1997 Assembly Joint Resolution 69
ENROLLED JOINT RESOLUTION
Relating to: commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Joint Legislative Council and the legislative council staff.
Whereas, the Wisconsin legislative council and staff were created in 1947 by
chapter 444, laws of 1947, and have now served the Wisconsin legislature and the state of Wisconsin for 50 years; and
Whereas, the Joint Legislative Council, through its study committees, has been instrumental in establishing traditions of open discussion and citizen participation in the legislative process in Wisconsin; and
Whereas, the Joint Legislative Council has conducted 426 studies, involving the participation of over 6,000 individual citizens of the state and legislators, and introduced 1,278 pieces of legislation on a wide variety of topics, leading to 729 enactments; and
Whereas, the Joint Legislative Council study process has made major contributions to the development of the Wisconsin statutes in such areas as education, highways and transportation, administrative law, criminal law, the structure of the court system, insurance law, the uniform commercial code, family law, medical malpractice and natural resource and environmental law; and
Whereas, the legislative council staff has been led by a series of 4 highly competent staff directors who have established and enforced high standards for professional, nonpartisan legislative staff service and 2 of whom in particular, Earl Sachse and Bonnie Reese, have been recognized for the accomplishment of transforming the staff from a small agency concerned mainly with interim study committees to an agency that provides a broad range of nonpartisan professional services; and
Whereas, in addition to serving study committees, the legislative council staff supports the work of standing and statutory committees, provides assistance to individual legislators and their staffs, organizes and facilitates the biennial presession conference for new legislators, performs technical review of all proposed state agency administrative rules and provides various other services; and
Whereas, through its many functions, both large and small, and in concert with its sister legislative service agencies, the legislative council staff is integral to the smooth functioning of the Wisconsin legislature; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the legislature commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Joint Legislative Council and the legislative council staff and recommits itself to the democratic principles of open discussion and citizen participation in the legislative process; and, be it further
Resolved, That the legislature expresses its appreciation for the dedicated nonpartisan professional service provided to it by the legislative council staff.
