Both the State Assembly and State Senate are expected to return to the Capitol on Tuesday, September 13, to begin the Fall Floor period, which is expected to run through November 3.  

Lawmakers are expected to work on legislation that focuses on venture capital for businesses, mining permitting rules for a potential mine in Northern Wisconsin and efforts to improve accountablity in Wisconsin's public education system.

The question that is yet to be determined or fully analyzed heading into the upcoming legislative session is what direction the two party's will take especially in regard to possible collaboration on legislation as a result of the slimmer GOP margin of 17 to 16 in the State Senate. Heading into the Fall session, Republicans still control the Assemby by a wide margin and of course, the Governor's office.

To view an article that previews the upcoming Fall legislative session, click here.

In other Capitol news, it was also announced this week that the state's unemployment rate rose in July rose two-tenths of a percentage point to 7.8 percent in July as the state lost 8,200 jobs, including 12,500 in the private sector (www.wispolitics.com).
    

To read the DWD announcement about the rise in the July unemployment, click on the link below:  

http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.Iml?Article=245287 

"Wisconsin is not immune to the national economic slowdown this summer, and we are seeing the effects of the national economy in our July numbers," said Department of Workforce Development Secretary Scott Baumbach after releasing the July unemployment numbers.

On the Democratic side, the PPP poll showed surveyed 387 Democrats about their party's possible primary candidates. That survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points. The poll found that U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Madison) had 37% support in a three-way match up against U.S. Rep. Ron Kind of La Crosse, who had 21%, and former U.S. Rep. Steve Kagen of Appleton, who had 15%, with 27% still undecided.

No Democrat has announced for the seat yet. However, one big-name Democrat announced that he will not be running for U.S. Senator or for any office in 2012. Former three-term U.S. Senator Russ Feingold announced earlier today through an email to his supporters that he will not be running next fall but will instead focus his time on teaching, writing a book and leading his Progressives United PAC. 

According to Wispolitics.com, Feingold was the favored candidate of some Dems to seek the party's nomination next year either for the open U.S. Senate seat or to challenge Scott Walker in a potential recall election of Walker. He also acknowledged in the email to his Progressives United supporters of his strong standings in the polls for both races (www.wispolitics.com).

"After twenty-eight continuous years as an elected official, however, I have found the past eight months to be an opportunity to look at things from a different perspective," Feingold late last night wrote in his email to supporters.     

Many Wisconsin political followers expect with Feingold out of the race, U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, will soon announce her candidacy for the Senate. Last month, she has said she wanted to make a decision in August.

To read Feingold's email to his supporters, click here:   

http://bit.ly/nOZblp     .