Ayes, 5 - Senators
Wirch, Carpenter, Plale, Kedzie and Roessler.
Noes, 0 - None.
Passage as amended.
Ayes, 3 - Senators
Wirch, Carpenter and Plale.
Noes, 2 - Senators
Kedzie and Roessler.
Senate Bill 320
Relating to: refunds of overcharges by commercial mobile radio service providers, actions against commercial mobile radio service providers that fail to make timely refunds, and providing a penalty.
Passage.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Wirch, Carpenter, Plale, Kedzie and Roessler.
Noes, 0 - None.
Robert Wirch
Chairperson
The committee on Transportation and Tourism reports and recommends:
Assembly Bill 169
Relating to: obtaining a special registration plate for disabled persons.
Concurrence.
Ayes, 7 - Senators
Breske, Plale, Erpenbach, Hansen, Kapanke, Schultz and Leibham.
Noes, 0 - None.
Assembly Bill 246
Relating to: identification for purposes related to the purchase of alcohol beverages.
Concurrence.
Ayes, 7 - Senators
Breske, Plale, Erpenbach, Hansen, Kapanke, Schultz and Leibham.
Noes, 0 - None.
Assembly Bill 442
Relating to: special distinguishing registration plates associated with Donate Life Wisconsin, the promotion of organ and tissue donation in this state, granting rule-making authority, and making appropriations.
Concurrence.
Ayes, 7 - Senators
Breske, Plale, Erpenbach, Hansen, Kapanke, Schultz and Leibham.
Noes, 0 - None.
Assembly Bill 89
Relating to: operating an aircraft recklessly or under the influence of an intoxicant and providing a penalty and granting rule-making authority.
Concurrence.
Ayes, 7 - Senators
Breske, Plale, Erpenbach, Hansen, Kapanke, Schultz and Leibham.
Noes, 0 - None.
Senate Bill 355
Relating to: restrictions on the operation of motor vehicles by persons using electronic text messaging devices and providing a penalty.
Passage.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Breske, Erpenbach, Hansen, Kapanke and Schultz.
Noes, 2 - Senators
Plale and Leibham.
Roger Breske
Chairperson
__________________
Pursuant to Senate Rule 17 (5), Senator Lehman added as a coauthor of
Senate Bill
394
.
Pursuant to Senate Rule 17 (5), Senator Roessler withdrawn as a coauthor of
Senate Bill
308
.
Pursuant to Senate Rule 17 (5), Representative Molepske added as a cosponsor of
Senate Bill
375
.
Pursuant to Senate Rule 17 (5), Representative Roth added as a cosponsor of
Senate Bill
322
.
__________________
By Patrick E. Fuller, chief clerk.
Mr. President:
I am directed to inform you that the Assembly has adopted and asks concurrence in:
Assembly Joint Resolution
66
Assembly Joint Resolution 66
Relating to: the life and public service of Norbert DeCleene.
By Representatives Nelson and Montgomery; cosponsored by Senators Cowles and Hansen.
Read and referred to committee on Senate Organization.
__________________
President Risser appointed Senators Taylor and Fitzgerald to escort his excellency, the Governor, to the Joint Convention.
The Chair, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate adjourn until Thursday, January 24, 2008, upon the rising of the Joint Convention.
The Chair, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate recess for the purpose of awaiting the Governor's State of the State Address in Joint Convention in the Assembly Chambers at 7:00 P.M.
The Senate stood recessed.
6:35 P.M.
__________________
The Senate proceeded in a body to the Assembly Chamber to meet in Joint Convention to receive the State of the State Message.
__________________
Senate President Risser in the Chair.
The Committee to wait upon the Governor appeared with his excellency the Governor, who delivered his message as follows:
__________________
“Speaker Huebsch, Speaker Pro Tem Gottlieb, President Risser, Majority Leader Decker, Constitutional Officers, Supreme Court Justices, tribal leaders, members of the Cabinet, distinguished guests, members of the Legislature, and fellow citizens of Wisconsin.
Tonight, our nation finds itself at a time of great uncertainty. America's economy is in deep turmoil. In just the last few days, markets around the world have plummeted and talk in Washington has turned from recovery to recession. Make no mistake: challenging days are ahead.
S530
But one thing is certain... In Wisconsin, we are hardworking people. And when challenges arise, we meet them head on.
...Passionate people who invent and innovate, who build and grow. ...People who enjoy life, who wear cheese on their head and who love the green and gold.
When they said American manufacturing was finished, we showed the world what quality was all about. We got leaner, more efficient, and today we're producing the highest quality products in the world.
When they said California would become the number one cheese producer, we modernized our dairy industry, captured new markets and today we're producing more cheese than ever.
When they said we could not compete with high tech industry, we invested in our universities, built new companies, and supported the best scientists in the world. Now we lead the nation in high tech research.
This is the promise of Wisconsin - our ability to transform challenge into opportunity; to face difficulties and overcome.
In Wisconsin, we've taken steps to prepare for a national economic downturn. We've cut spending, cut taxes, and deposited $50 million in a rainy day fund.
Jobs are up in Wisconsin. Exports are up. And from Uline in Pleasant Prairie to Logistics Health in La Crosse, we're attracting new companies and we now lead the Great Lakes in job creation.
But all signs show that America's economy is slowing, and all of us will be affected in the weeks and months ahead.
Many of the challenges we face today in Wisconsin can be traced to years of bad decision making in Washington. For nearly a decade our national government has failed to address major economic problems like loss of manufacturing jobs, spiraling health care costs, and our reliance on fossil fuels. For too long, Washington has ignored the growing trade deficit and a weakening U.S. dollar.
Today, we are reaping the consequences of Washington's failures. States across the country - from Florida to California, Minnesota to Arizona - all are facing budget deficits.
In Wisconsin we used conservative estimates from the Fiscal Bureau to develop our budget, but because of the national economic slowdown, we too will face a very difficult fiscal situation. We will have to delay some of the things we all agreed on. We will have to make deep cuts and hard sacrifices.
Tonight I stand before two houses of a Legislature each led by a different party. That is a source of strength and a source of weakness. Last year we saw gridlock and a budget that was four months delayed. But in the end we saw what was possible when we work together.
Together we made government leaner and focused on the priorities of the middle class. We cut bureaucracy by more than $200 million. We protected funding for education, for health care, for public safety. We made tough choices to strengthen our economy and make life in Wisconsin more affordable.
We raised the tax on cigarettes to reduce smoking, but we didn't raise income taxes ... didn't raise business taxes ... didn't raise sales taxes.
In fact, we cut taxes on health care, child care, and college education. We cut taxes for farmers and manufacturers. We ended the tax on social security, ended the tax on estates, and continued the tightest property tax limits in history. Over the last four years we've seen the property tax burden fall to its lowest level in more than two decades.
