State lawmakers could soon be stopped from passing unfunded mandates on to local governments. Legislation from State Representative Steve Wieckert (R-Appleton) would keep lawmakers from requiring local governments to create programs, unless they also include the needed funding. Wieckert says if lawmakers think a program is that badly needed, they need to also realize the costs of putting it place. The Appleton Republican says lawmakers have tried to limit such mandates in recent years, but hopes the bill will stop them from coming up in the first place.
The legislation is also intended to make lawmakers design programs that work better. Wieckert says some legislators slap together required programs without thinking about the cost, which gets laid on local governments. If the state is required to cover the expenses of the programs lawmakers create, he says the authors of such proposals may pay more attention to the price tag.
The bill is expected receive a Capitol hearing Tuesday afternoon.