Notes from the West Wing

By State Representative Garey Bies

End of Session

             The 2003-2004 Regular Session of the Wisconsin Legislature built to its climax over the past two weeks.  Today, Friday, March 12, 2004 represents the end of the last week of the Regular Session.  It is pretty hard to try and describe to you the frantic pace of these last two weeks as every legislator scrambles in a last bid effort to try and get that critical piece of legislation through before adjournment.  I, like every other legislator, was working hard in the last hours of session trying to get Assembly Bill 923 and Senate Bill 518 through both houses of the legislature. 

Assembly Bill 923 (AB 923) and Senate Bill 518 (SB 518) are actually the same proposal relating to acquiring federal grant money that can then be made available to counties to set up drug and alcohol treatment programs as an alternative to jail time.  A version of the legislation was introduced into both the Assembly and Senate in an effort to speed the legislative process up.  I worked with Senator Carol Roessler (R-Oshkosh) who was the primary author of the Senate version while I was the primary author of the Assembly version. 

AB 923/SB 518 represent legislation that is, in my opinion, very important and worthwhile.  The legislation is simple; it sets in place the process by which the State of Wisconsin can apply for $100 million recently appropriated by President Bush’s Administration for the creation of drug and alcohol treatment programs by the states.  The legislation does not spend the money or create the specific treatment programs that will utilize the funding; it just allows the state to apply for the federal funds. 

After 30 years in the Door County Sheriff’s Department I know how valuable such drug treatment is.  A great deal of research has been done on the subject and it clearly shows that drug treatment programs as an alternative to incarceration for non-violent offenders not only works, but saves taxpayers money by cutting jail costs which far exceed the costs of the treatment programs.  Further, the research shows that treatment is much more likely to prevent the offender from re-offending than does incarceration, which does nothing to treat the underlying problem. 

AB 923 and SB 518 have great support.  The legislation was heard in respective committees in both the Senate and Assembly.  In the Assembly, the Corrections and the Courts Committee, of which I am the Chairman, held a public hearing on the legislation that was well attended.  Many came to speak and register in support of the legislation.  No one spoke or registered against the legislation.  The Corrections Committee voted unanimously to recommend the legislation for passage by the full Assembly.  The process in the Senate was similar with the Senate Committee also in unanimous support.  The full Senate then acted on the legislation and passed it 33-0! 

Meanwhile, in the Assembly, the process, for whatever the reason, has stalled.  Apparently, there are some forces working behind the scenes that oppose the legislation.  I must admit I do not fully understand what that opposition is, but I can assure you that I am trying to convince our leadership to schedule the Senate version of the legislation next week when the Assembly will meet in Extraordinary Session to consider proposals passed by the Senate during the last few days.  Since SB 518 passed the Senate unanimously, it is my hope we can get it scheduled in the Assembly. 

It is a very busy and hectic period here in the Assembly.  As 99 legislators scramble to get their legislation completed, legislative leaders are pulled in every direction!  Their already scarce time seems to disappear completely.  Hopefully Senator Roessler and I can convince them of the worthiness of our legislation. 

As always, if you have questions or comments on this column or any other topic you might see or read in the news, I can be reached by e-mail at Rep.Bies@legis.state.wi.us or by telephone, toll-free at 1-888-482-0001.