• Home
  • News
    • Politics / Govt
    • Legislature
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
    • Archives
  • Sports
    • Badgers
    • Packers
      • Titletown Report
    • Brewers
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support

Wisconsin Radio Network

Wisconsin News and Sports

You are here: Home / Legislature / Assembly Democrats push for negotiations

Assembly Democrats push for negotiations

March 8, 2011 By Andrew Beckett

The Assembly returned to the Capitol Tuesday for its first floor session since last month’s marathon debate on the budget repair bill.

Minority Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) called on lawmakers to pass a resolution that asks the governor to begin good faith negotiations with public employee unions. Barca says those discussions need to happen because of the current impasse on the budget repair bill.

Passage of the measure remains blocked in the state Senate because the 14 Democratic Senators left the state nearly three weeks ago, preventing a vote.

Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald (R-Horicon) says it’s a misconception that negotiations are not taking place, pointing to e-mails released by Governor Walker that show discussions with Senate Democrats have been ongoing. He says it may be frustrating for Assembly Democrats not to have a role in the process, but talks have been going on.

State Representative Mark Pocan (D-Madison) fired back at Fitzgerald, saying those talks are really more like discussions than negotiations, because the Governor remains unwilling to compromise.

Action on the resolution was blocked by Republicans, who sent the bill to a committee to prevent a vote.

Also on Tuesday, the Assembly approved changes to state auto insurance laws that lower mandatory minimum levels of coverage. The bill passed without debate, after Democrats had earlier delayed a vote with a procedural trick.

Members also passed resolutions honoring the UW-Madison football team for its Rose Bowl appearance and the UW-Whitewater football team for winning a third straight national championship, along with a resolution declaring January 26th Bob Uecker Day in Wisconsin.

AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (1:07)

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Legislature



Featured Stories

Panthers rally to upset Wright State in Horizon League quarterfinals

Jokic leads Denver in rout of the Bucks

Can Packers make a splash in free agency? Aaron Jones?

Wisconsin was better but still falls short at Purdue

Assembly Republicans propose bills to prohibit transgender girls from girls’ sports

TwitterFacebook

Sports Headlines

Panthers rally to upset Wright State in Horizon League quarterfinals

Jokic leads Denver in rout of the Bucks

Can Packers make a splash in free agency? Aaron Jones?

Wisconsin was better but still falls short at Purdue

Marquette edges DePaul in Big East action

More Sports

Tweets by @WRN

Get our news delivered to your inbox:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Copyright © 2021 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC