Who called this the "do-nothing" Legislature?
With only a few days to go before wrapping up for this session, the state Assembly and Senate have been busy passing bills.
Some of them have been notable, and, if passed, would benefit many people in Wisconsin. Others seem not as crucial. No matter what category they fall in, the bad thing is, most of these bills will never become law, because the Assembly and Senate waited until the absolute last minute to get anything done.
Here's a sampling of what one branch of the legislature passed:
The Assembly passed Rep. Rich Zipperer's (R-Pewaukee) Earmark Transparency Act. The act requires that the Legislative Fiscal Bureau prepares an "Earmark Transparency Report" and that the report be released to the public for 48 hours before the Joint Committee on Finance, the Assembly or Senate can approve a budget bill.
The report would bring to light all earmarks, including the cost, location, beneficiary and requesting representative or senator.
The legislation also prohibits state agencies from requesting earmarks when submitting their budget requests to the Department of Administration.
That's a good bill, that deserves Senate passage and the governor's signature.
The Assembly also passed a bill authored by Rep. Steve Wickert, R-Appleton, and Sen. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point, that would create a hotline allowing state employees and concerned citizens to report on waste, fraud and mismanagement in state government.
The Legislative Audit Bureau would run the hotline, and investigations handled by audit staff. The agency also has the authority to involve any state agency in the investigation.
Sounds good in theory, but in practice may be another story.
The Assembly also passed the Government Checkbook Disclosure Act, authored by Rep. Robin Voss, R-Caledonia, Rep. Bill Kramer, R-Waukesha, and Sen. Robert Wirch, D-Kenosha. The bill would require the Department of Administration to create a Web site where citizens can view all state expenditures over $100.
Those bills might have some merit, and may actually pass before the session ends today. Some others, well, either won't get passed or don't deserve to, including:
A Senate bill that prohibits school bus drivers from talking on cell phones or sending text messages while operating a school bus transporting children, except to call 911 or to report safety or health emergencies.
A Senate bill that would create stiff fines for anyone caught text messaging while driving.
A Senate bill that would require manufacturers of video display devices sold in Wisconsin to assume responsibility for the collection and proper disposal of electronic devices.
An Assembly bill that would authorize law enforcement agencies to provide police escorts for individuals and groups of special events. The bill was requested in part by the Green Bay Packers. It is meant to protect visiting NFL teams on drives from Appleton hotels to Lambeau Field in Green Bay.
In nearly every one of the news releases on these bills, the authors state their hope that the other side of the legislature will vote on the measure before its session ends.
The flurry of activity at the end of this session certainly is short on substance. While worrying about cell phones and NFL teams, the Legislature ultimately will fail in this session to provide any meaningful solutions on health care, school funding and on the state budget crisis. Instead of working to tackle the state's major problems, the Legislature's two houses mostly passed bills they'll use to tackle each other in the next election cycle.
Once again, Wisconsin residents deserve better.
With only a few days to go before wrapping up for this session, the state Assembly and Senate have been busy passing bills.
Some of them have been notable, and, if passed, would benefit many people in Wisconsin. Others seem not as crucial. No matter what category they fall in, the bad thing is, most of these bills will never become law, because the Assembly and Senate waited until the absolute last minute to get anything done.
Here's a sampling of what one branch of the legislature passed:
The Assembly passed Rep. Rich Zipperer's (R-Pewaukee) Earmark Transparency Act. The act requires that the Legislative Fiscal Bureau prepares an "Earmark Transparency Report" and that the report be released to the public for 48 hours before the Joint Committee on Finance, the Assembly or Senate can approve a budget bill.
The report would bring to light all earmarks, including the cost, location, beneficiary and requesting representative or senator.
The legislation also prohibits state agencies from requesting earmarks when submitting their budget requests to the Department of Administration.
That's a good bill, that deserves Senate passage and the governor's signature.
The Assembly also passed a bill authored by Rep. Steve Wickert, R-Appleton, and Sen. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point, that would create a hotline allowing state employees and concerned citizens to report on waste, fraud and mismanagement in state government.
The Legislative Audit Bureau would run the hotline, and investigations handled by audit staff. The agency also has the authority to involve any state agency in the investigation.
Sounds good in theory, but in practice may be another story.
The Assembly also passed the Government Checkbook Disclosure Act, authored by Rep. Robin Voss, R-Caledonia, Rep. Bill Kramer, R-Waukesha, and Sen. Robert Wirch, D-Kenosha. The bill would require the Department of Administration to create a Web site where citizens can view all state expenditures over $100.
Those bills might have some merit, and may actually pass before the session ends today. Some others, well, either won't get passed or don't deserve to, including:
A Senate bill that prohibits school bus drivers from talking on cell phones or sending text messages while operating a school bus transporting children, except to call 911 or to report safety or health emergencies.
A Senate bill that would create stiff fines for anyone caught text messaging while driving.
A Senate bill that would require manufacturers of video display devices sold in Wisconsin to assume responsibility for the collection and proper disposal of electronic devices.
An Assembly bill that would authorize law enforcement agencies to provide police escorts for individuals and groups of special events. The bill was requested in part by the Green Bay Packers. It is meant to protect visiting NFL teams on drives from Appleton hotels to Lambeau Field in Green Bay.
In nearly every one of the news releases on these bills, the authors state their hope that the other side of the legislature will vote on the measure before its session ends.
The flurry of activity at the end of this session certainly is short on substance. While worrying about cell phones and NFL teams, the Legislature ultimately will fail in this session to provide any meaningful solutions on health care, school funding and on the state budget crisis. Instead of working to tackle the state's major problems, the Legislature's two houses mostly passed bills they'll use to tackle each other in the next election cycle.
Once again, Wisconsin residents deserve better.
