The Assembly met on Tuesday, April 14, to vote on a number of bills, including two that I introduced, Assembly Bill 98 and Assembly Bill 99.  As I mentioned in my last E-Update, AB 98 would require the Department of Transportation to include the Wisconsin Veterans Tribute and Citizen Soldier Monument in Cadott on official state highway maps, and AB 99 would require DOT to include the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Chippewa Falls on highway maps, too.  I introduced AB 98 and AB 99 with Rep. Kathy Bernier and Sen. Terry Moulton, and both bills passed on voice votes.

In addition, Assembly passed Assembly Bill 113, follow-up legislation to 2013 Act 337, which was intended to reconcile the importance of heavy farm vehicles to Wisconsin agriculture with the impact of the vehicles on public roads.  AB 113 addresses a number of issues that have arisen since Act 337 became law.  AB 113 passed 99-0.

The Assembly also passed Assembly Bill 143, which recognizes the rapid growth in popularity of "transportation network companies" like Lyft and Uber and attempts to ensure that they operate safely and responsibly in Wisconsin.  AB 143 requires such companies to be licensed by the state Department of Safety and Professional Services, and it also establishes a number of criteria a company must meet, including fare disclosures, driver background checks, and insurance coverage.  AB 143 passed on a bipartisan 79-19 vote.

These bills and several others that were passed on Tuesday will now go to the Senate for further consideration.

The Assembly also concurred in Senate Bill 15, a bipartisan bill that will generally prohibit the manufacture and sale of personal care products that contain microbeads.  Microbeads are tiny plastic particles that are often used in items like soap and cosmetics.  Unfortunately, microbeads are also non-biodegradable, and they are so small that filters in water treatment systems can't trap them, so they end up in our lakes and rivers.  A number of states have already banned their use.  The Senate passed SB 15 in March, and this bill will now go to Governor Walker for his signature.

When the Assembly or Senate are in session, you may watch them on WisconsinEye or follow their activities on WisPolitics' Quorum Call blog.

Following the public hearings it held in March, the Joint Committee on Finance has begun to hold executive sessions on the 2015-2017 state budget bill, Assembly Bill 21 and Senate Bill 21.  On Wednesday, April 15, the committee began the process with discussions and votes on the portions of the budget dealing with a number of state agencies, including the Public Service Commission and the court system.  It continues its work today, when it will take up agencies like the technical college system, the veterans and military affairs departments, and medical assistance.  The next meeting is scheduled for next Wednesday.  The committee will continue to meet until it addresses all portions of the budget.

You may follow the committee's activities on WisPolitics' Budget Blog.  Among other things you will find on it is this list of nonfiscal policy items the committee's chairs, Rep. John Nygren and Sen. Alberta Darling, have said will be removed from the budget proposal (the page numbers on the list refer to pages in the Legislative Fiscal Bureau's summary of the Governor's budget recommendations).