The clock is winding down on the 2015-16 Legislative session.
After finishing up the Fall Floor Period in November, the Legislature is taking
a brief break for the holidays before reconvening in January 2016 to finish up
their work for the session. The Senate and Assembly are scheduled to adjourn
for the 2015-16 Legislative Session in April, but many sources indicate that
they may adjourn sooner than expected.
Pending legislation must be passed and signed into law before the
legislature officially adjourns, otherwise it is considered “dead” and
must be re-introduced in the 2017-18 session.
As we enter the final stretch of the 2015-16 session, here are
where are number of bills WEMTA has been monitoring stand:
State
Treasurer Resolution
The State
Assembly voted 63-33 in October to approve
AJR
5. Authored by Representative Michael Schraa (R-Oshkosh), the resolution
would delete the office of the State Treasurer from the state constitution. The
lieutenant governor would replace the treasurer on the Board of Commissioners
of Public Lands.
AJR5/SJR4
was passed, 3-2, by the Senate Committee on Labor and Government Reform in
September, but has yet to be voted on by the full senate.
All that is needed for AJR5/SJR4 to pass the Legislature this
session is for the full Senate to vote on the proposal. Since the resolution
amends the state constitution, the full Legislature must AJR5/SJR4 this session
and then pass an identical resolution next session. Once the proposal has been
approved by the Legislature a second time, it will be voted on in a statewide
referendum.
Limiting
School Referendums
Senator
Duey Stroebel (R-Saukville) and Representative Michael Schraa (R-Oshkosh)
introduced legislation at the end of October that would prohibit a school
district from holding a referendum for two years following a failed referendum.
The
proposal applies to loans and bonds, revenue limit adjustments, state trust
fund loans issued by BCPL, temporary borrowing, and promissory notes. School
districts that experience a natural disaster would be exempt from the ban for
six months following the disaster.
In
addition, the proposal would only allow a school district to schedule a
referendum on the April spring election day or the November general election
day.
Senate
Bill 355 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Elections and Local
Government.
Assembly
Bill 481 has been referred to the Assembly Committee on Education.
BCPL Land
Bank Authority
Representatives
Joe Sanfelippo (R-West Allis) and David Craig (R-Big Bend) introduced
Assembly
Bill 71 earlier this session, which would eliminate the Board of
Commissioners of Public Lands’ authority to purchase land. Although this may
not directly impact the Common School Fund, it affects other funds that the
BCPL manages. AB 71 has been referred to Committee on Mining and Rural
Development.
State
Superintendent Resolution
In
November, Representative Joe Sanfelippo (R-New Berlin) introduced
Assembly Joint Resolution 84, which makes the State Superintendent a political
appointee instead of an elected official.
Under AJR
84, the governor would nominate a state superintendent and the state senate
would approve the appointment.
AJR 84
has been referred to the Assembly Committee on Education.
As AJR 84
is a constitutional amendment, it must be passed by both houses of the
legislature in two consecutive legislative sessions and then approved by voters
in a statewide referendum.
