Tag: legislature

Legislative Leadership Selected

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Capitol & ForwardSenate and Assembly partisan caucuses met this week and selected their leadership for the 2015-16 legislative session.

Assembly Republicans will continue to be led by Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester), while Senate Republicans re-elected Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) as their leader. Republicans enjoy large margins over Democrats in both houses — 63 to 36 in the Assembly and 19-14 in the Senate.

Democrat Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) held off challenger Evan Goyke (D-Milwaukee) for the position of Assembly Minority Leader. Senate Democrats will be led by Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse), who challenged Minority Leader Chris Larson (D-Democrat). Larson withdrew his name before the caucus met yesterday.

Assembly Republican Leaders

Robin Vos, Rochester, Speaker

Jim Steineke, Kaukauna, Majority Leader

Dan Knodl, Germantown, Assistant Majority Leader

Tyler August, Lake Geneva, Speaker Pro Tempore

John Murtha, Baldwin, Caucus Chair

Lee Nerison, Westby, Caucus Vice-Chair

Jesse Rodriguez, Franklin, Caucus Secretary

Samantha Kerkman, Salem, Sergeant at Arms

Assembly Democratic Leaders

Peter Barca, Kenosha, Minority Leader

Katrina Shankland, Stevens Point, Assistant Minority Leader

Andy Jorgensen, Milton, Caucus Chair

Jo Casta Zamarripa, Caucus Vice Chair

Beth Meyers, Bayfield, Caucus Secretary

Josh Zepnick, Milwaukee, Caucus Sergeant at Arms

Senate Republican Leaders

Scott Fitzgerald, Juneau, Majority Leader

Paul Farrow, Pewaukee, Minority Leader

Mary Lazich, New Berlin, President

Rick Gudex, Fond du Lac, President Pro Tempore

Sheila Harsdorf, River Falls, Caucus Chair

Van Wanggaard, Racine, Caucus Vice Chair

Senate Democratic Leaders

Jennifer Shilling, La Crosse, Minority Leader

Dave Hansen, Green Bay, Assistant Minority Leader

Julie Lassa, Caucus Chair

Kathleen Vinehout, Caucus Vice Chair

Chancellor Blank Offers Budget Transparency

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Chancellor Rebecca Blank recently sat down with Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Karen Herzog to discuss the university’s budget and how it relates to the upcoming 2015-17 state biennial budget process.

The chancellor told Herzog that she has worked to make UW-Madison’s budget more transparent to lawmakers, work that culminated in the publication of the 2014-15 Budget in Brief (embedded below).

Blank also shared how the campus has drawn down its reserves as a result of the 2013 controversy over UW System’s financial reserves, and deans and directors have been asked to model budget cuts of 2, 4, and 6 percent in anticipation of possible budget cuts from the state.

Blank also made the case for better faculty salaries, stating the university must compete globally for the best faculty. Faculty salaries are currently at the bottom of the university’s peer group — full professors earn almost 13 percent below the peer median.

The full article is expected to run in the November 11 edition of the Journal Sentinel. ETA: The article ran in the November 12 edition of the paper.

 

2014-15 Budget in Brief

Wisconsin Partisan Primary Election Tomorrow

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election dayWisconsin’s partisan primary election will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, August 12. Polls are open statewide from 7 am to 8 pm. Information on voting and how to locate polling places is here. Photo identification is not required to cast a ballot.

Many legislative races are uncontested, but there will be statewide primaries for Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, and State Treasurer:

Most incumbent legislators in Dane County face token or no opposition. However, first term Representative Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton) will face Middleton Republican Brent Renteria in the 79th Assembly District.

Two Democrats are vying to represent Assembly District 78: Alders Mark Clear and Lisa Subeck. The winner will be unopposed in the November general election and will almost certainly be elected. PROFS hosted a forum with both candidates last month.

Two Democrats are on the ballot in the 17th Senate District, the seat left open after Dale Schultz, a moderate Republican, announced his retirement. Voters will choose between Ernie Wittwer, a retired administrator with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, and attorney and former legislative aide Pat Bomhack. The winner faces State Representative Howard Marklein in November.

Tomorrow’s election will also determine the Republican candidate for Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District. Congressman Tom Petri announced his retirement in April. Four Republicans are on the ballot tomorrow, including State Senators Glenn Grothman and Joe Leibham, Representative Duey Stroebel, and technical college instructor Tom Denow. The winner faces Democrat Mark Harris, Winnebago County Executive.

78th Assembly District Candidate Forum

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PROFS hosted Democratic candidates in the primary election for the 78th Assembly District on campus Monday evening. Political science professor Kathy Cramer, Interim Director of the Morgridge Center for Public Service, served as moderator. Candidates Mark Clear and Lisa Subeck, both Madison alders, responded to questions from the audience.

The primary election will be held Tuesday, August 12. More information on the fall primary, including absentee and early voting, is here.

Video courtesy of WKOW.

WKOW 27: Madison, WI Breaking News, Weather and Sports

Reminder: 78th Assembly District Candidate Forum

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PROFS will host a public forum of candidates in the Democratic primary for the 78th Assembly District on Monday, July 21 at 7pm. The forum will be held in Room 1325 in the Health Sciences Learning Center. A map of the district, which includes much of the west side of Madison, is here. Free parking for the forum is available in lots 60 or 82 (Nielsen Tennis Stadium/Waisman Center).

Madison alders Mark Clear and Lisa Subeck will be on the ballot on Tuesday, August 12. Clear has served on the Madison Common Council since 2007 and is currently executive director of Accelerate Madison, an association of digital technology busineses. Subeck has served on the Madison Common Council since 2011 and is executive director of NARAL-Pro Choice Wisconsin, a reproductive rights advocacy organization.

WisconsinEye recently interviewed both candidates:

Isthmus also profiled each candidate this week. The full article is here.

Political Science professor Kathy Cramer, Interim Director of the Morgridge Center for Public Service, will moderate the forum. Audience members will be able to contribute questions at the forum, but we encourage you to leave questions in the comments section below.

The winner of the primary will almost certainly win election in November since no other partisan candidates will be on the ballot.

The forum is free and open to the public.

Fall Primary Election

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The Wisconsin fall primary will be held on Tuesday, August 12. The date was moved from September to August three years ago to comply with the federal Military and Overseas Vote Empowerment (MOVE) Act which requires states to mail overseas ballots at least 45 days before the general election.

Returning students and vacationing faculty and staff may find themselves away from the polls on election day. Voters may request an absentee ballot by mail or vote early between July 26 and August 8. Weekend voting is no longer permitted. More information on absentee voting is here.

Many legislative races are uncontested, but there will be statewide primaries for Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, and State Treasurer:

Most incumbent legislators in Dane County face token or no opposition. However, first term Representative Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton) will face Middleton Republican Brent Renteria in the 79th Assembly District.

Two Democrats are vying to represent Assembly District 78: Alders Mark Clear and Lisa Subeck. The winner will be unopposed in the November general election and will almost certainly be elected. PROFS will host a candidate forum with Clear and Subeck at 7 pm on Monday, July 21 in Room 1325 Health Sciences Learning Center, 750 Highland Avenue.

78th Assembly District Candidate Forum

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Kathy Cramer, Interim Director, Morgridge Center for Public Service

PROFS will host a public forum of candidates in the Democratic primary for the 78th Assembly District on Monday, July 21 at 7pm. The forum will be held in Room 1325 in the Health Sciences Learning Center. A map of the district, which includes much of the west side of Madison, is here.

Political Science professor Kathy Cramer, Interim Director of the Morgridge Center for Public Service, will moderate. Audience members will be able to contribute questions at the forum, but we encourage you to leave questions in the comments section below.

Madison alders Mark Clear and Lisa Subeck will be on the ballot on Tuesday, August 12. Clear has served on the Madison Common Council since 2007 and is currently executive director of Accelerate Madison, an association of digital technology busineses. Subeck has served on the Madison Common Council since 2011 and is executive director of NARAL-Pro Choice Wisconsin, a reproductive rights advocacy organization.

The winner of the primary will almost certainly win election in November since no other partisan candidates will be on the ballot.

The forum is free and open to the public.

Joint Audit Committee Approves UW System Plan on Cash Balances

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UW_Day_at_Capitol13_1390The legislature’s Joint Committee on Audit met yesterday and unanimously approved UW System’s plan for managing and disclosing cash balances and fund reserves. Campus financial reserves have been the subject of intense legislative scrutiny since April 2013 when the Legislative Fiscal Bureau reported UW System holds more than $650 million in reserve.

The legislature directed UW System to develop a plan as part of the 2013-15 biennial budget (Act 20), and the Legislative Audit Committee requested additional changes after a plan was presented to them on November 20, 2013. The Board of Regents approved those revisions earlier this month.

The revised plan requires individual campuses to hold between 10 and 15 percent of their total fiscal year expenditures in reserve. Campuses with less than 10 percent fund balances must report a savings plan to the regents, while campuses holding more than 15 percent fund balances must provide justification to the regents and submit a spending plan for tuition, auxiliary operations, general operations, and unrestricted program revenue.

Archived audio of the meeting is available

here     
.

Joint Committee on Employment Relations to Discuss UW-Madison’s HR Plan

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The Legislature’s Joint Committee on Employment Relations (JCOER) will meet tomorrow, Wednesday, April 23, at 9:30 am to discuss UW-Madison’s new personnel system. UW System’s proposed personnel system is also on the agenda. The committee may take executive action on the plans after the public hearing, which will be held in Room 412 East, State Capitol.

The legislature directed UW-Madison and UW System to develop and implement their own personnel systems as part of the Act 32, the 2011-13 biennial budget, but the plans were never approved. JCOER held a public hearing last April, but did not vote on the plans, citing concern over UW System’s financial reserves. 

UW-Madison’s personnel plan is here.

Legislative Update

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capitol dome interiorThe 2013-14 regular legislative session ended last week and legislators and the governor will shift their focus to the fall elections.

PROFS was very active in the legislative process, meeting with more than a dozen legislators and staff on several issues.

AB 729, a bill that will allow classified research on UW System campuses, was passed by the legislature and awaits the governor’s signature. PROFS registered in favor of this bill.

The governor recently signed many bills into law:

  • SB 655, a bill that included many changes to campaign finance laws. Under the new law, lobbyists may make election-year contributions to legislative candidates after April 15. Current law limits such contributions to June 1 or later.
  • SB 324, a bill that limits in-person early voting to weekdays from 8 am to 7 pm. Early voting on weekends will not be allowed. The governor vetoed a provision in the bill that would have limited early voting to 45 hours per week.
  • AB 202, a bill that would allow election observers as close as three feet from the tables where voters announce their names and addresses before receiving a number to vote.
  • SB 300, a bill that would require insurers to cover oral chemotherapy in the same way that intravenous chemotherapy is covered.
  • AB 726, a bill that would allow marijuana oil to be used as a treatment for seizure disorders.

Board of Regents

Governor Scott Walker named four new members to the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents last month. The governor appointed José Delgado and Eve Hall to replace outgoing Regents John Drew and Gary Roberts. Delgado and Hall will serve seven year terms beginning May 1.

Walker appointed UW-Madison student Nicolas Harsy to a two year term, serving as the non-traditional student regent and appointed UW-La Crosse student Anicka Purath to complete the two-year traditional student term being vacated by UW-Platteville student Chad Landes who is graduating in May and leaving the board early.

Fall Elections

Governor Scott Walker will face Democrat Mary Burke in November, and twenty legislators have announced they will retire at the end of their term or pursue higher office.

The following senators have announced they will retire at the end of their term:

  • Senator Tim Cullen (D-Janesville)
  • Senator Bob Jauch (R-Poplar)
  • Senator John Lehman (D-Racine)
  • Senator Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center)

The following assembly members will not run again:

  • Rep. Penny Bernard Schaber (D-Appleton)
  • Rep. Janet Bewley (D-Ashland)
  • Rep. Garey Bies (R-Sister Bay)
  • Rep. Fred Clark (D-Baraboo)
  • Rep. Mike Endsley (R-Sheboygan)
  • Rep. Dean Kaufert (R-Neenah)
  • Rep. Steve Kestell (R-Elkhart Lake)
  • Rep. John Klenke (R-Green Bay)
  • Rep. Bill Kramer (R-Waukesha)
  • Rep. Dan LeMahieu (R-Cascade)
  • Rep. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green)
  • Rep. Sandy Pasch (D-Shorewood)
  • Rep. Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee)
  • Rep. Janis Ringhand (D-Evansville)
  • Rep. Pat Strachota (R-West Bend)
  • Rep. Erik Severson (R-Osceola)
  • Rep. Mary Williams (R-Medford)