Capitol Notes: Weekly Political and Legislative Update 3/25/11

Capitol Notes

WI: Weekly Political and Legislative Update

TO: Clients/Friends of Capitol Consultants, Inc./Wimmer & Company, S.C.

FROM: Capitol Consultants, Inc.
& Wimmer Company, S.C.

DATE: March 25, 2011

SUBJECT: Weekly Political and Legislative Update - Budget Repair Bill Still Making News

In This Issue

Budget Repair Bill Heads to the Supreme Court

Joint Committee on Finance Announces Agency Hearings

Budget Repair Bill Bill Heads to the State Supreme Court

The ongoing saga of the legality of the recently-signed budget repair bill continued this week.

On Thursday, the 4th District Court of Appeals determined that it was best for the State Supreme Court to directly take up the complaint against the budget repair. The complaint alleges that an open meetings law violation occurred when Republican legislative leadership took up the controversial bill - changing the state's collective bargaining bill - in conference committee without sufficient notice.

According to Wispolitics.com, the 4th District Court of Appeals raised in its certification request that there are several questions arising from the complaint such as: whether striking down a legislative act for violating the open meetings law is allowed, and if so, can a court stop the secretary of state from publishing the act before it becomes law (www.wispolitics.com).

Read the certification request:
http://wispolitics.com/1006/110324_Certification.pdf

Reaction to the Appeals Court Ruling fell along partisan lines.

Assembly Democratic Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) praised the ruling.

"It is good to see the courts are taking what I believe is a deliberate violation of the Open Meetings Law, on the part of Republican legislative leadership, very seriously -- as is our tradition in Wisconsin. Our goal here is justice as well as transparency and openness in government. As our state Constitution underscores: The rights of the people of Wisconsin must always come first."

Bill Cosh, spokersperson for GOP Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen:

"The decision whether to accept Certification, and upon which issues, is up to the State Supreme Court. We are awaiting an Order from that Court."

Joint Committee on Finance Begins Agency Briefings on the 2011-13 budget

Starting on Tuesday, the legislature's Joint Committee on Finance will begin agency briefings on the 2011-13 budget next week.

The agencies briefings will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday with the Departments of Administration, Revenue, Tourism and the State Supreme Court. The briefings continue on Wednesday and Thursday, and on April 4 and April 6.

The Legislative Fiscal Bureau's analysis of the budget is expected to be released early next week (www.wispolitics.com).

See the schedule:
http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/110324_agency_briefings.pdf

Legislative Schedule Next Week

The legislature is not scheduled be in session next week. It is expected to return to session on Tuesday, April 5. However, there is a full array of committee hearing next week as the legislature returns to its very busy pace.

So far, only the Assembly has announced its schedule for the first two weeks of April. This week, Assembly Majority Leader Suder has notified members the Assembly will be on the floor on the following days during the April floorperiod: