Governor Scott Walker is declining to say how he plans to act on a number of controversial bills that could reach his desk in the coming weeks.
The state Senate on Tuesday gave final approval to a bill that would make it much harder to challenge and remove race-based mascots at public schools. The measure already passed the Assembly and is now on its way to the governor. During a stop in Madison Thursday, Walker told reporters that the issue is “not on his radar,” since his primary focus during the fall Legislative session has been jobs, balancing the budget, improving the economy, or cutting taxes.
Walker said “there’s certainly other important issues the Legislature has brought up,” but his focus has been on economic issues. Still, he says he will review any bill that comes to his desk.
AUDIO: Gov. Scott Walker (:15)
The governor offered a similar answer when asked about a series of abortion-related bills that are expected to come up in the state Senate later this month. Those measures include a bill banning sex-selective abortions and a proposal that would ban abortion coverage under public workers’ health insurance plans. The bill would also exempt religious organizations from having to provide coverage for contraceptives in their insurance plans. A state Senate committee took executive action on those bills Thursday morning, prompting a Democratic lawmaker to promise there would be “all out hell” when the bills come up for a vote in the full Senate.