Gov. Jim Doyle Delivers Sixth State of the State Address
In his sixth State of the State Address, Gov. Jim Doyle presented his
vision of the state’s current condition and need for new
initiatives, focusing on economic development, increasing
renewable energy, and spending for health care insurance and
education.
Economic Development
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Provide tax credits to reward companies that
significantly increase R&D spending.
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Modernize meat and dairy processors, invest
in cheese cooperatives, fund nutrient management and land
conservation programs and enter growing international
markets for whey.
Renewable Energy
Health Care
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Create BadgerChoice to provide health
insurance to employees of small businesses.
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Require insurance companies to cover
treatment for autistic children.
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Make all public places completely smoke free.
Education
Republicans and Economic Development
Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch (R-West
Salem) responded to Doyle’s address saying he hopes to move forward
with the Legislature and the Governor in attracting businesses
to Wisconsin and creating family supporting jobs as well as
easing the costs of health care. The Assembly Republicans are
expected to offer some additional economic development
proposals.
Additionally, Sen. Kanavas has unveiled his Invest Wisconsin 2.0
plan. There are ten bills in the plan, including a
nanotechnology tax credit, capital gains reinvestment in a
certified Wisconsin-based business, product liability reform,
education tax credit and jobs preservation act.
Invest Wisconsin 2.0 Brochure
Invest Wisconsin 2.0 List of Legislative
Content (as of January 23, 2007)
Press Release: Kanavas Unveils Invest
Wisconsin 2.0
State Tax Collections Down – Revenue Shortfall
Possible
The Director of the Legislative Fiscal
Bureau has issued a memorandum advising members of the state budget-writing
committee that State tax revenues could fall $300 million to
$400 million short over the next 17 months.
At
the beginning of each year, the LFB provides preliminary
information regarding general fund tax revenue estimates based
on a review of year-to-date tax collections data and the
national economic forecast. Tax collections were below
expectations and the current economic forecast shows areas of
concern.
Department of Administration Secretary Mike Morgan said in
response that the state will need final numbers on the impact of
the slowing national economy before determining what the next
steps should be.
In a separate statement on the revenue condition, Speaker Mike Huebsch
said that government will have
to control its spending and not raise taxes as it tries to deal
with the looming shortfall.
Legislature Nearing End of 2007 Biennial Session
The legislature will be on the floor
from now through January 31, 2008. The next scheduled general
business floorperiod will be February 19 to March 13, the last
of the 2007 biennial session.
There will be a limited-business floorperiod May 6-8 in which
action is limited to revisor’s bills, reconciliation bills,
state employee contract bills and resolutions. There will also
be a veto review session May 27-28.
Governor Signs Several Bills into Law
Cable television franchise: On December 21, Governor Doyle
signed 2007 Assembly Bill 207, creating 2007 Wisconsin Act 42 with partial vetoes. The act establishes a statewide video franchise,
repealing state laws that allow municipalities to grant cable
franchises and requiring cable companies to obtain a franchise
through the state Department of Financial Institutions.
Municipal boundary disputes: On January 4, Governor Doyle signed 2007 Assembly Bill 254, developed by the Legislative Council
Special Committee on Municipal Annexation, and relating to
municipal boundary agreements. It became 2007 Wisconsin Act 43.
Recent Senate and Committee Action
The Senate voted (18-15) (17 Democrats and one Republican for and 14
Republicans and one Democrat against) to pass SB 138, allowing a parent and adult children as eligible to
recover for loss of society and companionship as the result of
medical malpractice.
[While loss of society and companionship is always an emotional
issue, this is a legislative created recovery theory that is not
based on common law and several groups oppose this legislation
including CTCW, WCCJ, WEDA and the Wisconsin Medical Society.]
SB-150 would ban
smoking in taverns, restaurants, and other workplaces currently
exempted from statewide smoking prohibitions. The Senate
Committee on Public Health, Senior Issues, Long Term Care and
Privacy voted to pass the bill out of committee on January 11
and it will now go to the full Senate.
Assembly Committee Action
Health and Healthcare Reform
AB-71: Requires
that patients be informed of health care facility use
charges and that the charges be identified separately on
bills. The committee adopted Amendment 1 and voted for passage (13-0).
Energy and Utilities
AB-346: Repeals
limits on construction of new nuclear power plants. The
committee voted (8-2) to approve legislation repealing state
limits on new nuclear power plants. Current restrictions
make it difficult to win approval for construction of new
plants
AB-347: Requires
the PSC to investigate future electric supplies after the
operating licenses of nuclear power plants in the state
expire. The committee recommended passage (10-0).
AB-515: Regulates
certain suppliers of liquefied petroleum gas, applicability
of the statewide system for notification of the location of
transmission facilities. The committee recommended passage
(10-0).
Natural Resources
AB 504: Would
provide that the Secretary of the Department of Natural
Resources would be appointed by the Natural Resources Board,
rather than the governor. The Assembly Committee on Natural
Resources recommended passage of the bill as amended, 13-1.
State Branding Bill Passes in the Assembly
AB 265, which would require the Department of Administration
to study the feasibility of developing a Wisconsin Brand, passed
Assembly Jan. 23 on a voice vote.
The measure would create what is called a "blue-ribbon
commission" run by the DOA to create a new state brand that
would assist tourism marketing efforts and also attract
businesses and students to Wisconsin.
Assembly Committee Hears Bill to Address Cable
Disputes
Green Bay Packers and NFL Network executives testified at a hearing on Jan. 22 in
support of Fair Access Networks (FAN) legislation, which would
establish an arbitration process to settle disputes between
independent networks and cable providers.
The hearing before the Assembly Committee on Energy and
Utilities was held to consider Assembly Bill 604, also known as the “Fair Access to
Networks” bill, or FAN. The proposal would establish an
arbitration process to settle disputes between cable providers
and independent programmers, including NFL Network.
State Assembly Approves AED Training and Blood
Donor Initiatives
On Wednesday, Jan. 23, the State
Assembly approved Assembly Bill 262, authored by Rep. Jona Ballweg
and Senator Kathleen Vinehout, which requires certain persons to
successfully complete a course on the use of automated external
defibrillators (AEDs).
The bill requires chiropractors, dental hygienists, dentists,
licensed midwives, athletic trainers, and massage therapists and
bodyworkers to demonstrate current proficiency in the use of an
automated external defibrillator in order to be licensed or
certified.
According to proponents, training is necessary in order to
understand the role of defibrillation in the broader context of
the cardiac chain of survival.
The Assembly also approved Assembly Bill 539, authored by Rep. J.A. “Doc” Hines and
Senator Fred Risser, which allows blood donations from 16 year
olds with parental consent.
According to the American Red Cross, exposure to voluntary blood
donation at high school is an important opportunity for blood
banks to educate potential donors on the benefits of a lifetime
of committed service to the community through donation.
Committee Hears Testimony on New Ethanol Mandate
At a public hearing on Jan. 16, the
Assembly committee on Biofuels and Sustainable Energy heard
testimony on AB 682, which mandates that the percentage of motor fuel
sold in Wisconsin be at least 10 percent renewable beginning in
2009, increasing to 25 percent renewable by 2025.
Citing higher gas prices that would hurt consumers and
businesses as a result of the bill, Wisconsin Manufacturers and
Commerce testified in opposition.
Seventh Circuit Certifies “All Sums” Case to
Wisconsin
Supreme Court
On Tuesday, January 22, the Seventh
Circuit Court of Appeals certified an insurance coverage
case involving asbestos claims to the Wisconsin Supreme Court
seeking guidance on three primary issues raised by the parties.
(Plastics
Engineering Company v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company.)
The three issues:
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What
constitutes an "occurrence" in an insurance contract under
these circumstances? Insurance policies limit
liability to a certain amount per "occurrence."
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Does the
"other insurance" language of Wisconsin Stats. sec.
631.43(1) apply to insurance policies issued in successive
years or only to concurrent policies? This statute has been
interpreted numerous times to prohibit "anti-stacking"
insurance policy provisions.
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Should
Wisconsin adopt an "all sums" or "pro rata" allocation of
insurer liability under these circumstances?
This case involves injuries spanning several years with
each policy year potentially having different primary,
umbrella, and excess liability carriers on the risk. Under
the "all sums" approach, the insured can choose one or more
policy years and exhaust ("vertically") the coverage of the
primary, umbrella, and excess liability carriers until fully
indemnified, and leave it to the insurers who have paid on
the claim to seek contribution from other carriers on the
risk during the effective years. Under the pro rata
approach, the policy limits for all of the primary carriers
are exhausted first, then the umbrella carriers, and then
the successive excess liability layers (horizontal
exhaustion).
The Seventh Circuit expressly did not limit the Wisconsin
Supreme Court's review to these three issues.
Rape Victims Bill Passes State Assembly
On Jan. 23, the Wisconsin State
Assembly voted 61-35 for passage of Assembly Bill 377, the Compassionate Care for Rape Victims
bill.
This legislation, which has already been passed in 10 states,
would require all hospitals to provide information and access to
emergency contraception in the event of a rape, as well as
provide information to victims about their rights and options
when reporting crimes.
Currently Winnebago County is one of only 22 counties that have
a hospital required to dispense emergency contraception without
exceptions.
For more information on legislation of interest to CTCW
members, go to the CTCW Tracking Report. |
