Despite the high hopes of some Wisconsin legislators, the proposal to ban the ""Frankenstein Veto"" will not appear on ballots this April, said state Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison.
The Frankenstein Veto, also called the ""Creative Veto,"" is a power held by Wisconsin governors, which allows them to alter state budgets by crossing out words to create new sentences.
State Sen. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, called Tuesday for the state Senate to move quickly in passing the Frankenstein Veto Ban, a task the state Assembly accomplished early this month with a 75-20 vote.
""It's probably the strongest veto power any governor has in the country,"" said Mike Prentis, spokesperson for Fitzgerald. ""But no governor used it in the way that Governor Doyle did last session or more egregiously than Governor Doyle.""
According to a statement released by Fitzgerald Tuesday, the cross-outs made by Doyle on the last state budget resulted in a $427 million transfer from the transportation budget to a general spending fund.
For the decision to reach voters on spring ballots, the bill would have to be passed by the Senate before Feb. 20, Risser said. Risser chairs the Senate Committee on Ethics Reform & Government Operations, to which the bill was referred after passing the Assembly.
Unlike some of his contemporaries, Risser said he does not feel the passing of this proposal is urgent.
""I don't think it's that crisis oriented because the budget is only passed every two years,"" he said. ""Since it won't affect this budget at all if it's not going to get on the ballot, then we've got plenty of time to consider it before the next budget rolls around.""
Fitzgerald criticized Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson, D-Beloit, for failing to push the legislation before the Senate in time for the April ballot.
""It's not that the intent of this is all bad,"" said Josh Wescott, Robson's communications director. ""It's the timing and the motivation that may be in question. She's not saying never, she's just saying not right now.""
State Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, said he's been trying to eliminate the veto for years.
""The creative use of the partial veto authority has allowed the governor essentially to write laws legislature never passed, in some cases never contemplated, and in some cases directly reverse the intent of the legislation,"" he said.
