Gov. Jim Doyle called on the state Legislature Monday, asking members to take action on six different measures. Of the measures, two are Senate bills that would make price gouging illegal and another aimed at state ethics reform.
"These are major changes, and I know there's always a resistance to change," Doyle said in a release. "Now it's time for [the Legislature] to do what is in the best interests of the people of Wisconsin."
Doyle made the announcement in response to concerns that some issues may be postponed until the next legislative session. The current session is set to conclude the beginning of May.
Senate Bills 373 and 358, two of the measures Doyle said deserve further attention, would make it illegal to price gouge in Wisconsin as well as prohibit such activity in cases of emergency. Spurred by the aftermath of disasters like Hurricane Katrina, these bills are aimed at regulating gasoline companies.
According to Jay Wadd, spokesman for SB 373 author Sen. Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, current Wisconsin law does not prohibit price gouging.
Wadd added that under current law, oil companies can only be prosecuted if they raise prices more than once within a 24-hour period or while customers are waiting in line.
"[Oil companies] overcharged customers $80 million in one month alone in Wisconsin following the hurricanes in the South," Wadd said.
Wadd noted it is unlikely this bill will be brought to the floor when session resumes later this month, adding Senate leaders "don't seem to have any interest in doing anything about high gas prices."
But Christine Mangi, spokeswoman for Assembly Speaker John Gard, R-Peshtigo, argued the Assembly's priorities reflect more relevant areas of interest.
"The Legislature has been focusing on the priorities of families, [such as] making jobs available, encouraging economic growth, and holding the line on taxes and spending," Mangi said.
Meanwhile, the governor also urged the Legislature to pass Senate Bill 1, a measure that aims to combine the state Elections Board with the Ethics Board to create one entity called the Government Accountability Board.
"This bill increases power to investigate and prosecute leaders who commit wrongdoings," said Jay Heck, executive director for Common Cause in Wisconsin, a non-partisan group for clean government. "It is a form of deterrence to corruption and wrongdoing."
SB 1 is currently awaiting floor action in the Assembly. Since its passage in the Senate last year, the measure was approved earlier this month with the addition of a substitute amendment by the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections.
"If the bill does not pass [in the Assembly] with the amendment, the bill will have to go back to the Senate and the process will have to begin over again," said Mike Boerger, spokesman for bill author Sen. Mike Ellis, R-Neenah.
Boerger added it is unclear why the bill has not been passed yet, considering it has garnered strong bipartisan support.
"Each leadership in the Legislature has different priorities," he said.
While the governor maintains the Republican-dominated Legislature has ignored many of the needs of Wisconsin citizens, some legislative leaders defended their actions and called Doyle's claims misguided.
Todd Allbaugh, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Dale Schultz, R-Richland Center, refuted the governor's claims, adding Schultz has "made it a priority to work with the governor."
"[The governor's accusations] are at best, inaccurate, at worst, trying to pull wool over people's eyes," Allbaugh said.
Additionally, Doyle stressed the importance of a number of other measures, including bills to expand the Family Care program statewide, implement his "Healthy Wisconsin" insurance plan and pass his proposed ethics reform package.
