This Week in the Legislature: Week of June 8, 2015  

2015-17 State Biennial Budget
The Joint Committee on Finance (JCF) did not meet last week. It is unknown at this time when the committee will reconvene. The committee has three issue areas remaining: Department of Transportation, general fund taxes, and financing for a new arena for the Milwaukee Bucks.

To view WCA's communications to the JCF, please click here

Budget Webinars
The WCA Government Affairs Team hosts weekly budget webinars on Mondays during state budget deliberations. An email with additional detail and registration information will be sent early each week.  The deadline for registering for each webinar is 8:00 a.m. on the day of the webinar.

Webinars are recorded each week and placed on the WCA website under Legislative>State Budget>2015-2017 State Budget>WCA Webinars shortly after the conclusion of each webinar.

Budget webinars will resume the Monday following the next meeting of the JCF.

Committee Hearings for the Week of June 8, 2015
Note: The Committee hearings and bills listed below reflect action on legislation impacting county government.  See a complete listing of weekly hearings here.

There are no hearings on bills impacting county government this week.

For a listing of all bills impacting county government and WCA's positions on those bills, please visit the WCA website here

Senate Floor Session
The Wisconsin State Senate will be in session on Tuesday, June 9 at 11:00 a.m. Items of interest to counties on the calendar include the following:

Senate Bill 70 - off-duty law enforcement officers and former law enforcement officers going armed with firearms on or near school grounds. WCA supports this bill.

Senate Bill 71 - allowing municipal clerks to register voters on election day. WCA supports this bill.

Senate Bill 81 - limiting the authority of a city, village, town, or county to create new occupational licenses or fees to continue to regulate certain professions. WCA is monitoring this bill.

Senate Bill 121 - various election law changes. WCA is monitoring this bill.

Senate Bill 137 - publication of certain legal notices on an Internet site maintained by a municipality. WCA is monitoring this bill.

Senate Bill 143 - ambulance staffing by emergency medical technicians and first responders. WCA is monitoring this bill.

Senate Bill 173 - the effective date of amendments to the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act. WCA is monitoring this bill.

Assembly Bill 57 - methods of establishing proof of financial responsibility for the closure and long-term care of a landfill. WCA supports this bill.

Assembly Bill 81 - modifying and repealing rules promulgated by the Department of Financial Institutions and the Department of Revenue relating to documents filed with county registers of deeds. WCA supports this bill.

Assembly Bill 165 - town zoning ordinances affecting shorelands. WCA supports this bill.

To view the Senate calendar, please click here.

Assembly Floor Session
The Wisconsin State Assembly will be in session on Tuesday, June 9 at 1:00 p.m. Items of interest to counties on the calendar include the following:

Assembly Bill 13 - the return of a seized firearm to the person who owns the firearm. WCA is monitoring this bill.

Assembly Bill 46 - off-duty law enforcement officers and former law enforcement officers going armed with firearms on or near school grounds. WCA supports this bill.

Assembly Bill 49/Senate Bill 35 - waiting period for handgun purchases. WCA is monitoring these bills.

Assembly Bill 75 - eligibility for a license to carry a concealed weapon for a member of the U.S. armed forces stationed in Wisconsin. WCA is monitoring this bill.

Assembly Bill 77 - certification cards to carry concealed weapons for residents of Wisconsin who formerly were employed as law enforcement officers in another state and successor law enforcement agencies to assume responsibility of issuing certification cards to carry concealed weapons to former officers. WCA is monitoring this bill.

Assembly Bill 124/Senate Bill 96 - fees for election recounts. WCA supports these bills.

Assembly Bill 164 - various election law changes. WCA is monitoring this bill.

Assembly Bill 207 - application of stopping, standing, and parking provisions to certain authorized emergency vehicles. WCA has no position on this bill.

To view the full Assembly calendar, please click here.

WCA Upcoming Meetings
For a complete listing of upcoming WCA meetings, please click here.

Questions? Contact Our Government Affairs Team  
If you have any questions about anything happening at the state level, please feel free to contact any member of the WCA Government Affairs Team at 866.404.2700 or via email:

Kyle Christianson - Director of Government Affairs 
Sarah Diedrick-Kasdorf - Deputy Director of Government Affairs 
David Callender - Government Affairs Associate 
Daniel Bahr - Government Affairs Associate 
 
Member Services: WisPolitics & The Wheeler Report
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Wisconsin Counties Association
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