The special legislative session dubbed “Back to Work Wisconsin” by Gov. Scott Walker adjourned in the Assembly Thursday, concluding a day of legislation that left some lawmakers questioning the effectiveness of the economic legislation initiative.
Some of the bills that passed Thursday work to improve the state’s economic environment through business-friendly legislation.
One, geared towards small business loans, broadens the definition of a small business to include slightly larger enterprises in the awarding of grants by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority.
Less established industries were also provided for in Thursday’s session. A bill meant to facilitate growth in Wisconsin’s bio-science industry was referred to the Joint Finance Committee.
One vote, to move a bill on to the agenda, was an attempt to address the issue of job creation at the heart of the special session, according to Rep. Kelda Helen Roys, D-Madison. The bill would increase the amount of state technical school grants toward manufacturing skill training from $2 million to $2.4 million annually.
Roys’ motion was a reach across the aisle, as the bill itself was drafted and introduced to the Assembly by Rep. Keith Ripp, R-Lodi. The bipartisan initiative’s failure to pass underlined Democrats’ frustration with the session.
“Here we are on the very last day of the ‘jobless session on jobs’, and we still haven’t created many jobs,” Roys said.
Frustration with the agenda had less to do with actual legislation as much as the fundamental ideological differences between both parties, said Rep. Robin Vos, R-Burlington in defending his position on a bill.
“We have said we are not going to assume that government creates jobs, that is an area where we differ over and over,” Vos told Democratic colleagues. “But we have said we are going to change the environment in many ways: some big, some small.”
Bills and amendments related to firearms, concealed carry technicalities and attorney fees also came before the Assembly Thursday.
At the time of publication, the Assembly was adjourned for Democratic Caucus.
