Capitol Notes: Weekly Political and Legislative Update 9/9/11

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: September 9, 2011

SUBJECT: Weekly Legislative and Political Update

In This Issue

Fall Floor Period Begins Next Week

State Revenue on Target

2012 Election Happenings

The Week Ahead

Fall Floor Period Begins Next Week

After a nearly two-month summer recess and nine State Senate recall elections, the legislature is back in session next week for its fall floor period, which runs from September 13 through September 22 and from October 18 through November 3.

The Assembly will convene at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, September 13, and will consider the following legislation:

AJR-47. Taliesin (Marklein) Commemorates 100^th anniversary of construction of Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin.

AB-70. Small Business (Nygren) Various changes affecting Small Business Regulatory Review Board.

SB-47. Small Business (Moulton) Various changes affecting Small Business Regulatory Review Board.

AB-159. Air Pollution (JCRAR) Sustains JCRAR action on DNR regulation of indirect sources of air pollution.

AB-160. Air Quality (JCRAR) Sustains JCRAR action on DNR ambient air quality standards.

AB-162. Presidential Primary (Tauchen) Changes presidential preference primary to first Tuesday in February from the third Tuesday in February.

SB-115. Presidential Primary (Lazich) Changes presidential preference primary to first Tuesday in February from the third Tuesday in February.

AB-177. Navigable Waters (Steineke) Procedures for applications and hearings related to permits and contracts for structures, deposits and other activities in or near navigable waters.

AB-195. Emissions (JCRAR) Regulation of emissions of hazardous air contaminants associated with agricultural waste and partial suspension of DNR rules.

AB-196. Campaign Financing (JCRAR) Prohibits promulgation of certain rules by the Government Accountability Board related to campaign financing.

AB-211. Community Development Financial Institution (Molepske) Income/franchise tax credit for investments in a community development financial institution.

AB-32. Legislative Communications (Toles) Exemption from mailing restriction by legislators during nomination circulation period.

AB-81. Disabled Drivers (Krusick) Changes affecting special ID cars providing parking privileges for persons with physical disabilities.

To view the Assembly Floor Calendar for Tuesday, September 13, click here.

The State Senate - now controlled by a slimmer 17 to 16 Republican margin - is also in session next week. Two new Democratic Senators - Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) and Jessica King (D-Oshkosh) will be officially sworn in after their victories in last month's recall elections.

As of this writing, the proposed Senate floor calendar for next Tuesday has not been released.

State Revenues on Target

According to the Wheeler Report, preliminary reports from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau showed General Fund tax collections for FY 2010-11 collections of $12,911,864,000, which is a 6.4% increase from the prior year (www.thewheelerreport.com).

Individual income and sales and use tax collections were higher than estimated by $10.6 million and $19.0 million respectively. However, those totals were offset by lower than anticipated revenues in the corporate income/franchise tax ($27.1 million) and the cigarette tax ($51.2 million).

Link to LFB report:

http://thewheelerreport.com/releases/September11/0906/0906lfb.pdf

2012 Election Happenings

This week saw more happenings on the 2012 Election trail with seven-term Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-Madison) announcing her campaign for the U.S. Senate. Baldwin becomes the first Democratic candidate to announce for the open seat, which is being vacated by popular, four-term U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-Milwaukee).

Through a video announcement to her supporters, Baldwin promised to fight for the middle class, bring American troops home from Afghanistan and focus on the nation's debt.

In her announcement, Baldwin made the following statement:

"The middle class is getting slammed and no one seems to be listening. Well, I'm listening. I think the political games have to stop and we should get this country working for the middle class. That's why I'm running for the Senate."

Baldwin also highlighted her populist approach through opposition to the repeal of financial regulations that she says led to the current economic crisis and said the money now being spent in Afghanistan should be used to cut the deficit once American troops are brought home (www.tammybaldwin.com).

According to WisPolitics.com, Baldwin is the first Democrat to get into the race, and many have tabbed her as the favorite in the primary because of her appeal to the party's liberal base and her fundraising base (www.wispolitics.com).

Other Democratic names that have been mentioned as possible candidates include U.S. Congressman Ron Kind (D-La Crosse) and former U.S. Congressman Steve Kagen (D-Appleton).

On the Republican side, former U.S. Congressman Mark Neumann (R-Nashotah) is the only announced candidate. However, former Governor Tommy Thompson and Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald (R-Horicon) are expected to announce for the seat in the near future. State Senator Frank Lasee (R-Bellvue) and former State Senator Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield) are also considering running for the seat.

As as a result of Baldwin running for the open U.S. Senate seat, two Madison Democratic State Representatives announced this week (on the same day) that they would vie for the now open and solidly Democratic 2nd Congressional District seat that Baldwin is vacating.

State Representative Mark Pocan (D-Madison), who is a former Co-Chair of the Joint Finance Committee and has represented the liberal isthmus since 1998, announced at his business on Wednesday that he would be running. Also on Wednesday, State Representative Kelda Helen Roys (D-Madison), who was elected from Madison's northside district in 2008 and is the former Executive Director of the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL), announced her candidacy via conference call.

Both candidates are very similar and have both pledged to run a positive campaign that will be issue-oriented. State Senator Jon Erpenbach (D-Waunakee) is considering running for the open congressional seat as well.

The Week Ahead

The full legislature is begins its Fall Floor Period next week and both the Assembly and Senate are scheduled to be in session next Tuesday, September, 13.

Committee Hearings Next Week

Sep 12 Mon

State-Tribal Relations (Legislative Council)
12:00 PM
Lake of the Torches Conference Center, Lac du Flambeau

Items: (None)
Overview: · Organizational matters. · Discussion of the following items: o Intoxicated Driver Program: briefing by agency staff on the program and discussion of options for increasing tribal participation, including use of tribal clinics for treatment assessments. o Tribal elders' transportation services: discussion of state funding for these services. o Concealed carry of firearms: briefing by committee staff regarding the new state law on this topic and its application in Indian Country. o Addition of an off-reservation representative to the committee. o Plans for future meetings: discussion of topics for the committee to study. · Discussion of committee assignment.

Study Meeting

Sep 13 Tue

Urban and Local Affairs (Assembly) (Executive Session)
9:00 AM
300 Northeast

Items: Senate Bill 18

Executive Session

Sep 13 Tue

Homeland Security and State Affairs (Assembly) (Executive Session)
10:30 AM
328 Northwest

Items: Assembly Bill 63