Wisconsin Legislative Spotlight

The Week of November 16, 2009

The next scheduled floorperiod for the Wisconsin Legislature is January 19 to 28, 2010. The schedule of floorperiods for the 2009-2010 Legislative Session was established by 2009 Senate Joint Resolution 1.

2009-2010 Wisconsin Blue Book

The 2009-2010 Wisconsin Blue Book has been published. The Blue Book is available online and is available for purchase from Department of Administration Document Sales for $8.75 plus sales tax if picked up in person; for mail orders, add $3 to the total to cover shipping. The authors of the Blue Book feature article, "Wisconsin At the Frontiers of Astronomy: A History of Innovation and Exploration," were interviewed on Wisconsin Public Radio on November 11.

New Laws

As of November 13, Governor Doyle has signed 75 bills into law, with 27 enrolled bills awaiting gubernatorial action. On December 10, all enrolled bills not yet called for by the governor will be sent to him by the chief clerks pursuant to the 2009 session schedule.

2009 Senate Bill 370, relating to grants for improving academic achievement, was signed into law on November 9 and became 2009 Wisconsin Act 58.

2009 Senate Bill 371, authorizing the Department of Public Instruction, the University of Wisconsin System, the Technical College System, and the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities to study each other's education programs, was signed into law on November 9 and became 2009 Wisconsin Act 59.

2009 Senate Bill 372, using the results of standardized examinations to evaluate teachers, was signed into law on November 9 and became 2009 Wisconsin Act 60.

2009 Senate Bill 373, establishing or contracting for the establishment of a charter school, was signed into law on November 9 and became 2009 Wisconsin Act 61.

2009 Assembly Bill 281, to limit phosphorus content of household dishwasher detergent to 0.5% by weight, was signed into law on November 12 and became 2009 Wisconsin Act 63.

A list of enacted legislation from the 2009 session can be viewed at: http://www.legis.wi.gov/2009/data/acts/.

Enrolled Bills

2009 Senate Bill 40, relating to public finance of campaigns for the office of justice of the supreme court.

2009 Senate Bill 299, relating to public disclosure of certain information when child abuse or neglect results in death or serious injury or involves aggravated circumstances of when a child in an out-of-home placement commits suicide or is sexually abused by a caregiver.

2009 Senate Bill 331, prohibiting persons who have committed certain serious crimes from providing child care.

2009 Assembly Bill 250, regulation of persons who sell dogs or operate animal shelters or animal control facilities.

Other enrolled bills may be viewed by using the Enrolled Bills database in the "Searchable Infobase" section of the Wisconsin Legislature website.

Bills of Interest

Beer Tax Increase

On October 13, the Assembly Committee on Public Safety held a public hearing on 2009 Assembly Bill 287, which proposes to increase the tax on fermented malt beverages. Video of the hearing can be found in the archive of WisconsinEye.

Committee Activity

For times and locations of public hearings this week, see the Schedule of Committee Activities.

Featured Topic from the LRB Library

Recommended Titles on Educational Testing and Accountability

Grading the Systems: the Guide to State Standards, Tests, and Accountability Policies / edited by Richard W. Cross, Theodor Rebarber, and Justin Torres. Fordham Institute, c2004. (373.6/F751)

Mandated K-12 Testing in Wisconsin: a System in Need of Reform / Mark C. Schug, M. Scott Niederjohn. Wisconsin Policy Research Institute, 2009. (WPRI Report; v. 22, no. 3). (373.6/W751L)

National Education Standards: Getting Beneath the Surface / Paul E. Barton. Policy Information Center, Educational Testing Service, c2009. (373.6/Ed81s)

No Child Left Behind [Bibliography] / Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau Library, 2005. (Tap the Power series).

Progress in Implementing Standards, Assessments, and the Highly Qualified Teacher Provisions of NCLB: Perspectives from California, Georgia, and Pennsylvania / Jennifer Sloan McCombs. RAND, 2005. (372/R15c)

Standardized Testing: One Size Fits All? / Wisconsin Council on Children and Families, 2002. (373.6/W755)

Value added Testing: Improving State Testing and Teacher Compensation in Wisconsin / Mark C. Schug, M. Scott Niederjohn. Wisconsin Policy Research Institute, 2009. (WPRI Report; v. 23, no. 4). (373.6/W751m)

Recent Publications

• The Legislative Council released an Information Memorandum on Municipal Regulation of Wind Energy Systems (2009 Wisconsin Act 40).
• The Legislative Audit Bureau has released an audit on The Universal Service Fund.
• The Legislative Fiscal Bureau has released memos on the 2008-09 Estimated State Support for School Districts and Minnesota/Wisconsin Income Tax Reciprocity.
• The Legislative Reference Bureau released a brief on Regional Transit Authorities (RTAS). The LRB library released a new "Tap the Power" annotated bibliography on the Foreclosure Crisis.

For more information about Legislative Service Agency publications, see the left panel of the Spotlight index page.

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Last revised: November 13, 2009