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This week’s activities were
highlighted by final legislative approval of two
major pieces of legislation that have been in
the development stages for the past 12 months,
and the Governor’s State of the State Address.
On Tuesday, January 20, the
State Senate, on a vote of 27-6, gave final legislative
approval to AB 655 which makes sweeping changes
to the state’s regulatory process, including streamlining
air and water permitting. The Governor wasted
no time, and signed the bill into law on Thursday,
January 22, 2004. The Administration was
an integral part of the negotiation process and
therefore was very familiar with the contents
of the bill, negating the need for a detailed
analysis prior to the Governor’s signature. While
not without controversy, the bill had the strong
backing of the business and economic development
communities, legislative leaders, as well as the
Administration, and garnered 107 0f the 127 legislative
votes cast.
Also on Tuesday, the State Assembly
gave final legislative approval (86-10) to Senate
Bill 305, which provides the most extensive and
significant changes to the Tax Incremental Financing
(TIF) law since TIF was originally adopted by
the Wisconsin Legislature in 1975. While
not as high profile as AB 655, the changes embodied
in SB 305 are extremely significant to economic
development efforts at the local level.
On Wednesday, January 21, in
his State of the State Address, Governor Doyle
reviewed the activities and accomplishments of
the past year and discussed some ongoing and new
initiatives for the year ahead.
| Policy Developments |
 |
| Doyle Signs Jobs Bill
On January 22, Governor Doyle signed AB 655,
the highly public omnibus regulatory reform
bill, dubbed the ‘Jobs Creation Act of
2003.’ The Governor signed the bill at
noon in De Pere, Wisconsin. Earlier in
the week, the Senate voted 27-6
to pass the bill; the Assembly passed
the bill 80-14
on January 13. (See the Governor’s statement
regarding Senate passage of AB 655.)
For a detailed analysis
of this substantial regulatory reform
initiative, see the Hamilton Consulting
Group’s Update
on AB 655.
TIF Bill Heads to Governor’s
Office
On Tuesday, January 20, the State Assembly
voted 86-10 to pass/concur in SB 305,
which makes substantial changes to Wisconsin’s
Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) program.
The bill was previously passed by the
Senate, November 13, by a vote of 20-11;
it will now go to the Governor for action.
For a detailed summary
of this legislative effort, please see
the Hamilton Consulting Group’s Update
on this bill.
Senate Votes to Override
Veto of Concealed Carry
On Thursday, January 22, the State Senate
voted 23-10
to override Governor Doyle’s Nov. 18,
2003 veto
of SB 214,
dubbed the Personal Protection Act of
2003 (relating to authorization of concealed
carry of weapons). The issue
is now in the Assembly, which has not
yet scheduled an override vote, but the
matter could be taken up next week when
the Assembly is back in session. The Assembly
will also need a two-thirds vote before
the Governor’s veto is overridden.
Governor Approves State
Contracts
On Wednesday, Governor Doyle signed
six senate bills ratifying state employment
contracts negotiated with the state. The
contracts cover employment of an estimated
6,500 state employees.
Changes to Product Liability
Law Receive Hearing
This morning (January 23) the Senate Committee
on Judiciary, Corrections and Privacy
is holding a public hearing and possible
executive session on SB 126,
relating to making several changes to
the state’s product liability law. The
hearing is at 10 a.m. in room 201 SE, Capitol.
Please see the Hamilton Consulting Group’s
Update
on the proposed product liability changes.
Assembly Committee to
Address Obesity Bill
On Monday, January 26, the Assembly Committee
on Judiciary will hold a public hearing
on AB 595,
relating to making civil liability exemptions
for claims resulting from weight gain
and obesity. The hearing is scheduled
for 9:00 a.m. in room 225-NW.
For further information
on legislative activity of interest to
CTCW members, go to CTCW
Legislative Tracking Report. |
| Wisconsin Politics |
|
State of the State Address
On January 21, Governor Doyle delivered
his 2004 State
of the State Address to a joint session
of the state legislature. The address focused
on several topics including job creation,
education, health care and taxes. |
| Federal Developments |
|
| Bush Delivers State of the Union Address
On Tuesday, January 20, President Bush
delivered his State
of the Union Address of 2004. His
address focused extensively on the War
on Terror and rebuilding of Iraq. The
address also covered tax relief, Medicare
reform, education, gay marriage and economic
development.
Supreme Court Says EPA
Can Overrule State Permitting Decisions
In a 5-4 decision, Wednesday, January
21, the United States Supreme Court ruled
that the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) has the authority, under the Clean
Air Act (CAA), to overrule a state’s decision
to issue a construction permit to a new
or modified source of regulated air pollutant(s)
emissions in an attainment area. Such
authority can be exercised if the EPA
shows the state permitting authority has
unreasonably determined that the source’s
proposed emission control technology is
in fact the Best Available Control Technology
(or BACT, the required technology standard
under the CAA). Under the Court’s ruling
(Alaska
Department of Environmental Conservation
v. EPA), state regulatory agencies’
authority to make permitting decisions,
under the CAA, is not without limit. |
| Upcoming Fundraisers |
|
| Monday, January 26, 2004:
-
St. Rep. Judy Krawczyk
(R-Green Bay, 5:00 p.m., Green Bay,
WI
-
U.S. President re-elect
George W. Bush (Cheney), 6:00 p.m.,
Pewaukee, WI
Tuesday, January 27, 2004:
Thursday, January 29,
2004:
|
CTCW Political Tidbits
is a weekly newsletter on Wisconsin political
and policy developments prepared for CTCW members
by The Hamilton Consulting
Group. Employees of CTCW member organizations
can subscribe at: http://www.ctcw.org/form-subscribe-tidbits.html.
To unsubscribe, go to: http://www.ctcw.org/form-unsubscribe-tidbits.html.
© 2004 The Hamilton Consulting
Group |
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| For Further Information |
|
For
further information on these initiatives,
contact Jim Hough at
The Hamilton Consulting Group.
|
In the News |
|
| Doyle
says state recovering; health care, jobs,
youth are priorities: Wisconsin State
Journal, Jan. 22, 2004.
Doyle's
agenda is a mixed bag (opinion): Wisconsin
State Journal, Jan. 22, 2004.
Senate
overrides concealed weapons veto:
Green Bay Press-Gazette, Jan. 22, 2004.
Doyle
pushes programs to help children, jobless:
Green Bay Press-Gazette, Jan. 22, 2004.
Area
leaders respond to State of the State:
La Crosse Tribune, Jan. 22, 2004.
Priske,
Slate vie for 41st assembly seat vacated
by Luther Olsen: Oshkosh Northwestern,
Jan. 22, 2004.
Doyle
signs five more state worker contracts:
Janesville Gazette, Jan. 22, 2004.
Gaining
a clearer economic picture: Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel, Jan. 21, 2004.
Economy,
borrowing push state to record for bankruptcies
in '03: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,
Jan. 20, 2004.
Fewer rules
for state's schools?: Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel, Jan. 21, 2004.
Doyle's
state of Wisconsin (opinion): Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel, Jan. 21, 2004.
Budget
fix aside, work remains for Doyle:
Green Bay Press-Gazette, Jan. 21, 2004.
State
lawmakers stress job growth: Green
Bay Press-Gazette, Jan. 20, 2004.
Bush to raise
Medicare outlays 10.6% to insurers:
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan. 20, 2004.
State
may get $132.7M in federal spending bill:
Appleton Post-Crescent, Jan. 19, 2004. |
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