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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 next legislative 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 August 17, 2009, Governor Doyle announced that he would not run for a third term. Doyle, a Democrat, was first elected in 2002. The next gubernatorial election will be held in 2010. Below are two charts that offer a historical perspective on the election of Wisconsin's governors by political parties and number of terms.
Total count includes Philip Fox La Follette as a three-term governor.
He was elected for one term as a
Republican, and for two terms as a Progressive.
*Footnotes:
Charts include only those governors elected in the general election.
Prior to 1970, governors were elected to 2-year terms.
Progressives count includes Orland Steen Loomis (elected 1942) who died prior to inauguration.
Whig Party had one 1-term governor (elected 1851).
As of August 28, for this session 39 bills have been passed by the legislature and signed into law.
A list of enacted legislation from the 2009 session can be viewed at: http://www.legis.wi.gov/2009/data/acts/.
AB-392, introduced on August 26, relates to prohibiting licensed lenders from assessing finance charges that exceed 36% on consumer loans.
AB-393, introduced on August 26, relates to permitting school boards to use the results of standardized tests taken by students to evaluate teacher performance.
SB-275, introduced on August 26, relates to prohibiting employment discrimination based on an applicant’s credit history.
The Assembly Committee on Forestry will hear testimony from the public regarding Wisconsin’s Managed Forest Law on Tuesday, September 1, at 10 a.m. in Room 415 Northwest, State Capitol.
The Assembly Committee on Natural Resources has a public hearing on AB-360, relating to discharging ballast water, which may introduce nuisance species of aquatic life to Wisconsin’s waters, on Wednesday, September 2, at 10 a.m. in Room 412 East, State Capitol.
For times and locations of other public hearings this week, see the Schedule of Committee Activities.
Recently, legislative committees conducted hearings on two bills (SB-30 and AB-106) relating to underage persons possessing, consuming, or being provided alcohol beverages on licensed premises when accompanied by a parent, guardian, or spouse.
The LRB Library has many items that address underage drinking; here are some which are closely related to the topic of these two bills:
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 28, 2009