Capitol Notes: Weekly Political and Legislative Update 4/1/11

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: April 1, 2011

SUBJECT: Weekly Political and Legislative Update

In This Issue

Budget Repair Bill Still Making News

Election Day - Tuesday, April 5

Legislative Calendar Next Week

Budget Repair Bill Bill Still Making News

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

On Thursday, Dane County Judge Maryann Sumi signed a revised temporary restraining order declaring the legislation changing collective bargaining powers for public employees has not been published and is not in effect (www.wispolitics.com).

Sumi's order means that the state will have to suspend implementation of changes in the collective bargaining bill based on the Dane County judge's ruling last week. Meanwhile, Department of Administration (DOA) and the state's Department of Justice still argue that the budget repair was legally published and the law should be implemented.

To read the Judge Sumi's new order, click here:
http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/110331_Act_10_TRO.pdf

Election Day is Tuesday, April 5

Next Tuesday, April 5, is Spring Election Day in Wisconsin.

The only state-wide race on the Spring Ballot is for the State's Supreme Court. The race is between Justice David Prosser and Joanne Kloppenburg, a state attorney with the Department of Justice.

The race has gained major attention of late due the spending by outside interest groups who have spent heavily on television the last few weeks. Much of the interest in the race is because of the energy and interest on both sides of the political aisle as a result of the recently passed budget repair bill that eliminated collective bargaining rights for public employees.

To learn more about the candidates for the State Supreme Court, click here:

Justice David Prosser

Joanne Kloppenburg

Other major races around the state include: Milwaukee County Executive (the open seat vacated by Governor Scott Walker), the mayoral race in the City of Madison and the open seat for Outagamie County Executive.

Legislative Schedule Next Week

The legislature is scheduled to be in session next week.

The Senate has not yet announced its schedule and the Assembly is in session on: