With the new state legislative session set to begin in January, state legislators have already started looking ahead to issues they hope to tackle once the session starts. The following are overviews of four central issues legislators will debate next session.
Mining
Democratic and Republican legislators have begun discussions to improve last year’s failed mining bill meant to streamline the mine permitting process in the state. But Republicans, who currently hold majorities in both houses of the state legislature, have the power to pass a bill without Democratic support.
The failed bill was proposed to clearly define timelines and the amount of information necessary for companies to get approval from the state to receive a permit. Last year’s debate centered on the amount of jobs a mine would bring to an economically poor Northern Wisconsin and how a mine could impact the environment.
The bill ultimately failed when state Sen. Dale Schultz, R-Richland Center, sided with Democrats against the bill, saying it did not contain enough environmental protections to be approved.
Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Mining and State Sen. Tim Cullen, D-Janesville, held the discussions to develop agreements on new environmental protections absent from the last bill that Democrats hope to include in the new bill.
Democrats’ environmental plans for the bill will likely make mining a contentious issue, according to Political Science professor emeritus Dennis Dresang. But Dresang said moderate senate Republicans may agree to include Democrats’ proposals.
However, University of Wisconsin-Madison College Republicans Chair Jeff Snow disagreed, saying the mine “is going to happen” and that “it’s a question of when, not if” at this point.
“There may be a few changes [to the bill], but the big parts [from last year] will probably be the same,” Snow said.
Ban on same-day voter registration
State Rep. Joel Kleefisch, R-Oconomowoc, and state Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, began seeking cosponsors in early December to a bill that would ban same-day voter registration statewide, inciting an issue that will likely play out in the upcoming legislative session and could affect various populations, particularly students.
Snow said the legislators proposed the ban to prevent problematic voter fraud around the state.
“Same-day registration does not have 100 percent integrity and effectiveness to ensure that the person registering is a real registered voter and hasn’t already voted before,” Snow said.
However, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi cautioned against the ban, saying it would negatively impact students.
“If [same-day registration] was taken away … [it] would be a major impediment for students being able to exercise their right to vote,” Parisi said.
Snow disagreed, saying the potential ban would require students to be better informed without infringing on their right to vote.
“You see all those people out on campus for early registration,” Snow said. “There is no reason why people should absolutely need to same-day register.”
Collective bargaining cases
Four cases challenging Act 10, the controversial legislation limiting state workers’ collective bargaining rights, are currently pending in state and federal courts with progress expected to be made in each at some point in the second half of the year.
The cases have progressed slowly, with the biggest news coming in early September when Dane County Circuit Court Judge Juan Colas ruled on one case brought by Madison Teachers Inc. In his ruling, Colas said portions of Act 10, including its prohibition of collective bargaining, were unconstitutional because the legislation violated municipal workers’ rights to free speech, association and equal protection.
Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, who defends the state in lawsuits, appealed Colas’ ruling to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals in October.
In a statement released at the time, Van Hollen said he and the DOJ “believe Act 10 is constitutional, and that [they]’ll ultimately prevail.”
Government Accountability Board changes
Incoming Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, proposed changing the Government Accountability Board Dec. 3, because he said the Board has too often favored Democrats, specifically during the state senatorial and gubernatorial recall elections last spring.
Fitzgerald proposed replacing the six retired nonpartisan judges currently on the board with political appointees as a way to balance out the GAB.
Snow agreed with Fitzgerald, saying Republicans should start looking to reform the GAB, but noted any progress would likely come after this year.
“Any changes to the GAB will probably be happening in Governor Walker’s second term; if Walker is elected,” Snow said.
