WI: Legislative and Political Update 8-14-09

Capitol Consultants, Inc./Wimmer & Company S.C.

Wisconsin: Legislative & Political Weekly Update

TO: Clients & Friends of Capitol Consultants, Inc. and Wimmer & Company

FROM: Capitol Consultants, Inc.
and Wimmer & Company

DATE: August 14, 2009

SUBJECT: Wisconsin Political & Legislative Update

In This Issue

Legislative Update

Capitol News

Election News

Next Week's Legislative Committee Calendar

Upcoming Fundraisers

Legislative Update

Governor Jim Doyle signed two bills into law this week - Acts 38 and 39. Those bills - SB-112 and SB-167 - were both authored by Senator Jim Holperin (D-Eagle River).

SB-112 regulates the possession of green skins of fur-bearing animals; tagging of traps; sale, purchase, bartering and trade of wild animals and their carcasses. SB-167 sets the minimum age for hunting (with supervision from an adult) from 12 years old to 10 and makes some changes to the restrictions on hunting and firearm possession.

To view the Governor's press release regarding the signing of these bills by clicking here:

http://www.wispolitics.com/index.Iml?Article=167127.

Also, this week the 10 members of the Joint Committee on Legislative Organization voted unanimously to redraft the most recently passed 2009-11 Biennial State Budget minus a veto by Gov. Jim Doyle that violated the so-called Frankenstein veto ban.

The budget provision of concern is because Doyle partially vetoed suggested guidelines for a Department of Health Services study of facilities for the mentally challenged.

The budget, as passed by the Legislature, included a provision required the DHS secretary to appoint a committee to study the need for and preservation of the care facilities. The Legislature's version required the study be submitted to the JFC by Dec. 1. Doyle's partial veto narrowed the scope of the study, eliminated the committee and deleted the Dec. 1 reporting date (www.wispolitics.com).

The Governor's veto was found to violate a constitutional amendment known as "the Frankenstein Veto" provision that was approved overwhelmingly by Wisconsin voters in 2008 because the Governor struck parts of three sentences to create a new one. The Governor has said that the violation was inadvertent and won't oppose having the study carried out as the Legislature intended (www.wispolitics.com).

The most recent budget was the first budget that the "Frankenstein Veto" provision was in effect.

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Capitol News

Government Accountability Board (GAB) Report:

This week, the Government Accountability Report released a report that stated during the first quarter of the 2009-2010 legislative session that 700 lobbying organizations spent $20.8 million and 160,500 hours lobbying during the January-June 2009 reporting period. The GAB report also stated that similar to prior legislative sessions, the most lobbied bill was the state budget. Organizations reported spending 62,750 hours attempting to influence the state budget. Organizations reported lobbying approximately 20,000 more hours on the budget during the first quarter of the 2009-2010 legislative session than in the first quarter of the 2007-2008 session.The next most lobbied bills related to the statewide smoking ban, Senate Bill 181, with 1,200 reported hours, and the appointment of the Natural Resources Secretary, Assembly Bill 138, with 1,100 reported hours (http://ethics.state.wi.us/). To view the report on the Government Accountability Board's Ethics Web site at http://ethics.state.wi.us/. Click "Eye on Lobbying."

Election News

State Senate 2010:

Dr. Montgomery "Monk" Elmer, a 50 year old physician from Kimberly, has announced his candidacy against long-time 1st District State Senator Alan Lasee. Dr. Elmer also serves as the President of the Kimberly School Board and is active in several Fox Cities organizations (www.postcrescent.com). Lasee, 72,who has held the seat since the early 1970's, has said the he will make his decision about whether he will run for re-election within the next few weeks.
To view the Appleton Post Crescent story about Dr. Elmer's announcement, click here: http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090813/APC0101/908130501/Kimberly-physician-to-challenge-state-Sen.-Lasee
A conservative group's efforts to recall Senator Jim Sullivan, D-Wauwatosa, over his support of a statewide smoking ban hasn't been able to collect enough signatures to force a recall election, according to the CRG Network's Orville Seymer (www.wispolitics.com).

Congress 2010:

Late this week, the Governor Accountability Board (GAB) announced that an aide to State Senator Dan Kapanke (R-La Crosse) will need to pay a forfeiture after the GAB found she failed to properly notify the Senate chief clerk of taking vacation time to assist with a campaign-sponsored economic forum in early June.

It is important to note that the GAB found Kapanke himself handled arrangements for an economic forum he hosted in La Crosse in "an appropriate manner" (www.wispolitics.com). Kapanke, who has represented the 32nd Senate District - the La Crosse/Prairie du Chien area - since 2004 recently announced that he would be challenging U.S. Representative Ron Kind (D-La Crosse) for the Third Congressional District Seat that Kind has held since 1996.

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin (DPW) has filed suit over the events, alleging that Kapanke improperly used state resources to fund the forums. A hearing in the suit is scheduled for Aug. 19.
See the GAB letter:
http://wispolitics.com/1006/090813_GABKapanke.pdf
La Crosse Tribune Story: http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2009/08/14/news/00lead.txt

Next Week's Legislative Committee Calendar

Schedules for dates from 8/16/2009 to 8/22/2009

Upcoming Fundraisers

8/20/09
Pat Kreitlow's First Annual Picnic in the Park - Special Guest Congressman Dave Obey
5:00-7:00pm
Irvine Park Pavilion
Bridgewater Ave, Chippewa Falls

8/26/2009
Annual Democratic Party of Wisconsin Legislative Reception
5 p.m.
Madison's Downtown,
119 King Street,
Madison.

Please Join Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker & Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan for the Annual Democratic Party of Wisconsin Legislative Reception

Wednesday, August 26 - 5:00 to 6:30pm

Hosts: $2,500
Sposors: $1,000
Friends: $500
($100 minimum suggested contribution at the door) Individual, conduit, and State & Federal PAC contributions gratefully accepted.