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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. |
With the signing of the biennial budget on June 29, the most recent legislative floorperiod has concluded. The next floorperiod will commence on September 15. The schedule of floorperiods for the 2009-2010 Legislative Session was established by 2009 Senate Joint Resolution 1.
On July 17, 2009, Governor Doyle announced that the Spanish train manufacturer Talgo will build assembly and maintenance facilities in Wisconsin as part of a $47.1 million contract to purchase 2 commuter trains. The company is considering sites in Milwaukee, Janesville, and possibly Kenosha. On August 4, the Joint Committee on Finance voted 11 to 4 to issue $47.1 million in bonds to buy the trains from the Spanish train manufacturer. Section 85.06 (2) (b), Wisconsin Statutes, allows the state to buy passenger trains without competitive bidding.
On July 31, in response to extremely low milk prices, the USDA increased the amount paid for dairy products through the Dairy Product Price Support Program by $243 million. On August 3, the U.S. Senate approved an additional $350 million for milk price supports. The LRB Library has compiled a list of items in our catalog relating to dairy pricing. That list, along with several other topical lists, can be found on the right-hand side of the Library Services page of the LRB Web site.
The cooperation plan introduced by Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty in March of this year was in the news again this week. The plan recommends dozens of ways the two states could lower costs through joint purchasing agreements to benefit from bulk pricing discounts, and sharing in the delivery of services to the citizens of both states. Originally, the plan was projected to save roughly $10 million for each state. A recent Associated Press survey revealed that Wisconsin has only saved $75,000 from the plan. The full-text of the plan was harvested by the LRB Library and is available in the Wisconsin Digital archive here.
The Legislative Reference Bureau recently issued the following publications:
The LRB is on Twitter
You can now access updates from the LRB on Twitter, including information on new LRB publications, new acquisitions by the LRB Library, general information about the legislature, and the current legislative session. To find the LRB on Twitter, go to: http://twitter.com/WILRB.LRB Podcasts
The LRB has also released a Podcast about the LRB state documents collection and one about Conflict in the Wisconsin Legislature.
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.”
Study guides for the 2009-2010 Wisconsin Blue Book will be available after that edition is published this fall.
Send comments to LRB.Reference@legis.wisconsin.gov
Last revised: August 07, 2009