Notes from the West Wing
By
State Representative Garey Bies
New Session, New Challenges
Greetings and Happy New Year! I will not go so far as to call it a New Year’s Resolution, but it is my hope to write a regular column for the Door Reminder to provide a bit of insight into what is going on at the Capitol in Madison. I hope you find this column of interest and I would welcome any comments or suggestions that you may have. I can be reached by e-mail at Rep.Bies@legis.state.wi.us or by telephone, toll-free at 1-888-482-0001.
January 6th saw the commencement of a new legislative session for the Wisconsin Legislature and with this new beginning, the state, its residents as well as its legislators, will be facing many challenges. Without a doubt, the top challenge we all face is the state’s current budget deficit. At an estimated 2.8 billion dollars, there will be some very tough decisions we are all going to have to face. For this first “Notes from the West Wing,” I want to focus more on what is new in the Legislature and save the discussion on the state budget and the new governor for another time.
In the State Assembly, there many changes with 16 freshman and new faces in leadership for both parties. The Assembly Republicans have a new Speaker in Representative John Gard (R-Peshtigo) while the Assembly Democrats have a new leader in Representative Jim Kreuser (D-Kenosha).
The Assembly Republicans have also expanded their majority. After the November elections, the Republicans now hold a 58-41 member advantage. While this shows that an increasing number of Wisconsin residents agree with what the Republicans in the Assembly are trying to accomplish, it does not mean that the Republicans will steam-roll through any legislation they want. In the Assembly, the minority party retains an ability to play an active roll in the legislative process, as they should. The Republicans will face their own challenges as well, for as their numbers increase, the likelihood of disagreement within the party also increases. However, as a Republican, I must say it is a problem I do not mind having!
There are also new challenges for me personally in the Assembly. Beginning my second term, I have been appointed to chair the Assembly Committee on Corrections and the Courts. This is a position I am looking forward to. My 30 years in law enforcement will serve me very well as chair of this busy Assembly Committee.
There are major changes in the State Senate too. The Republicans took control of the State Senate, turning a 16-17 minority into an 18-15 majority. With the Republicans now controlling both houses of the State Legislature, cooperation should increase significantly. I look forward to working with the new Senate Majority. Hopefully the many worthwhile pieces of legislation that failed last session will be more successful this session.
While there are many changes here at the capitol, many things will remain the same, like how honored I am to represent the fine residents of the 1st Assembly District. I am looking forward to the work to be done. I also would like to encourage residents to contact me with questions and concerns. Not only can I try to help you, but also your contacts help me by enhancing my understanding of the varied opinions to be found in the 1st District.