Legislature at no cost to the state. Broadcasting could begin as soon as January 2006.
The Weekly Hearings Schedule lists all scheduled hearings.
The 2005-06 legislative session began on January 3, 2005. No bills carry over from one biennial session to the next. Bills that legislators want to reintroduce receive new bill numbers in the new session.
Notification service. The legislature's Wisconsin Legislative Notification Service makes following the legislative process easier for interested citizens. Registered users can receive daily or weekly emails when specified legislative activity occurs. For example, users may choose to be notified about every action affecting a specific proposal, bills introduced by a particular legislator, activities of a specific committee, or introductions relating to a particular topic. This service is designed to make it much easier for citizens to follow the activity of the legislature.
Internet Broadcast of Floor Debate. Citizens can listen to live floor debate in both houses using the Legislature's InSession service: Senate audio and Assembly audio. Broadcasts are live only. If one house or the other is not in session, there is no audio available. The Assembly offers live video as well, with links from the InSession page. The InSession pages also provide the day's calendar with links from the calendar to bills before the house and to roll call votes as they occur.
The 2005-2006 Blue Book has been published and delivered to members of the Wisconsin Legislature. It is available for purchase from Document Sales and Distribution. An online version is available on the Wisconsin Legislature’s Web site.
Listen to or download free audio files on the LRB Podcasts Web site, which contains legislative information from experts in the field.
The Legislative Council's Publications Center provides overviews of topics of interest to the legislature as well as links to Council publications related to the topic.
Senate Joint Resolution 1 establishes the 2005-2006 Session Schedule. The legislature’s next scheduled floorperiod begins on October 25.
On October 13 Governor Doyle signed 2005 Assembly Bill 214, which establishes penalties for "huffing" household chemicals. The bill was promoted by the family of Aaron Wake, who died in 2001 from inhaling butane. The bill became 2005 Wisconsin Act 44. Other bills also signed last week are described on the governor's Web site.
2005 Assembly Bill 207, allowing certain health care professionals to refuse to participate in certain procedures to which they object, passed the Senate on September 27 by a vote of 21-12. The enrolled bill was presented to the governor on October 10.
2005 Assembly Bill 499, to ban human cloning, was concurred in by the Senate on September 28 by a vote of 21-12. The governor has not yet acted on the enrolled bill.
2005 Assembly Bill 461, which would require legislative approval of Indian gaming establishments on certain trust lands, was passed by the Assembly on September 27 by a vote of 59-37.
2005 Senate Bill 358 would prohibit the sale of consumer goods and services at unreasonably excessive prices during a period of abnormal economic disruption caused by an emergency.
2005 Senate Bill 215 and 2005 Assembly Bill 505 propose to repeal the minimum markup for motor fuel pricing.
2005 Assembly Bill 711, introduced on October 3, would eliminate the annual adjustment of the motor vehicle fuel tax rate.
2005 Assembly Bill 729, introduced on October 6, would reduce the rate of the motor vehicle fuel tax by 15 cents per gallon for the 120-day period beginning on the fourteenth day after the bill’s effective date.
2005 Assembly Bill 15 and 2005 Senate Bill 15 would require most automotive gasoline to contain between 9.2% and 10% ethanol.
2005 Assembly Bill 236 would exempt local governments, school districts, technical college districts, and UW System institutions from the motor vehicle fuel tax.
Senator Dave Zien and Representative Scott Gunderson have announced plans to introduce a modified version of the 2003 bill allowing citizens to carry concealed weapons. The 2003 bill was vetoed by the governor.
2005 Senate Bill 249 and 2005 Assembly Bill 542 propose various changes in the laws concerning election administration. These changes would include setting up satellite polling places, limiting waiting times for voters to 30 minutes, providing voter registration applications when getting a driver’s license, circulating an electronic list of felons barred from voting, and training poll workers. Senate Bill 249 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Labor and Election Process Reform. A public hearing on Assembly Bill 542 was held by the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections on September 1.
2005 Senate Bill 368, introduced on October 6, would permit a mother to breast-feed her child in any public or private location where she is otherwise authorized to be and would prohibit any person from interfering with this right.
The Legislative Audit Bureau conducts financial and program evaluation audits of state agencies. Recent audit reports are accessible online, including a report on the implementation of existing voter registration laws statewide.
The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents voted on September 9 to seek legislative approval to waive tuition charges in the Fall 2005 semester for students who have transferred to UW System institutions after their schools were unable to operate due to Hurricane Katrina. At a minimum, the regents decided to set a special rate for transferees that is not higher than the tuition paid by state residents.
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Last revised: March 26, 2008