The Government Accountability Board reversed a decision to allow colleges to use stickers on student identification cards for voting was reversed Thursday after Republican lawmakers questioned the policy's neutrality.
The use of stickers was originally proposed to meet the requirements of the state's new voter identification law, which requires student IDs to have a signature, issuance date and an expiration date two years after the issuance date.
Republican legislators had called for the review of the GAB's decision, saying that they would lead to unjust elections.
But before the hearing held by the Joint Committee for the Review of Administrative Rules began Thursday, the GAB had already released a memo deciding stickers were not a workable solution.
""While the idea of utilizing a sticker attached to a current student identification card originated with university and college representatives, we are now being informed that most would prefer developing a separate student identification card issued to a student upon request that conforms to the statutory requirements,"" GAB Director Kevin Kennedy said in a memo.
The stickers would have been a cheaper alternative to changing ID systems completely.
""If the administration makes the final decision to provide us with new IDs we will still be okay, but I think that the proposal to eliminate the stickers is generally harmful because it's the more affordable option,"" said Associated Students of Madison Legislative Affairs Chair Hannah Somers.
The news upset Democrats, who interpreted the GAB's rescission as ""tainting"" the bipartisan state agency and criticized Republican legislators for what they saw as an abuse of power.
State Rep. Gary Hebl, D-Sun Prairie, accused the GAB of turning from ""a watch-dog to a lap-dog"" because of its decision.
""Now you're coming in basically with your tail in between your legs saying ‘We won't do what we thought we should do,' because of the pressure put upon you,"" Hebl said.
But JCRAR Co-Chair Jim Ott, R-Mequon, said it is their ""responsibility to express legislative oversight of state agencies.""
""Just because certain committee members don't agree with what the majority would like to do doesn't mean that's partisan,"" Ott said.
The GAB will decide on a new policy November 9.
