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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 the next floorperiod commences on April 21. The Senate and Assembly Rules Committees will meet early this week to establish the floor calendar for Thursday, April 23. On April 23, the Assembly will also honor the late former Rep. John Merkt.
Midge Miller, former state legislator representing the west side of Madison, passed away on Friday, April 17, at the age of 86. Her son is state Senator Mark Miller (D-Monona), the current co-chair of the Joint Finance Committee. Miller, who served in the Assembly from 1971 to 1985, was best known for taking a stand on the issues of peace and economic and social justice. She helped to found the National Women’s Political Caucus and the New Democratic Coalition. She was also a member of the Democratic National Committee for nine years. Miller’s biography from the 1973-74 Wisconsin Blue Book can be found here.
Governor Doyle signed the following bills into law on April 14.
Assembly Bill 3 restricts the application of fertilizers containing phosphorous to lawns, golf courses, and other mowed grassy (turf) areas. The bill provides exceptions for agricultural land and some manure products, and allows use of fertilizer with phosphorous to some limited circumstances. These new phosphorous restrictions will protect Wisconsin’s lakes and aquatic habitats while allowing for reasonable exceptions.Senate Bill 7 allows Chippewa Falls to file paperwork to amend Tax Incremental District ten by December 31, 2009. The bill will support economic growth in the region.
Assembly Bill 4 changes the restrictions on catch and release bass and muskellunge fishing. The bill eliminates the requirement that the Department of Natural Resources specify a season for catch and release of these fish in inland waters north of US Highway 10, and eliminates the requirement to use barbless hooks during this season.
Senate Bill 6 adds a ten-mile portion of the Brunsweiler River to the state’s wild river system. The section, which runs through the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Ashland County, will be named the “Martin Hanson Wild River” in honor of the state’s conservation leader who died in 2008.
Senate Bill 36 allows the judicial system to decide whether to suspend a person’s driver’s license if the person is convicted of a nontraffic drug violation. The bill also makes optional the suspension of driving privileges of persons convicted of drug violations in other states.
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 issued its guide to the bill, the Budget in Brief.
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.
Property Tax Estimates. On April 8, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau released a memorandum that provides an estimate of the effects of the budget bill on property taxes, updating the property tax estimates for the 2008(09) tax year based on nearly complete reports filed with the Department of Revenue.
On April 7, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau released a list of non-fiscal policy items contained in the proposed budget. Joint Committee on Finance co-chairs Senator Miller and Representative Pocan released a letter in response. (Links courtesy www.thewheelerreport.com.)
The Joint Committee on Finance conducted a series of public hearings across the state on the 2009-2011 budget bill, AB-75. Video of all these hearings can be found in the archive at WisconsinEye.org.
On April 16, the committee held an executive session. The first order of business was a 13.10 request for $38 million of federal stimulus money to the Department of Workforce Development. The LFB paper on the request can be viewed here. The conclusion was adopted, 15-0. Another executive session will be held Tuesday, April 21. Budget papers can be viewed on the Legislative Fiscal Bureau’s Web site.
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.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was passed by Congress on February 13. The Wisconsin Office of Recovery and Reinvestment was created by Governor Doyle to help with fully understanding the federal stimulus package and how best to access funds.
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.”
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 recently include:
In the race for Supreme Court Justice, incumbent Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson defeated challenger Randy Koschnick. Abrahamson was first appointed to the Supreme Court by Governor Patrick Lucey in 1976. She is one of the longest serving justices in the court’s history.
Deputy Superintendent Tony Evers defeated Rose Fernandez in the race for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Official election results are not yet available.
In recognition of National Library Week (April 13-19), we want to mention some of our recent publications on libraries in Wisconsin. Last year, the Department of Public Instruction funded a study by NorthStar Economics entitled "The Economic Contribution of Wisconsin Public Libraries to the Economy of Wisconsin." The full report and the executive summary are available on the DPI Web site and also through the Wisconsin Digital Archives here: Report and Summary. In 2002, the DPI released its "Final Recommendations of the Wisconsin Public Library Legislation and Funding Task Force." This report is available online and through the Wisconsin Digital Archives here: Task Force Report.
Numerous committee hearings are scheduled for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week. 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: April 17, 2009