SJR6: Joint Resolution Text

LRB-2827/1

JS:kmg:km

1995 - 1996 LEGISLATURE

1995 Senate JOINT RESOLUTION 6

February 2, 1995 - Introduced by Senators Rude, Schultz, Huelsman and Petak, cosponsored by Representatives Prosser, Nass, Jensen, Freese, Seratti, Ainsworth, Klusman, Duff, Hahn, Musser, Silbaugh, Ladwig, Krusick, Ott, Grothman, Harsdorf, Ryba, Dobyns, Johnsrud and Green. Referred to Special committee on State and Federal Relations.

SJR6,1,1 Relating to: convening a Conference of the States.

SJR6,1,4 Whereas, the Constitution of the United States established a balanced, compound system of governance and the Tenth Amendment reserved all nondelegated and nonprohibited powers to the states or to the people; and

SJR6,1,8 Whereas, over many years, the government of the United States has dramatically expanded the scope of its power and preempted state government's authority, and increasingly has treated states as administrative subdivisions or as special interest groups rather than as coequal partners; and

SJR6,1,10 Whereas, the U.S. government has generated massive deficits and continues to mandate programs that state and local governments must administer; and

SJR6,1,14 Whereas, the number of federal, unfunded mandates has grown exponentially during the last 30 years and has profoundly distorted state budgets, thereby handcuffing the ability of state leaders to provide appropriate and needed services to their constituencies; and

SJR6,2,2 Whereas, since 1990, the government of the United States has enacted at least 42 major statutes imposing burdensome and expensive regulations and requirements on states and localities, which is nearly equal to all of those enacted in the prior 2 decades combined; and

SJR6,2,4 Whereas, persistent endeavors initiated by the states have consistently failed to generate any substantial reaction or remedy from the U.S. government; and

SJR6,2,7 Whereas, the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly determined that states must look to the U.S. Congress and pursue political remedies for protection against encroachments by the U.S. government on the reserved powers of the states; and

SJR6,2,9 Whereas, the Council of State Governments, through its Intergovernmental Affairs Committee, has been the champion of state sovereignty for many years; and

SJR6,2,14 Whereas, in recent years, states have been the principal agents of governmental reform, including updating their constitutions and modernizing and restructuring governmental institutions, and, along with local governments, they have been the pioneers of governmental innovation, thus responding to the needs of their citizens; and

SJR6,2,18 Whereas, the Council of State Governments and the Wisconsin legislature recognize a sense of urgency in calling for a Conference of the States, whereby each state government would send a delegation to develop a comprehensive action plan to restore the balance in the federal government; and

SJR6,2,22 Whereas, the aforementioned experience of the Council of State Governments, in conjunction with its regional structure and groupings of elected and appointed officials from all 3 branches of state government, reflects an entity ideally suited to promote and facilitate such a conference; and

SJR6,3,2 Whereas, the Conference of the States will communicate the broad bipartisan public concern that the American political system has been distorted and will provide a formal forum for state governments to collectively propose constructive remedies for a more balanced state-federal partnership in governance for the 21st century; now, therefore, be it

SJR6,3,13 Resolved by the senate, the Assembly concurring, That a delegation of 7 voting persons from Wisconsin shall be appointed to represent the state of Wisconsin at a Conference of the States for the purposes described in this joint resolution to be convened as provided in this joint resolution; and that the delegation shall consist of the governor or, if the governor does not wish to be a member of the delegation, a constitutional officer selected by the governor, and 6 legislators, 3 from the senate and 3 from the assembly, appointed as are standing committees in each house; and that not more than 4 of the 6 legislators may be from the same political party; and that each selecting officer may designate 2 alternate legislator delegates, one from each party, who have voting privileges in the absence of the primary delegates; and, be it further

SJR6,3,18 Resolved, That the delegates of the Conference of the States will propose, debate and vote on elements of an action plan to restore checks and balances between the states and the federal government; and that measures agreed upon will be formalized in an instrument called a "State's Petition" and returned to the delegation's state for consideration by the entire legislature; and, be it further

SJR6,3,23 Resolved, That the Conference of the States shall be convened under the section 501 (c) 3 auspices of the Council of State Governments in cooperation with the National Governors' Association and the National Conference of State Legislatures not later than 270 days after at least 26 legislatures adopt this joint resolution without amendment; and, be it further

SJR6,4,3 Resolved, That prior to the official convening of the Conference of the States, the steering committee will draft the governance structure and procedural rules for the conference, the process for receiving rebalancing proposals and the financial and administrative functions of the conference, including the Council of State Governments as fiscal agent; and, be it further

SJR6,4,7 Resolved, That the bylaws of the Conference of the States shall conform to the provisions of this joint resolution, specify that each state delegation shall have one vote at the conference and specify that the conference's agenda be limited to fundamental, structural, long-term reforms; and, be it further

SJR6,4,10 Resolved, That, upon the official convening of the Conference of the States, the state delegations will vote upon and approve the conference's governing structure, operating rules and bylaws; and, be it further

SJR6,4,13 Resolved, That the senate chief clerk shall provide copies of this joint resolution to the Governor of the state of Wisconsin and to the Governing Board and Executive Director of the Council of State Governments.

SJR6,4,14 (End)