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Wisconsin Legislative SpotlightMaintained by the Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB), this page provides an overview of recent and upcoming activities in the Wisconsin Legislature. The LRB revises its content weekly during legislative floorperiods. Links to more detailed information are highlighted in the text. |
The most recent legislative floorperiod ended on Thursday, September 24. The next floorperiod is scheduled to commence on October 20. The schedule of floorperiods for the 2009-2010 Legislative Session was established by 2009 Senate Joint Resolution 1.
The 2009-2010 Wisconsin Blue Book has been published. The Blue Book is available online and will be available for purchase from the Department of Administration’s Document Sales office as soon as a price is set.
In September and October, the Attorney General's office will be offering seminars at various locations on the state's open meetings and public records laws.
As of September 25, this session 39 bills have been passed by the legislature and signed into law. The most recent, 2009 Wisconsin Act 39, signed on August 13, 2009, lowered the minimum hunting age to 10 years old as part of a newly-created hunting mentorship program. The law went into effect September 1.
A list of enacted legislation from the 2009 session can be viewed at: http://www.legis.wi.gov/2009/data/acts/.
2009 Assembly Joint Resolution 71, introduced on September 15, urges state agencies and private media to cease using the term “swine flu” to refer to the 2009 H1N1 virus. The resolution was adopted by the Assembly on September 17, by a vote of 83 to 13.
Senate Bill 123, relating to the control of invasive species, passed the Senate by voice vote on May 13 and the Assembly, 58 to 36, paired 2, on September 22. The bill has been enrolled and is awaiting action by the governor.
Senate Bill 170, relating to making June 19, Juneteenth Day, a legal holiday, passed the Senate by voice vote on September 15, and the Assembly by voice vote on September 16. The bill has been enrolled and is awaiting action by the governor.
Senate Bill 185, relating to the regulation of wind energy systems, passed the Senate, 23 to 9, on September 15 and the Assembly, 65 to 31, on September 16. The bill has been enrolled and is awaiting action by the governor.
Assembly Bill 86, authorizing hunting of certain game with a crossbow by nonresidents who have attained the age of 65 years, passed the Assembly by voice vote on June 18, and the Senate by voice vote on September 22. The bill has been enrolled and is awaiting action by the governor.
Assembly Bill 308, relating to police escorts and vehicle rights-of-way related to escorted vehicles, passed the Assembly by voice vote on June 23, and the Senate by voice vote on September 22. The bill has been enrolled and is awaiting action by the governor.
Assembly Bill 283, which would change penalties for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, passed the Assembly, 95 to 0, on September 17 and was messaged to the Senate.
Assembly Joint Resolution 59, a constitutional amendment offered on first consideration that would broaden the authority of the Legislature to provide for continuity of government in the event of emergency, passed the Assembly, 89 to 7, on September 17.
Assembly Bill 316, relating to emergency management, passed the Assembly on a voice vote on September 17.
For times and locations of public hearings this week, see the Schedule of Committee Activities.
2009 Senate Bill 167, recently enacted as 2009 Wisconsin Act 39, lowers the minimum age at which a person can hunt from 12 to 10 years old, with some restrictions, and creates a mentorship program for young hunters. To contrast Wisconsin's new law with other states, see NCSL’s 50-state survey on statutes setting the minimum hunting age. In addition, the LRB library has numerous materials on hunting, including Learning to Hunt: Hosting a Hunting-Based Outdoor Skills Event in Your Community, by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, On the Hunt: The History of Deer Hunting in Wisconsin, a Wisconsin Historical Society publication, and The Future of Hunting and the Shooting Sports: Research-Based Recruitment and Retention Strategies Final Report, by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Send comments to LRB.Reference@legis.wisconsin.gov
Last revised: September 25, 2009