All eyes are on the GOP-controlled state Legislature, as Tuesday will be the final day of session activity for lawmakers to vote on several crucial priorities on Gov. Scott Walker’s agenda.
The state Senate has over 100 proposals to be considered, including a $100 million school safety package, a $100-per-child tax rebate for parents and a push to close the scandal-ridden Lincoln Hills juvenile facility.
The state Senate and Assembly are trying to find common ground during this busy legislative schedule as well as the coming special session for school safety on Thursday.
Disputes between the two chambers might slow down the process, as the Assembly, which already finished its session activity, approved a series of measures that the Senate can either accept as they are, or propose amendments and risk inactivity altogether.
“Let’s just take it up. Let’s just get it done. I don’t care what the format is,” Walker told reporters referring to his school safety proposals.
But Walker’s school safety legislation isn’t the only thing under scrutiny. The other major proposals for Tuesday have created other conflicts between the Assembly and Senate.
Walker’s child tax credit plan is also going to be under question, as the state Senate has been critical of the one-time $50 million sales tax holiday that is included in the bill. The Senate did not even mention the tax holiday on their agenda for Tuesday.
The chambers also clashed over juvenile justice reform, as the Senate took issue with the Assembly plan’s $80 million in spending to create new, local facilities to replace Lincoln Hills.
“Despite the decrees issued by the Assembly Speaker, the state Senate will exercise its responsibility to consider legislation and adopt amendments, if necessary,” said State Sen. Stephen Nass, R-Whitewater. “I can only hope the Assembly Speaker will reconsider his my-way-or-the-highway approach to ending this legislative session.”
