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Capitol Notes
WI: Weekly Political and Legislative Update
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TO: Clients/Friends of Capitol Consultants, Inc./Wimmer & Company, S.C.
FROM: Capitol Consultants, Inc.
& Wimmer Company, S.C.
DATE: February 12, 2010
SUBJECT: WI: Weekly Political and Legislative Update
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Legislative Recap
Both the Assembly and the Senate were not in session this past week. Both the Assembly and State Senate are scheduled to be in session on Tuesday, February 16.
Payday Loan Regulation
The Assembly is expected to take up a series of bills on Tuesday, including AB-447, which is wide-ranging legislation that creates new regulations for the payday loan industry in
Wisconsin.
The proposal outlined this past Tuesday was drafted by Representatives Donna Seidel (D-Wausau), Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh), Jason Fields (D-Milwaukee),
Andy Jorgensen (D-Fort Atkinson, Josh Zepnick (D-Milwaukee) and Jeff Smith (D-Eau Claire).
If enacted, AB-447 would:
Limit the amount
of loans to $600 or 35% of biweekly income.
Prohibit auto
title loans.
Prohibit
rollovers
Limit persons to
having one loan at a time.
Create a
statewide data base to keep track of borrowers. The data base would be
overseen by the Department of Financial Institutions.
Provide penalties
for lenders who violate the law.
Provide borrowers
with private causes of action.
Provide for a
four-payment option for persons who fail to repay their loans.
Require lenders
to disclose all costs and fees attached to the loan.
Limit lenders to
charging a one-time $15 fee for returned checks.
(list provided by the Wheeler Report)
AB-447 passed the Assembly Financial Institutions Committee on Wednesday afternoon by a 7-5 party-line vote of Committee members.
According to Capitol sources, AB-447 faces significant hurdles in the Senate.
In fact,
Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker said Wednesday afternoon
he expects the Senate to take action on a payday loan regulation bill, but
isn't certain just what that bill will contain. Decker's comments came after
Senate Minority Leader Scott Fitzgerald called for a moratorium on any payday
loan bill coming from the Assembly. He said Assembly action is taken to provide
"political cover" for Speaker Sheridan, who dated a payday loan lobbyist (www.thewheelereport.com).
Decker said that there will be hearings held in the Senate on SB-530, which has been authored by Senator Jim Sullivan (D-Wauwatosa). Sullivan's bill is different than the AB-447, which means that if both bills were to pass each of their respective houses, a conference committee would have to occur to resolve the differences in the two versions of the legislation.
ASSEMBLY CALENDAR FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16 (at 11 a.m.)
Resolutions
SJR-58. 32nd
Infantry Brigade (Kreitlow) Honors service and safe return of Wisconsin's
32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
Assembly Bills
AB-447. Payday
Loans (Jorgensen) Regulates payday loan providers.
AB-454. Elections
(Smith) Information concerning independent candidates for partisan office that
appears on the ballot.
AB-503. Exposure
(Staskunas) Penalties for exposure to a minor.
AB-515. Children
(Hubler) Increases penalties for reckless bodily harm to a child.
AB-650. Bingo (Vruwink) Allows
persons under 18 to play bingo under certain circumstances.
AB-651. Prescription
Drugs (Dexter) Adds an exception to the definition of wholesale
distribution for donations of drug samples to charitable institutions, if the
donations comply with federal regulations governing such donations.
AB-659. HIV
Testing (Shilling) HIV testing, disclosure of HIV test results.
AB-670. Real
Property Sales (Black) Requires sellers of residential real property to
disclose whether the property is subject to a shoreland zoning mitigation plan.
AB-104. Campaign
Finance (Spanbauer) Reporting by non-resident registrants.
Senate Bills
SB-271. Bisphenol
(Lassa) Prohibits manufacture and sale at wholesale of certain baby bottles and
cups for children containing bisphenol A; labeling requirements.
SENATE CALENDAR FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16 (at 11 a.m.)
Senate Amendments to Assembly Bills in which the
Assembly Non-concurred
AB-411. Video
Voyeurism (Zigmunt) Authorizes sex offender registry for persons convicted
of video voyeurism. Senate Amendment 1 Non-concurred In. Pending.
Senate Bills
SB-127. Medical
Malpractice (Risser) Notification to the state and certain public agencies
regarding a medical malpractice claim; limits on liability.
SB-268. Rendering
Facilities (Leibham) Location of facilities in which rendering, animal food
processing or grease processing is conducted.
SB-293. Medal
of Honor Day (Lassa) Directs governor to annually proclaim March 25 as
Medal of Honor Day.
SB-348. Marina
Condominiums (Jauch) Declarations creating marina condominiums; technical
corrections to laws governing marina condominiums.
SB-396. Fishing
& Trolling (Decker) Expands fishing and trolling provisions in boats
with electric motors.
SB-403. DRL
Information (Erpenbach) Revises opt-out provisions related to DRL release
of personal identifying information.
SB-410.
Memorial Highway (Coggs) Designates a portion of I-43 in the City of
Milwaukee as the Jeannetta Simpson-Robinson Memorial Highway.
SB-419. Honey
(Vinehout) Requires DATCP to establish standards for products sold as honey;
prohibits labeling as Wisconsin certified honey of a product that does not meet
those standards.
SB-427. Local
Insurance Plans (Kreitlow) Expands types of governmental units that may
participate in a joint local government self-insured health insurance plan. To
Health.
SB-455. Prescription
Drugs (Sullivan) Adds an exception to the definition of wholesale
distribution for donations of drug samples to charitable institutions, if the
donations comply with federal regulations governing such donations.
Assembly Bills
AB-57.
Breast Feeding (Pasch) Permits a mother to breast-feed in any public or
private location where she is otherwise authorized to be.
AB-186. Salvinorin
A (Cullen) Prohibits manufacturing, distributing, or delivering salvinorin
A with the intent it be consumed by a person. Does not apply to manufacturing a
form of salvinorin A recognized by the FDA as a homeopathic drug.
AB-419. Rape
Shield (Radcliffe) Rape shield provisions in civil proceedings, discovery
and inspection of victims and witnesses and victims rights.
AB-591. Optometrists
(Seidel) Authorizes certain optometrists to dispense contact lenses that
deliver a therapeutic pharmaceutical agent.
Governor Doyle Signs Legislation into Law
According to Governor Jim Doyle's office, the Governor signed 11 pieces of legislation into law on Thursday morning. Those pieces of legislation include:
Senate Bill 137 expands the definition of motor
bicycles to include certain electric vehicles.
Senate Bill 182 increases the statute of limitations for intentional torts
to three years.
Senate Bill 191 makes numerous changes to podiatry law, including the
creation of podiatrist-patient privilege, improving regulation and oversight of
the podiatry industry, and allowing podiatrists to determine injury for needy
veterans trying to obtain benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Senate Bill 242 changes rules regarding direct buyer clubs.
Senate Bill 284 designates U.S. Highway 63 as Gaylord Nelson Highway.
Senate Bill 498 makes technical changes to 2009 Act 100, the OWI revision
law.
Assembly Bill 142 requires a license to practice landscape architecture and
prohibits unqualified or unstrained people from calling themselves a landscape
architect and practicing trade.
Assembly Bill 236 requires that certain high school agriculture courses be
counted as science credits, provided the courses meet standards set by the
Department of Public Instruction for science courses.
Assembly Bill 332 allows the use of airguns and crossbows under certain
hunting licenses.
Assembly Bill 400 requires landlords to change locks upon the request of a
tenant.
Assembly Bill 456 expands the list of records that the Department of
Transportation can certify electronically.
(www.wisgov.state.wi.us)
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2010 Election Watch:
Legislative Election News:
Senate:
- Former Department of Health and Family Services Secretary and
former Senate Majority Leader Tim Cullen (D-Janesville) announced that
he will run for the 15th Senate District (Rock County - Cities of
Beloit and Janesville), which is being vacated due to the retirement of
Senator Judy Robson (D-Beloit). Cullen, 66, currently is retired and
serves on the Janesville School Board where he is not running for
re-election this Spring. Cullen, who also has served as an executive
with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin, has been very active in recent
years in Janesville's efforts to rejuvenate the recently shut down GM plant.
Assembly:- Retired Schneider National exec John Klenke announced this week that he will run as
a Republican against State Representative Jim Soletski (D-Green Bay).
See the release announcing Klenke's bid, click here:
http://wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=184794
Gubernatorial Election News:
Poll Released this week:- This week, the Democratic polling firm, the Mellman Group, released on behalf of the Greater Wisconsin Political Fund, released a poll showing Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barret, a Democrat, in an dead heat with Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker a Republican. The poll was a telephone survey of 600 likely voters and was conducted January 11-14 and showed the race at 40 percent for Barrett and 39 percent for Walker. In their analysis of the poll, the Mellman Group said in their polling memo that the race has remained essentially unchanged since last fall when Barrett entered the race.
- To view the Mellman poll memo, click here:
http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/10mem208_f_GWPF.pdf
- A survey released by Rasmussen recently showed Walker with a ten point lead (48-38) over Barrett. To view the Rasmussen survey, click here:
- http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_governor_elections/wisconsin/election_2010_wisconsin_governor
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The Week Ahead 
Feb 15
Mon
Clean Energy Jobs
10:00 AM
412 East
Items:
Assembly Bill 649
Public Hearing
Feb 15
Mon
[CANCELLED]
Children and Families
(Assembly)
1:05 PM
or immediately upon adjournment of the Executive Session
400 Northeast
Items:
Assembly Bill 690; Assembly Bill 705
Public Hearing
Feb 16
Tue
Tax Exemptions
(Joint) (Executive Session)
9:00 AM
415 Northwest
Items:
Senate Bill 452; Assembly Bill 135; AB 648/SB 439 Report; AB 302 Report; Assembly Bill 690
Executive Session
Feb 16
Tue
Public Safety
(Assembly) (Executive Session)
9:30 AM
417 North (GAR Hall)
Items:
Senate Bill 303
Executive Session
Feb 16
Tue
Judiciary and Ethics
(Assembly)
10:00 AM
300 Northeast
Items:
Assembly Bill 704
Public Hearing
Feb 16
Tue
Education
(Assembly) (Executive Session)
10:00 AM
328 Northwest
Items:
Senate Bill 154; Assembly Bill 247; Assembly Bill 616
Executive Session
Feb 16
Tue
Judiciary and Ethics
(Assembly) (Executive Session)
10:15 AM
or upon adjournment of Public Hearing
300 Northeast
Items:
Senate Bill 365; Assembly Bill 685
Executive Session
Feb 17
Wed
Children and Families and Workforce Development
(Senate)
10:00 AM
300 Southeast
Items:
Senate Bill 517; Clark, Nancy; Senate Bill 86; Assembly Bill 21
Public Hearing
Feb 17
Wed
Children and Families
(Assembly) (Executive Session)
1:00 PM
400 Northeast
Items:
Senate Bill 332; Senate Bill 375; Assembly Bill 686
Executive Session
Feb 17
Wed
Children and Families
(Assembly)
1:05 PM
or immediately upon adjournment of the Executive Session
400 Northeast
Items:
Assembly Bill 690; Assembly Bill 705
Public Hearing
Feb 18
Thu
Education
(Senate) (Executive Session)
9:59 AM
412 East
Items:
Senate Bill 414
Executive Session
Feb 18
Thu
Education
(Senate)
10:00 AM
412 East
Items:
Senate Bill 468
Public Hearing
Feb 18
Thu
Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Technical Colleges, and Consumer Protection
(Senate) (Executive Session)
11:00 AM
300 Southeast
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| Upcoming Fundraisers
Monday, February 15, 2010
U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin's 48th birthday party
5 p.m.
Restaurant Muramoto,
225 King St.
Madison, WI
Suggested contribution: $48
Sponsor Levels: $1000, $500, $250, $100
RSVP: Stacey@tammybaldwin.com, 608-663-6300, or www.tammybaldwin.com
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
SSDC Reception
4:30 p.m.
Inn on the Park
Madison, WI
Reception for 15th SD candidate Rick Richard
5:30 p.m.
Milwaukee Grill,
2601 Morse St.,
Janesville.
$100 per person to attend
PAC accepted
Please make checks payable to:
Taxpayers to Elect Rick Richard
2626 West Highway
14
Janesville, WI
53545
For more information please contact 608-257-8035 or www.voterickrichard.com
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