Gov. Jim Doyle announced Friday he would call a special session of the state Legislature on Dec. 11 to discuss campaign finance reform.
There are several issues the Legislature should address by the end of the year. Among them is comprehensive campaign finance reform,"" Doyle said in a statement. ""Legislation has already been drafted that both Democrats and Republicans should support.""
The reform package Doyle announced includes banning fund raising for both incumbent and challenger candidates during the state budget process.
Wisconsin Supreme Court races would also be fully funded by public funds under the proposal.
Reactions to the announcement from legislative leaders have been mixed.
Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, said in a statement that campaign finance legislation sometimes conflicts with freedom of speech issues. Huebsch said the bills would be given a ""thorough and informative debate"" in the Republican-controlled Assembly.
State Senate Minority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said in a statement Doyle has repeatedly ""flip-flopped"" on campaign finance reform.
""This is nothing more than an insincere political stunt masquerading as reform,"" Fitzgerald said.
The legislation the governor is proposing is largely based off of Senate Bill 12, written by state Sen. Michael Ellis, R-Neenah and state Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton.
""As the co-author of SB12, I think that a bi-partisan, comprehensive plan is the right way to go,"" Erpenbach said in a statement. ""There is ample time to pass campaign finance reform this session. It's what the people want.""
Jay Heck, executive director for the campaign finance reform group Common Cause in Wisconsin, said the announcement was encouraging.
Heck said Assembly Republicans are typically the least receptive to campaign finance reform, but that public pressure would be too significant to stall the legislation.
According to Heck, some powerful lobbyist groups that traditionally support conservative Republicans would try to stop the legislation from passing.
Heck said the groups in opposition include Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the state's largest business lobbyist group, and the anti-abortion group Wisconsin Right to Life.
Heck said Wisconsin has not reformed its campaign finance laws since the late 1970s.
