Wisconsin State Assembly Democrats announced their “Standing Up for Wisconsin Families” legislative agenda Tuesday, listing green jobs, slowing home foreclosures and increasing penalties for drunken drivers as their top priorities.
Assembly Speaker Michael Sheridan, D-Janesville, repeatedly said, “Wisconsin is open for business,” and much of this session’s legislative agenda will build on previously implemented tax credits and economic benefits for Wisconsin manufacturers such as Oshkosh Defense and Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac.
Committee on Energy and Utilities Chairman Rep. James Soletski, D-Green Bay, said green jobs and new alternative energy resources such as wind power will play “a starring role” in the new green economy.
“Our state has become a patchwork of varied and arbitrary regulations that are stifling the opportunity to bring more green jobs and alternative energy resources to our state,” Soletski said.
He also emphasized the need for statewide standards for wind turbines in Wisconsin.
According to Assistant Assembly Majority Leader Rep. Donna Seidel, D-Wausau, the Assembly will also work toward comprehensive legislation to combat drunken driving in Wisconsin. She said the new drunken driving bill will make second- and third-time offenders eligible for probation and will automatically incarcerate fourth-time offenders.
Seidel also said the new drunken driving reform is slated to be passed as early as Thursday and will mark the beginning of what will be a series of continuing reforms to curb drunk driving within the state.
“We’re confident that we’re going to pass a comprehensive reform package (that is) historic in nature,” Seidel said.
When asked about the possibility of harsher penalties for underage drinking, Seidel said officials are still working out certain details and said it may appear in future legislation.
Other key components of the new agenda include homeowner protections from predatory lenders and campaign finance reform for Wisconsin Supreme Court races.
Another major item on the agenda is environmental protection legislation. Some examples of this include a ban on the sale of consumer products containing unnecessary mercury, encouragement of electronic device recycling and creation of an independent Department of Natural Resources.
According to Jim Bender, spokesperson for Assembly Minority Leader Rep. Jeff Fitzgerald, R-Horicon, Assembly Republicans plan to release their own legislative agenda Wednesday that emphasizes the need for bipartisanship regarding issues such as the economy, energy and drunken driving.
Bender also said Republicans support the creation of green jobs throughout Wisconsin, with one condition.
“You need to focus on whether you’re doing projects or creating jobs,” Bender said. “Renewable energy is going to be a part of the future … (and) we need to create jobs that are going to be around for longer than this summer or a year.”
While bipartisanship appears to be a common theme between both parties at the beginning of the new session, Bender said he is concerned about the Democrats’ possible future legislation. “There will still be some things that clearly split along partisan lines,” Bender said. “You have to remember that in their first five months (as the Assembly majority), Democrats raised taxes by $5 billion.”
