Lawmakers in the Assembly return to the floor today Wednesday for the start of the fall session. Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan (D-Janesville) says measures to help businesses grow and add jobs will be among their top priorities, as part of their “Standing Up for Wisconsin Families” agenda.
Those efforts begin with legislation that helps establish statewide siting standards for wind farms. The bill passed the Senate on Tuesday and state Representative Jim Soletski (D-Green Bay) expects the Assembly to approve the measure today. Soletski says the bill, which allows the PSC to set guidelines for approving wind farm projects, will help eliminate a patchwork of regulations statewide that have held up new developments.
State Representative Donna Seidel (D-Wausau) says a vote is also expected this week on legislation that would toughen penalties for drunk drivers. She hopes to bring a package to the Assembly floor Thursday that would make 4th offense OWI a felony and require Ignition Interlock Devices for repeat offenders.
Democrats also plan to act this fall on public financing for Supreme Court elections, efforts to protect home owners from foreclosure, and creating an independent DNR Secretary.
AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (MP3 1:05)
