Senate floor debate (PHOTO: Jackie Johnson)
Republicans in the Wisconsin state Senate have canceled a floor session that had been set to take place at the Capitol on Tuesday.
The announcement comes just a day before members were expected to be in Madison to vote on a proposed calendar that included multiple appointments and nearly two dozen bills. Myranda Tanck, a spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) said the floor period was being called off though so Republicans can meet in caucus to discuss several outstanding pieces of legislation.
Those bills include controversial changes to the state Government Accountability Board and campaign finance laws, which Tanck said “are complex proposals, and with recent changes to both measures made on the Assembly floor and in committee last week, our members need additional time to review and discuss the bills in their current form before bringing them to the floor for debate.”
Both bills cleared the Assembly last week with overwhelming support from majority Republicans. However, a handful of GOP Senators have voiced concerns about both proposals, leaving their ability to pass that chamber in question. Tanck said they Senate does still hope to take up both pieces of legislation before the session ends.
In a statement, a spokesman for Senate Democratic Leader Jennifer Shilling said that “instead of debating Republican bills to expand political corruption, Senate Democrats want to use this fall floor period to lower student loan debt, expand access to affordable childcare and strengthen retirement security for hardworking Wisconsin families.”