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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:  May 31, 2011

SUBJECT:  Weekly Political and Legislative Update
In This Issue
Last Week for Joint Finance?
Act 10 (Budget Repair Bill) Null and Void
 

Last Week for Joint Committee on Finance?   

Many Capitol observers are expected this is the last week that the Joint Committee on Finance is scheduled to meet on the Governor's 2011-13 biennial budget. The Committee is expected to meet today at 3 p.m. The Committee will NOT meeting on Wednesday.  The Committee is tentatively scheduled to start at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 2.    

 

Joint Finance Co-Chair Representative Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said the Committee will move through the agenda, and recess at some point until 1 pm on Friday.  If the committee has not completed action on Friday, the committee will recess until Saturday (www.thewheelerreport.com).

 

Tuesday, May 31, Scheduled Agenda Items Include: 

Department of Corrections

  • Departmentwide
  • Adult Institutions
  • Adult Community Corrections
  • Sentencing Modifications
  • Juvenile Corrections

Department of Justice

Department of Revenue

  • Departmentwide
  • Tax Administration

General Fund Taxes

  • Income and Franchise Taxes
  • Sales and Excise Taxes

Children and Families

  • Economic Support and Child Care

To view the budget papers for the Tuesday Executive Session, click 

here. 

 

 

Thursday, June 2 and Friday, June 3 (and possible Sat. June 4) Scheduled Agenda Items Include: 

Court of Appeals

Circuit Courts

Supreme Court

Employment Relations Commission

Shared Revenue and Tax relief- Direct Aid Payments

Dept. of Health Services - Medical Assistance - Administration and FoodShare

Dept. of Natural Resources - Air, Waste, and Contaminated Lands

Dept. of Natural Resources - Phosphorus Effluent Limitations

Transfer of Housing-Related Regulations to Safety and Professional Services

Commerce

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority

Dept. of Public Instruction - Choice, Charter, and Open Enrollment

University of Wisconsin - Madison Authority

University of Wisconsin System

University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority

Building Program

Building Commission

Authority to Lapse or Transfer Moneys to the General Fund

 

To view the budget papers for the Thursday, Friday and possible Saturday Executive Session, click here.


Act 10 (Budget Repair Bill) Null and Void    

Late late week, Act 10,  the Budget Repair Bill, was declared null and void by Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi. Sumi based her ruling on the violation of the state's open meeting laws by the legislative conference committee that met on March 9, 2011.

 

As a result of Judge Sumi's ruling, the controversial legislation, which included the provisions to eliminate collective bargaining rights for state employees, is no longer in effect.  

 

To view a link to Judge Sumi's ruling, click here.

 

It is unclear what next steps Governor Walker and the Republican-controlled legislature will take in regard to pushing legislation that reaffirms the collective bargaining restrictions that were included in the budget repair bill.