December 21, 2007
Volume #29, Issue
#43
BI-PARTISAN EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO FIX THE ABUSE OF THE JOHN DOE STATUE - AFSCME
is working with lawmakers to bring an end to inmates abusing the loophole in the John Doe
statute to
harass correctional staff. We’ve met with Representative Jeff Fitzgerald, Senators
Kathleen Vinehout and
Scott Fitzgerald, and representatives of Attorney General JB Van Hollen to craft a bill to
solve the problem.
We expect action on the legislation early in 2008.
VIDEO FRANCHISING BILL ON GOVERNOR’S DESK - Assembly Bill 207,
legislation that would make
the state, not local governments, responsible for regulating cable TV operators and
entering video
franchise agreements, is sitting on Governor Doyle’s desk. AFSCME successfully
lobbied to change
AB 207 so that municipalities could continue to get money for public access channels and
for costs
incurred by municipalities relating to maintaining rights of way.
While the amended version of AB 207 was better than the original form of the bill, it is
far from perfect,
especially as far as consumer protections are concerned. This week the Governor said he
might use his
line-item veto to improve the bill, but he did not indicate what those changes would be.
TIME RUNNING SHORT ON LEGISLATURE - December marked a flurry of legislative
activity.
Legislators in the Assembly and the Senate were busy with committee hearings and executive
sessions
on bills that have been held up because the budget took so long. With merely six weeks
left of regular
floor activity, there will be little time to get legislation passed by both houses, so the
race is on. The full
Legislature will not meet again until January 15 and is scheduled to adjourn on March 13.
Please check the weekly legislative bulletin to respond to any calls for grassroots action
on bills important
to AFSCME as we enter into the New Year.
LEGISLATIVE WEBSITES. . .For those
"online", here are some good info spots:
Wisconsin State Legislature: www.legis.state.wi.us/
"Who Are My Legislators": www.legis.state.wi.us./waml/
State of Wisconsin: www.wisconsin.gov/state/home
Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau: www.legis.state.wi.us/lrb/
Wisconsin Legislative Council: www.legis.state.wi.us/lc/
Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau: www.legis.state.wi.us/lfb/
Wisconsin Ethics Board: http://ethics.state.wi.us