Legislative Center

Gary Goyke, WCDEFA Legislative Rep.

Wisconsin Deer Farmers:

Prepare to Meet New Legislators...

All of us in the cervid industry are ready to undertake the many challenges and work on new opportunities in the coming 2011-2012 legislative session.  The "Official" start of the legislative session is on Monday January 3rd,  If you are able and interested in attending some of the swearing in festivities and visiting with some of the many new faces please let me know.  I will make arrangements for you to participate.  Just send me an email.

Here is the list of the new leadership and the key Joint Finance committee membership.

Senate Caucuses Select Leaders

The Senate partisan caucuses Thursday selected Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, and Mark Miller, D-Monona, to serve as leaders of the 2011-2012 Senate sessions.

Fitzgerald, who takes over as Senate majority leader after leading Senate Republicans during the current minority session, warned a lively GOP caucus that while the public is upset with Dems, Tuesday's election "doesn't mean they're necessarily enamored with the Republican Party.  I don't know that we necessarily got a mandate," said Fitzgerald, R-Juneau.

In addition to putting Fitzgerald in the top spot for the caucus, Republicans elected Glenn Grothman of West Bend assistant majority leader during an open caucus meeting.  In other leadership spots, the Republicans picked Mike Ellis of Neenah president and Joe Leibham of Sheboygan president pro tempore. Dan Kapanke of La Crosse will serve as caucus chairman with Sheila Harsdorf of River Falls caucus vice chair.

Newly elected Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller said Dems will not stand in the way of legitimate efforts to jump start the state's economy, but he promised his caucus would serve as "truth tellers" who will hold Republicans to their campaign promises.  "We will not stand by and watch the economic elite be the only ones to benefit" from efforts to turn the economy around, said Miller.

Miller's caucus also elected Dave Hansen of Green Bay as assistant minority leader, Julie Lassa of Stevens Point caucus chair and Kathleen Vinehout of Alma caucus vice chair.

Assembly Caucuses Select Leaders

The Assembly partisan caucuses to select leadership positions were held by the Republicans on Monday and the Democrats on Tuesday.

Rep. Fitzgerald Elected Speaker

Representative Jeff Fitzgerald (R-Horicon) was elected Monday to be the next Speaker of the State Assembly when the session begins in January, 2011.  He was elected by a unanimous ballot.  Rep. Fitzgerald will lead an Assembly with 60 Republicans, 38 Democrats and one independent.

Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford) will serve as Assembly majority leader and Rep. Bill Kramer (R-Waukesha) will preside over the chamber as president pro tempore.  Suder defeated Rep. Mark Gottlieb (R-Port Washington) and Kramer defeated Rep. Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan).  Dan Knodl (R-Germantown) will serve as assistant Assembly majority leader, defeating Rep. Jim Ott (R-Mequon).

Rep. Scott Gunderson (R-Waterford) was not opposed for the office of Caucus Chair.  The Caucus Vice Chair will be Rep. John Murtha (R-Baldwin), who defeated Rep. Don Pridemore (R-Hartford).  Rep. Mary Williams (R-Medford) was reelected as the Caucus Secretary. Her colleagues voted unanimously in support of her reelection.

Rep. Barca Elected Assembly Minority Leader

Rep. Peter Barca of Kenosha was elected Assembly Democratic leader on Tuesday.  He was elected unanimously after Rep. Gordon Hintz of Oshkosh dropped out of the race.  Rep. Donna Seidel, D-Wausau, was elected assistant minority leader by Democratic members of the state Assembly on Tuesday, defeating Rep. Sandy Pasch of Whitefish Bay.  Seidel was assistant majority leader this session, while Barca was caucus chair.

Madison Rep. Kelda Roys will serve as the next caucus chair after beating out Andy Jorgensen of Fort Atkinson, Louis Molepske of Stevens Point and Chris Danou of Trempeleau over the course of three ballots. Fred Clark of Baraboo will serve as caucus vice-chairman, beating out Christine Sinicki of Milwaukee.

Penny Bernard Schaber of Appleton will serve as caucus secretary, while Josh Zepnick of Milwaukee will be caucus sergeant-at-arms.

Gov.-elect Scott Walker also stopped by the caucus, offering to work with Democrats wherever possible. Walker said he wouldn't make partisan disagreements personal and said members of both parties hope to minimize the effects of the "tremendous challenges" awaiting lawmakers in the next state budget.  He also asked members to offer their ideas to the new administration, in particular highlighting Rep. Barca's work on jobs legislation as an example of proposals that "really don't have a partisan attachment to them."

New GOP Members of Joint Finance Committee Announced

Sen. Fitzgerald Names Senate Republican JFC members

Incoming Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald announced his five additional appointments to the Joint Finance Committee.

Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, announced last week that Sen. Alberta Darling of River Hills would serve as JFC co-chair. Sen. Luther Olsen of Ripon, who joined Darling as the two Senate GOP members of the committee in the current legislative session, will also stay on as vice-chairman.  The other Senate GOP members for the next legislative session will be Sheila Harsdorf of River Falls, Joe Leibham of Sheboygan, Glenn Grothman of West Bend and Randy Hopper of Fond du Lac.

Assembly Joint Finance Committee Members Selected

Assembly Speaker-Elect Jeff Fitzgerald has filled out his slate of appointments to the Joint Finance Committee. This is one of the most important of all legislative committees.

Joining co-chair Robin Vos, R-Rochester, who was appointed earlier this week, will be:
Vice-Chair Mark Gottlieb, R-Port Washington
Dan Meyer, R-Eagle River
Dan LeMahieu, R-Cascade
John Nygren, R-Marinette
Pat Strachota, R-West Bend

Fitzgerald, R-Horicon, said in his statement, “Wisconsin faces a $2.7 billion budget deficit and will need real reforms to get spending under control. Assembly Republicans will work on behalf of taxpayers to put forth a balanced budget that puts Wisconsin on the right track.”

Senate and Assembly Democrats have yet to announce their appointments.

Please let me know if you have any questions on this report.  I will be happy to send additional information and will certainly provide additional handouts at the upcoming Annual Meeting.