Gov. Scott Walker’s policies continued to divide both parties on an otherwise straightforward day for the state Assembly.
While the body passed several minor bipartisan bills, Walker’s proposed cuts to the UW System, as well as his refusal to answer a question regarding evolution, made the most waves Thursday.
Assembly passes bills on GPS tracking, liquor
The state Assembly passed a bill Thursday that would prohibit the placing of GPS tracking devices on other people’s cars without consent.
“This is an important bill because we as Republicans care about protecting personal privacy and protecting people from being stalked,” state Rep. Adam Neylon, R-Pewaukee, said.
The bill passed unanimously on a voice vote.
A bill that would allow for the sampling of hard liquor at retailers also passed in a move Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said was a long time coming.
“This took a long time,” Vos said. “We’re joining almost every other state in giving entrepreneurs [a chance to ply their goods].”
State Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa, D-Milwaukee, touted the economic benefits of the bill, which had broad bipartisan support.
“This gives our breweries and winemakers equity,” Zamarripa said. “It will grow and expand distillery business and jobs.”
A bill that would provide for the issuance of restraining orders against out-of-state perpetrators also passed. The body also voted to allow Legislature auditors to examine confidential Government Accountability Board documents as part of an ongoing audit of the group.
All four bills will now go to the Senate where they are scheduled to be taken up Tuesday.
Assembly leadership sounds off on UW System cuts, evolution
Vos and Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, provided updates on proposed cuts to the UW System Thursday.
Barca, sporting a UW-Madison pin, blasted Walker’s proposed cuts.
“Scott Walker is destroying one of the greatest college systems in the world,” Barca said. “We’re going to work hard to find a path so that the UW System doesn’t have to absorb these cuts.”
Vos acknowledged the cuts would be a blow to the System but stopped short of criticizing Walker.
“I’ve met with [UW-Madison] Chancellor Blank and [UW-Milwaukee] Chancellor Mone I’m sympathetic to their plight,” Vos said. “But people have created the characterization that Governor Walker doesn’t care about education and that isn’t true.”
Both Vos and Barca also underscored their support of evolution after Walker refused to answer a question on the subject in London Wednesday.
“I believe in evolution,” Vos said. “I don’t know if it's easy for the governor to answer but it's easy for me to answer.”
Barca said he is a man of “deep faith” but he “also believes that we have evolved.”
