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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. |
Governor Jim Doyle, in Executive Order #305, called the legislature to meet in special session on Wednesday, December 16. He directed the legislature to consider bills to address the needs of the students of the Milwaukee Public Schools, specifically Senate Bill 405 and Assembly Bill 534.
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.
On Tuesday, December 22, Governor Doyle signed 2009 Senate Bill 66 into law as 2009 Wisconsin Act 100. The act generally makes a fourth driving while intoxicated offense a felony, and it requires repeat offenders to install alcohol sensing interlock devices in their vehicles to prevent driving if alcohol is detected.
On Friday, December 11, Governor Doyle signed 2009 Senate Bill 278 into law as 2009 Wisconsin Act 97. The act removes the general limitation on U-turns at intersections controlled by traffic control signals. It also prohibits making U-turns on a curve or near the crest of a grade on an undivided highway where visibility is limited, and making U-turns when unsafe or when the U-turn would interfere with traffic.
Act 97 also reverses the Wisconsin Court of Appeals decision in Kaufman v. Postle, 2001 WI App 86, 26 N.W. 2d 10, in which the court determined that the statutes prohibited a motorist from passing a left-turning vehicle on the right by use of a paved shoulder. This bill reverses that decision by specifically allowing a motorist to pass a left-turning vehicle on the right by use of either the roadway or a paved shoulder.
On Tuesday, December 1, Governor Doyle signed 2009 Senate Bill 40 into law as 2009 Wisconsin Act 89 with a partial veto. The bill relates to public financing of campaigns for the office of supreme court justice. The bill establishes public financing by creating a financing option and two supplemental grants for a candidate. In his veto message, Governor Doyle stated that he believed his veto of section 17 of the act aligned the bill with its original intent.
The governor also signed 2009 Assembly Bill 250 on December 1, creating 2009 Wisconsin Act 90. It requires certain dog breeders (generally, those who sell 25 or more dogs a year) and animal shelters to be licensed by the state. The bill passed both houses unanimously. Licensing laws will take effect in 18 months.
As of December 23, Governor Doyle has signed 100 bills into law. There are 3 enrolled bills awaiting gubernatorial action. On December 10, all enrolled bills not yet called for by the governor were sent to him by the chief clerks pursuant to the 2009 session schedule.
A list of all enacted legislation from the 2009 session can be viewed at: http://www.legis.wi.gov/2009/data/acts/.
Other enrolled bills may be viewed by using the Enrolled Bills database in the "Searchable Infobase" section of the Wisconsin Legislature Web site.
There are no committee meetings scheduled for this week due to the holidays. Hearings and executive sessions will resume in the first week of January 2010. For more information on upcoming events refer to the Schedule of Committee Activities.
As world leaders meet in Copenhagen, the LRB library posted a Noteworthy Titles list on "Climate Change and the States."
2009 Senate Bill 359 would require school boards to provide instruction about the recent history of Hmong people. The library recommends the following titles related to this subject.
Hmong Resettlement / Legislative Reference Bureau, June 2004 (updated December 2009). (Tap the Power bibliography)
Wisconsin's Hmong Resettlement Task Force Report to Governor Doyle / Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, 2005.
Sample curriculum materials on Hmong in Wisconsin available in the LRB Library:
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.
For more information about Legislative Service Agency publications, see the left panel of the Spotlight index page.
Send comments to LRB.Reference@legis.wisconsin.gov
Last revised: December 23, 2009