Rep. Rich Zipperer's Legislative Update, 3/3/2008

The following are excerpts from Assemblyman Rich Zipperer's E-Update.

I would love to say, there, problem solved, but unfortunately, many of the Assembly bills mentioned must also pass the Senate before March 13th. (Emphasis added)

Legislative Update

The Assembly was in session Tuesday and Thursday of last week, working well into the early morning hours each day. We worked on over 100 pieces of legislation in that time; including some issues on which I thought you would like a quick update.

The Right to Keep and Bear Arms: Assembly Resolution 13
AR 13 requests that Attorney General JB Van Hollen file a brief with the United States Supreme Court in the case of District of Columbia v. Dick Anthony Heller. This case brings into question whether the 2nd Amendment of the United States Constitution includes the right to keep and bear arms for purposes unrelated to service in a militia or the military.

In 1998, Wisconsin voters overwhelmingly amended Wisconsin’s constitution so that Wisconsin residents have the right to keep and bear arms for many purposes other than military service. Article 1, section 25 of our state constitution states, “The people have the right to keep and bear arms for security, defense, hunting, recreation or any other lawful purpose.” I feel it’s important that the United States Supreme Court keep in mind as they decide this important case that, in Wisconsin, citizens clearly have the right to keep and bear arms for purposes other than serving in a militia or the military. AR 13 was approved 78-18.

Tax Relief and Economic Growth: Assembly Bills 671, 696, 770
We passed multiple initiatives in the Assembly aimed at providing tax relief in efforts to help get our economy growing again. The first was AB 671, which grants an income tax exclusion if a businesses reinvests their capital gains within Wisconsin. This will help pump more investment money into Wisconsin’s economy. The measure passed on a voice vote.

The Assembly also passed AB 696 and AB 770, both of which provide tax credits for businesses that invest in new research and innovation, encouraging businesses, especially high-tech businesses, to invest in research and technological advancement even during tough economic times. Both bills passed with bipartisan majorities: AB 696 on a 65-32 vote, and AB 770 on a 84-13 vote.

Ending Sanctuary Cities for Illegal Aliens: Assembly Bill 569
We approved Assembly Bill 569, which will prohibit local municipalities from declaring themselves as a ‘sanctuary city’ for illegal aliens. Many municipalities across America are setting up policies that invite illegal aliens to their cities. They do so by creating policies that outlaw inquiring whether a person seeking public benefits is a legal resident, and they outlaw notifying the federal government of known illegal aliens in their community.

AB 569 will end these practices in Wisconsin, ensuring that taxpayer funded public benefits will not go to illegal aliens, and if a criminal is known to be an illegal alien, the federal government will be notified. The bill passed on a voice vote, but the Democrats objected to messaging the bill to the Senate, delaying its progress for at least another week.

Banning Partial Birth Abortions: AB 710
AB 710 is a modernization of Wisconsin’s partial-birth abortion ban. It will bring Wisconsin’s partial-birth abortion ban, which is similar to a law that has been declared unconstitutional by the courts, into compliance with the federal partial-birth abortion ban, which has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. With this bill in place, Wisconsin will be protected against this horrific practice in both federal and state courts. The Assembly passed this legislation on a 59-38 vote, and it now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Virtual Charter Schools: AB 870
The Assembly voted to keep virtual public schools open and available well into the future by passing AB 870. As you’ve seen in the media, a compromise was reached on virtual schools earlier this month, and the compromise bill even passed through the Senate Democrats’ education committee on a unanimous vote. Before the entire Senate voted however, Governor Doyle indicated he would veto the bill unless it contained certain provisions, such as a strict enrollment cap. The Senate then instead passed a bill that will drastically harm virtual public schools.

The Assembly responded by passing AB 870, a bill that will keep the schools open and available as an option for parents everywhere. These schools, such as Waukesha’s iQ Academy, provide a real solution to families and children who struggle in traditional public schools or simply want an alternative. Students in these schools do as well on achievement tests as traditional students, and the schools cost less to operate for taxpayers. It is up to the Senate now whether they truly want to keep these schools open, or continue to stonewall and force thousands of kids out of these quality schools that are working well for them.

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