Notes from the West Wing
By
State Representative Garey Bies
End of Floor Activity
This week saw the end of all floor activity in the State Legislature and today’s Notes from the West Wing is a kind of wrap-up as we all head into summer.
It has been an interesting and rewarding legislative session. Of my accomplishments, I am most proud of my Propane Safety Act legislation which was passed by the legislature and signed into law by the Governor. This legislation was my number one priority. It was very enjoyable to work with all the stakeholders to develop a proposal with strong bi-partisan support in the legislature as well as great support from the industry. This new consumer safety law will greatly enhance the propane industry in Wisconsin to the benefit of all.
Unfortunately my legislation to restrict fertilizer containing phosphorous was not ultimately approved by the legislature this session. However, great progress was made at the very end of session and I am looking forward to reintroducing this legislation early next session. I believe the pieces are now in place for passage. I am willing to have my phosphorous legislation take a second seat to the Great Lakes Compact which we successfully passed in the legislature this spring.
I will also be continuing my work on legislation to tighten Wisconsin’s drunk driving laws. I know there are some folks from the other side of the aisle that have criticized my efforts to reduce drunk driving in Wisconsin. Some of this criticism has shown up in some local “letters to the editor” but however righteous these folks feel by criticizing my efforts to attack drunk driving in Wisconsin, I will not relent. Wisconsin has an entirely too high incidence of drunk driving and too many people are dying on our highways. After 30 years in the Door County Sheriff’s Department I saw all too often the tragic effects caused by drunk drivers, not just to themselves, but to others.
This session I was the lead author of Assembly Bill 196 which increased penalties to those who knowingly provide alcohol to underage persons who suffer great injury as a result of that alcohol consumption. Too many young persons are dying on our highways as a result from alcohol. There needs to be greater consequences for those responsible for providing the alcohol.
I also was the lead author of Assembly Bill 490 which made a third OWI offense a felony and increased all prison times for those convicted of multiple drunken driving offenses. The basis of my legislation is simple: take from the offenders something truly valuable to them, their freedom. The current penalties and increased monetary fines are not the answer.
Drunken driving legislation has become the latest “hot topic” in the capitol. It is unfortunate that it has taken this long but I am glad that my colleagues are finally coming around to the importance of needing to act in this area. I look forward to working with them next session on this subject.
Lastly I’d just like to mention, if you did not see the report, that Wisconsin, for the first time in decades, has fallen out of the top ten states with the highest state and local tax burden. This is a step in the right direction. As we face tough economic times with a slowing economy and rising prices, including skyrocketing gas prices, the last thing we need are higher taxes. As families tighten their belts to pay their bills, increased taxes are the wrong answer. Can you imagine how hard it would be to pay your grocery bill or electric bill if the Assembly had not blocked the $18 billion payroll tax increase proposed by the Senate Democrats? Passage of that tax would have made Wisconsin far and away the highest taxed state. Instead, our tax ranking is, slowly but surely, headed in the right direction.
As always, I can be reached by e-mail at Rep.Bies@legis.wisconsin.gov or by telephone, toll-free at 1-888-482-0001. You can also visit my website at http://www.legis.state.wi.us/assembly/asm01/news/.