The Wisconsin state Assembly will consider overriding Gov. Jim Doyle's veto of a bill regarding an independent Department of Natural Resources secretary Tuesday.
The bill, vetoed by Doyle last November, would give a citizen board the authority to appoint the DNR secretary. Current law allows the governor to appoint the secretary.
The legislation passed the Assembly on a 61-to-32 bipartisan vote in September 2009. An amended version of the bill passed on a 49-to-44 vote last November. An override of Doyle's veto requires a two-thirds majority vote from the Assembly.
State Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, who authored the bill, said he is confident Democrats will vote in favor of the legislation but said Republican members may choose to vote against it.
""Republicans will have to put politics aside if we're going to reach the 66 votes necessary for the override,"" he said in a statement.
Adam Collins, Doyle's spokesperson, said allowing the governor to appoint the DNR secretary ensures a ""direct line of accountability for citizens concerned about the national resources policy of the state.""
""Under Governor Doyle's leadership we have had the greatest environmental accomplishments in decades. … To go back to the old bureaucracy would harm Wisconsin's ability to create jobs,"" he said in a statement.
