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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. Links to more detailed information are highlighted in the text. |
The schedule of floorperiods for the 2009-2010 Legislative Session was established by 2009 Senate Joint Resolution 1. The most recent legislative floorperiod ended March 26, and after bills are presented to the Governor by April 9, the next floorperiod commences on April 21.
On March 26, Governor Doyle announced $572,000 in comprehensive planning grants to 26 local governments.
On March 26, Governor Doyle signed legislation relating to traveling sales crews. 2009 Wisconsin Act 3, popularly known as "Malinda's Act," seeks to provide legal protections for workers, consumers, and homeowners with respect to door-to-door sales. The bill was a response to abuses in the industry that came to light following a traveling sales crew van crash in Janesville 10 years ago.
The Public Service Commission approved $5.7 million in refunds due customers of Madison Gas and Electric because of lower fuel costs.
After Governor Doyle delivered his Budget Message (video) to the Legislature on February 17, the Joint Committee on Finance introduced the Biennial Budget Bill, 2009 Assembly Bill 75. The Department of Administration has issued its guide to the bill, the Budget in Brief.
Items of interest in the budget bill include:
Tax and Fee Increases. On March 18, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau released a memorandum titled: “State Tax and Fee Modifications Included in the Governor’s 2009-11 Budget Recommendation.” According to a summary in the memo, the changes in the governor’s budget would increase net taxes by about $1.47 billion during the biennium and would increase net fees by about $237 million during the two years covered by the budget. In addition, measures to enhance the collection of current taxes and fees would generate an estimated $61 million.
Local aids. On March 19, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau released estimates for 2010 County and Municipal Aid Payments under AB 75. The bill would reduce local aid payments by a total of about 1%, or $8.5 million.
Senator Mark Miller and Representative Mark Pocan, co-chairs of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance, announced a series of public hearings across the state on the 2009-2011 budget bill, AB-75. The hearings are all scheduled for 10 am to 4 pm, and upcoming dates and locations this week are:
On February 19, Governor Doyle signed the Budget Adjustment Bill (2009 Senate Bill 62), creating 2009 Wisconsin Act 2. The bill passed swiftly through the Senate and Assembly (18-15 and 51-48, respectively). Items of interest in the bill include a provision for combined reporting for corporations, an increase in the hospital assessment for FY 2008-09, and the introduction of the streamlined sales tax which will require sales and use taxes to be collected on purchases of specified digital goods like music downloads. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau released a summary of the bill's provisions.
Governor Doyle's introduction of the Biennial Budget was delayed so that his office could review the federal economic stimulus package, which was signed by President Obama on February 17. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was passed by Congress on February 13. The governor has announced that Wisconsin will receive more than $3.7 billion in federal stimulus funds. The newly created Wisconsin Office of Recovery and Reinvestment has released a list which estimates how much the state will receive by federal program.
For a historic comparison of how federal economic stimulus packages have impacted the state, the LRB library has dozens of the original reports documenting the economic stimulus and work relief projects funded during the 1930s through federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) spending and state funds. The reports, including such titles as A Half Billion Dollars for Public Welfare in Wisconsin, 1931-1936 and Review of Work Relief Activities, April 1934-Aug. 1935, are listed in LRBCAT under the keyword search terms “Wisconsin Public Welfare Dept.” and “Wisconsin Emergency Relief Administration.”
Two timely publications were added to the LRB’s Theobald Legislative Library's circulating collection; both are available in paper and online.
Other sites of interest:
The text and history of legislation introduced in the 2009 Legislative Session may be accessed on the Legislature's Web site. Click on "Text of Introduced Proposals" in the Legislative Documents Search.
Bills introduced last week include:
Several committees will be meeting this week, including three Legislative Council special committees. Please see the Schedule of Committee Activities to view the full monthly calendar and details on times and locations of committee meetings.
The Legislative Reference Bureau recently issued the following publications:
Recent publications by other legislative service agencies:
Two Informational Bulletins were also issued by the LRB as companions to the 2007-2008 Wisconsin Blue Book: Informational Bulletin 07-1, “A Study Guide to the 2007-2008 Wisconsin Blue Book,” and Informational Bulletin 07-2, “Inside the 2007-2008 Wisconsin Blue Book.”
Send comments to LRB.Reference@legis.wisconsin.gov
Last revised: March 27, 2009