This Week in the Legislature: Week of June 15, 2015  

2015-17 State Biennial Budget
The Joint Committee on Finance (JCF) did not meet last week. The committee has three issue areas remaining: Department of Transportation, general fund taxes, and financing for a new arena for the Milwaukee Bucks. The committee may come in to complete its work on Wednesday, June 17.

Transportation

Last week legislative leaders in both houses announced transportation tax and fee increases are no longer on the table following Governor Walker's veto threats. At this time, legislators are working on a plan to reduce the $1.3 billion in transportation bonding offered by the Governor. It is likely the Governor's proposed bonding will be reduced by $500 to $800 million. While WCA continues to advocate for new transportation revenues, we also believe the bonding levels proposed in the Governor's budget are unsustainable. The Joint Committee on Finance hopes to resolve the transportation budget sometime this week.


View WCA's communications to the JCF here.

Budget Webinars
The WCA Government Affairs Team is hosting weekly budget webinars on Mondays during state budget deliberations. An email with additional detail and registration information will be sent early each week. The deadline for registering for each webinar is 8:00 a.m. on the day of the webinar.

Webinars are recorded each week and placed on the WCA website under Legislative>State Budget>2015-2017 State Budget>WCA Webinars shortly after the conclusion of each webinar.

Register for the June 22, 2015 WCA budget webinar here.

Committee Hearings for the Week of June 15, 2015
Note: The Committee hearings and bills listed below reflect action on legislation impacting county government.  See a complete listing of weekly hearings here.

Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Assembly Committee on Urban and Local Affairs, 11:30 a.m.
Assembly Bill 199 - publication of certain legal notices on an Internet site maintained by a municipality. WCA is monitoring this bill.

Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Assembly Committee on State Affairs and Government Operations, 1:30 p.m.
Assembly Bill 116 - limiting the authority of a city, village, town, or county to create new occupational licenses or fees or to continue to regulate certain professions. WCA is monitoring this bill.

For a listing of all bills impacting county government and WCA's positions on those bills, please visit the WCA website here.

WCA Upcoming Meetings
For a complete listing of upcoming WCA meetings, please click here.

July 16 - WCA Taxation and Finance Steering Committee
July 17 - WCA Agriculture Steering Committee
July 17 - WCA Judicial and Public Safety Steering Committee
July 20 - WCA Health and Human Services Steering Committee
July 22 - WCA County Organization and Personnel Steering Committee
July 23 - WCA Executive Committee
July 24 - WCA Board of Directors

Questions? Contact Our Government Affairs Team  
If you have any questions about anything happening at the state level, please feel free to contact any member of the WCA Government Affairs Team at 866.404.2700 or via email:

Kyle Christianson - Director of Government Affairs 
Sarah Diedrick-Kasdorf - Deputy Director of Government Affairs 
David Callender - Government Affairs Associate 
Daniel Bahr - Government Affairs Associate 
 
Member Services: WisPolitics & The Wheeler Report
Members of the Wisconsin Counties Association are eligible for a
free email subscription for WisPolitics.com and  The Wheeler Report.

These daily email updates are an invaluable resource for those interested in keeping up with the day-to-day activities of the Legislature and include in-depth "insider" information on state politics.
 

 

To begin your free subscription, please contact Amy Dias of WCA at 866.404.2700 or
with your name, your county name and the email address where you would like subscriptions sent.   
Wisconsin Counties Association
22 East Mifflin Street, Suite 900
Madison, Wisconsin 53703
866.404.2700