Amid a faltering economy and the largest budget deficit in the state's history, both houses of the Wisconsin state Legislature met at the state Capitol Jan. 5 to commence the 2009-'10 legislative session.
Republicans and Democrats will both face the issues of job creation during the economic slump and filling in the $5.4 billion projected state budget deficit.
In addition, a remaining budget deficit of over $300 million remains for the 2008-'09 fiscal year ending June 30.
According to John Anderson, spokesperson for state Sen. Mark Miller, D-Monona, the Joint Committee on Finance, which is in charge of the budget, has not yet met to discuss the deficit but should look at all options for solving the budget.
All of our options have to be on the table. This is an unprecedented situation,"" Anderson said. ""We haven't seen an economy like this since the '30s.""
John Bender, spokesperson for Assembly Minority Leader Jeff Fitzgerald, R-Horicon, said the main focus for Republican Assembly members will be job creation and economic development.
""Anything that we can do to create incentives for businesses to relocate here, to expand their businesses here, to invest in research and development, things where private-sector money can go invest in these companies and create new job opportunities,"" Bender said.
According to Bender, Democratic control of both houses puts Republicans in a ""very unfriendly place,"" but they have not lost their enthusiasm for getting their measures passed.
Although resolving the budget and improving the economy will be the most pressing tasks, lawmakers have announced plans in regard to different issues.
Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville, said in a statement Tuesday one of the first acts of the Assembly Democrats will be to prohibit campaign fundraising during the state budget process.
Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker, D-Schofield, announced the first three bills introduced in the state Senate will be bills proposing raising the state minimum wage to $7.60, ensuring companies going out of business pay unpaid wages and requiring insurance companies to cover autism treatment for children.
State Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, hopes to propose a smoking-ban bill sometime this month. A smoking-ban proposal failed in the Legislature last year, but Risser said he is optimistic it will pass this session.
According to Risser, bills proposing a hospital tax and reform of drunken-driving laws are also in the drafting process in the Senate.
