Wrapping Up 2021

As 2021 comes to an end, the Legislature is already preparing for its 2022 floor period.  Throughout December, legislative committees have been holding hearings and votes on proposals for the Assembly and Senate to consider when they reconvene in January.

Since my last E-Update, I am happy to say that Governor Evers signed into law Senate Bill 538, a proposal I cosponsored that, as Act 113, prohibits hospitals and transplant centers from denying organ transplants to patients solely on the basis of a patient's disability.  On the other hand, I am sorry to report that Governor Evers vetoed several pro-life proposals the Legislature had passed this fall - Senate Bills 16, 591, 592, and 593.

On the redistricting front, Governor Evers' decision to veto the legislative and congressional maps the Legislature adopted means the redistricting process is now in the courts' hands.  On November 30, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that it will use a "least-change" approach, working from the current maps and making only those changes necessary to reflect the 2020 Census results.  This week, the parties to the redistricting lawsuit submitted maps for the Court to consider.  The maps and supporting briefs are available on the Court's website, as are other documents related to the case.  The Court will hold further hearings on this issue in January.