Wisconsin Legislative Spotlight

The Week of November 23, 2009

The next scheduled floorperiod for the Wisconsin Legislature is January 19 to 28, 2010. The schedule of floorperiods for the 2009-2010 Legislative Session was established by 2009 Senate Joint Resolution 1.

DNR Bill Vetoed by Governor Doyle

2009 Assembly Bill 138, relating to the appointment and term of service of the secretary of natural resources and vacancies of the Natural Resources Board, was vetoed by the Governor on November 13. The bill would return the appointment of the secretary of the DNR to the seven-member Natural Resources Board. Governor Thompson made the secretary an appointed cabinet position in 1995. To override the veto, a two-thirds majority vote is needed in the Assembly and Senate.

New Laws

As of November 13, Governor Doyle has signed 79 bills into law, with 23 enrolled bills awaiting gubernatorial action. On December 10, all enrolled bills not yet called for by the governor will be sent to him by the chief clerks pursuant to the 2009 session schedule. A number of bills related to child care and welfare were recently signed into law.

2009 Senate Bill 331, relating to prohibiting certain persons who have committed crimes from being licensed, certified, or contracted with to provide child care, from being employed or contracted as a caregiver of a child care provider, or from being permitted to reside at a premises where child care is provided, was signed into law on November 13 and became 2009 Wisconsin Act 76.

2009 Senate Bill 280, relating to personal liability of officers, directors, and employees of child care providers, was signed into law on November 13 and became 2009 Wisconsin Act 77.

2009 Senate Bill 299, relating to public disclosure of certain information when child abuse or neglect results in death or serious injury or involves aggravated circumstances or when a child in an out-of-home placement commits suicide or is sexually abused by a caregiver, was signed into law on November 13 and became 2009 Wisconsin Act 78.

2009 Senate Bill 347, relating to child care, child health care, and outside home placements, was signed into law on November 13 and became 2009 Wisconsin Act 79.

A list of enacted legislation from the 2009 session can be viewed at: http://www.legis.wi.gov/2009/data/acts/.

Enrolled Bills

2009 Assembly Bill 250, relating to regulation of persons who sell dogs or operate animal shelters or animal control facilities.

2009 Assembly Bill 266, relating to the provision of support services information to employees who are affected by a business closing or mass layoff.

2009 Senate Bill 40, relating to public finance of campaigns for the office of justice of the supreme court.

2009 Senate Bill 170, relating to making June 19, Juneteenth Day, a legal holiday.

2009 Senate Bill 204, relating to prohibiting discrimination in housing because of domestic abuse victim status and providing a penalty.

Other enrolled bills may be viewed by using the Enrolled Bills database in the "Searchable Infobase" section of the Wisconsin Legislature website.

Bills of Interest

Beer Tax Increase

On October 13, the Assembly Committee on Public Safety held a public hearing on 2009 Assembly Bill 287, which proposes to increase the tax on fermented malt beverages. Video of the hearing can be found in the archive of WisconsinEye.

Spiritual Treatments

2009 Assembly Bill 590, which eliminates exceptions for spiritual treatment of a child in various sections of the law, was introduced by Representative Berceau on November 20. The bill was referred to the Assembly Committee on Children and Families.

Medical Marijuana

The Assembly Public Health Committee and Senate Health Committee will hold a combined public hearing on 2009 Senate Bill 368 and 2009 Assembly Bill 554, relating to the medical use of marijuana and the regulation of marijuana distribution organizations. The hearing will be held on December 15.

State Symbols

2009 Assembly Bill 556, 2009 Senate Bill 327, and 2009 Senate Bill 394 would add new state symbols. AB-556 would designate the bacterium Lactococcus lactis as the Wisconsin state microbe, SB-327 would designate cheese as the Wisconsin state snack, and SB-394 would designate the Harley-Davidson as the Wisconsin state motorcycle. The state currently has 21 symbols.

Committee Activity

For times and locations of public hearings this week, see the Schedule of Committee Activities.

Featured Topic from the LRB Library

2009 Senate Bill 299, which was approved by the Governor and became 2009 Wisconsin Act 78 on November 13, requires public disclosure of certain information when child abuse or neglect results in death or serious injury. It also addresses aggravated circumstances or when a child in an out-of-home placement commits suicide or is sexually abused by a caregiver. The LRB Library recommends the following titles for further reading on the subject:

State secrecy and child deaths in the U.S.: an evaluation of public disclosure practices about child abuse and neglect fatalities or near fatalities, with state rankings, from the Children's Advocacy Institute of the University of San Diego School of Law, 2008.

Guide to confidentiality laws applicable to CHIPS proceedings / Wisconsin Director of State Courts Office, 2006.

2009-2010 Wisconsin Blue Book

The 2009-2010 Wisconsin Blue Book has been published. The Blue Book is available online and is available for purchase from Department of Administration Document Sales for $8.75 plus sales tax if picked up in person; for mail orders, add $3 to the total to cover shipping. The authors of the Blue Book feature article, "Wisconsin at the Frontiers of Astronomy: A History of Innovation and Exploration," were interviewed on Wisconsin Public Radio on November 11.

Recent Publications

• The Legislative Council released an Information Memorandum on Municipal Regulation of Wind Energy Systems (2009 Wisconsin Act 40).
• The Legislative Audit Bureau has released an audit on Petroleum Inspection Fee Revenue Obligations Program.
• The Legislative Fiscal Bureau released a comparison of engrossed Senate Bill 66 and engrossed Assembly Bill 283: Operating While Intoxicated.
• The Legislative Reference Bureau released a brief on Regional Transit Authorities (RTAS). The LRB library released a new "Tap the Power" annotated bibliography on the Foreclosure Crisis.

For more information about Legislative Service Agency publications, see the left panel of the Spotlight index page.

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Last revised: November 20, 2009