After spending most of the day in partisan caucus Tuesday, the state Assembly rushed to pass multiple bills early Wednesday morning before the legislative session comes to an end later this week.
Although some major bills were pushed to Thursday's calendar, the Assembly passed an amended version of the BadgerCare Basic plan which extends care to nearly 30,000 individuals currently on the BadgerCare Plus Core plan waiting list.
The bill faced opposition from Republican lawmakers who have said the $130 monthly premiums are not enough to cover the services the plan provides, but passed the Assembly on a 50-47 vote.
The amendment sets a program termination date of Jan. 1, 2014.
The bill, which passed the Senate on a 17-16 vote in February, will now move back to the Senate in its amended form.
The Senate passed a green energy incentive bill, legislation that gives more protection to journalists and their confidential sources and a number of economic development bills before adjourning early in the day.
The Assembly passed a resolution that limits the governor's veto power. On a 50-48 vote, the Assembly voted in favor of prohibiting the governor from vetoing portions of a bill without rejecting a bill in its entirety.
The resolution's vote split along party lines, with state Rep. Bob Ziegelbauer, D-Manitowoc, voting with the Republicans.
Both the Senate and the Assembly passed the ""Green to Gold"" bill that increases investments in green energy and provides incentives for businesses and manufacturers to use green practices. The Senate passed the bill on a 28-5 vote and the Assembly passed the bill on a 78-20 vote.
The bill now moves on to Gov. Jim Doyle to be signed into law.
A bill that creates procedures for complaints about racially based mascots passed the Assembly on a 53-45 vote. The legislation, which places the burden on school boards to prove a school's mascot is not discriminatory, passed the Senate last week on a 17-16 vote.
As of press time, the Assembly had not taken up a scheduled resolution that calls for the expulsion of a state legislator, state Rep. Jeff Wood, I-Chippewa Falls, who plead no contest Monday to a charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Wood was charged with operating while intoxicated three times in one year and has since said he does not plan to run for re-election this fall.
The Legislature will resume in full session Thursday with prospects of passing more legislation including the ""Clean Energy Jobs Act"" and a bill that streamlines the election process for absentee voters.
