Read and referred to committee on Agriculture and Environmental Resources.
Assembly Joint Resolution 10
Relating to: the life and public service of Oscar Laper.
By Representative
Albers
; cosponsored by Senator Schultz
.
Read and referred to committee on Senate Organization.
Assembly Joint Resolution 11
Relating to: the right to keep and bear arms (2nd consideration).
By Representatives Jensen, Kedzie, Sykora, Schafer, Goetsch, Handrick, Ladwig, Dobyns, Hoven, Hasenohrl, Underheim, Huebsch, Vrakas, Duff, Turner, Wood, Gard, Grothman, Walker, Ziegelbauer, Kelso, Lazich, Linton, Seratti, Zukowski, Kreibich, Johnsrud, Kreuser, Foti, M. Lehman, Ward, Owens, Otte, Harsdorf, Musser, Kaufert, Meyer, Gunderson, Porter, Freese, Ott, Albers, Hahn, Nass, Powers, Olsen, Skindrud, Ourada, Brandemuehl, Lorge, Green, F. Lasee, Reynolds, Boyle, Schneider and Springer; cosponsored by Senators Zien, Fitzgerald, Rude, Drzewiecki, Schultz, Moen, Wineke, Huelsman, Farrow, Buettner, Clausing, Darling, Decker, Weeden and Welch.
Read first time and referred to committee on Judiciary, Campaign Finance Reform and Consumer Affairs.
Assembly Joint Resolution 13
Relating to: the life and public service of William Double.
By Representative
Hoven
; cosponsored by Senator Panzer
.
Read and referred to committee on Senate Organization.
Assembly Joint Resolution 14
Relating to: requesting the Commodities Futures Trading Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to reevaluate their regulatory authority over the National Cheese Exchange.
By Representatives Ott, Sykora, Lorge, Hutchison, Otte, Gronemus, Seratti, Ourada, Baumgart, Hasenohrl, Hahn, Ward, Zukowski, Skindrud, Reynolds, Ainsworth, Dobyns, Albers, Johnsrud, Schafer, Kreibich, Porter, Gunderson, Musser, Vrakas, Owens, Goetsch, Freese, Urban, Baldwin, Lazich, Olsen and Hubler; cosponsored by Senators Zien, A. Lasee, Breske, Rude, C. Potter, Grobschmidt, Plache, Moen, Buettner, Welch and Cowles.
Read and referred to committee on Agriculture and Environmental Resources.
Assembly Joint Resolution 15
Relating to: designating FFA (Future Farmers of America) Week.
By Representatives Ott and Gronemus.
Read and referred to committee on Senate Organization.
Assembly Joint Resolution 16
Relating to: commending the Green Bay Packers' organization, team and fans for their accomplishments during the past season, playoffs and Super Bowl.
By Representatives Kelso, Ryba and Green; cosponsored by Senator Drzewiecki
.
Read and referred to committee on Senate Organization.
Assembly Joint Resolution 17
Relating to: the life and public service of David M. Demos.
By Representative
Staskunas
.
Read and referred to committee on Senate Organization.
Senator Risser, with unanimous consent, asked that Senate Bill 2 be withdrawn from the joint committee on Finance and referred to the committee on Senate Organization.
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Senator Risser, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate recess for the purpose of awaiting the Governor's State of the State Address in Joint Conventin in the Assembly Chambers at 7:00 P.M. and upon the rising of the Joint Convention adjourn until Thursday, January 30 at 1:30 P.M.
The Senate stood recessed.
6:41 P.M.
__________________
The President of the Senate in the Chair.
The committee to await upon the Governor appeared with his excellency the Governor, who delivered his message as follows:
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Speaker Brancel, President Risser, Members of the Legislature, Constitutional Officers, Honorable Justices of the Supreme Court, tribal leaders, members of the Cabinet, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.
The state of the state is euphoric.
We are the champions.
Record-breaking economic growth
A quality of life that is second to none
Safe and vibrant communities
And, home of the World Champion Green Bay Packers
The Lombardi Trophy is back home, where it belongs, Titletown USA
And let there be no doubt: Not only are the Packers the Super Bowl Champions, they are indeed America's Team.
The Packers have earned this title not only because they are heroes on the field, but because they are heroes off the field. From the Lambeau Leap to Reggie White's Urban Hope to Brett Favre's work with ill children, the Packers show time and again that their hearts are bigger than their egos.
They work hard. They help each other. They achieve great heights. And they are guided by a higher vision.
Some even create their own Wisconsin delicacies. Right Gilbert?
Gilbert is a man of great strength and humility. A man who dedicated his pursuit of the Super Bowl to his veteran teammates -- men like Reggie White, Sean Jones and Eugene Robinson. Players who contributed greatly throughout their careers but had never reached the pinnacle.
Thank you Gilbert for being such a great ambassador for our state. We are proud to call you our friend and neighbor. And we don't want you to leave. Come back for another Super season, Gilbert.
Just as the Packers represent what is right and good in professional sports, Wisconsin represents what is right and good in a people and a state.
We are a people who know we are strongest when we are united. When a neighbor -- or a even stranger -- is in need of help, we respond with speed and compassion.
When a fiery train wreck forced Weyauwega residents to evacuate their homes for weeks, it was the people of Wisconsin who came to their rescue. They took families into their homes; paid for them to stay in hotels; offered food, clothing and money. And we worked together to diffuse a potentially explosive situation.
Joining us tonight is Weyauwega Mayor Judith Wiesman and her husband, Ron. Nice to see you under better circumstances Judith.
Nothing can derail the Spirit of Wisconsin.
Not even the devastating tornado that swept through the village of Oakfield. It was the most horrific sight in my time as governor. A path of destruction through the center of the village.
As I walked through the rubble of a community, I saw a lot of tears and a great deal of shock. But soon, the grief was drowned out by the sounds of chain saws, dump trucks, rakes and shovels.
The population of Oakfield seemed to quadruple that next day, as strangers came from miles around to lend a hand -- and a hug -- to those who had just lost a home or a family treasure.
I would like to welcome Oakfield Village President Tony O'Malley, Oakfield residents Allen Searl and Gary Collien, and Fond du Lac County Executive Al Buechel. You have a special community gentlemen.
I continue to be amazed by the ability of Wisconsinites to turn tragedy into triumph.
But that's the spirit of Wisconsin. We're builders with a bold vision for a better tomorrow. We have built Wisconsin into a championship state.
And in doing so, we have helped transform a nation through our bold innovations and brilliant successes.
We are America's State.
Whenever I come to address you in this chamber, it brings a rush of memories.
As a freshman legislator 30 years ago, I sat right there -- in Representative Owens' seat. And I eventually worked my way up to Representative Foti's seat in the front row.
I still remember the first bill I authored and the excitement that brought. It was a landmark bill, of course. Setting a standard for how much butter fat a product must contain before it can be called butter. You might call it the butter means butter bill.
And, I might add, it did pass.
I also know of the passion, conviction and the vigor that fills this chamber. I can even remember fighting with a few governors -- although I would never condone such action now.
A democracy calls for us to disagree at times. But we don't have to be disagreeable in the process.
Just as we lead this nation in so many arenas, we must also lead in civility and bipartisanship. We must reform the campaign finance system so it breeds civility. And we must discuss our differences face-to-face -- seeking compromise.
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So again, I will be reserving my schedule every Tuesday while you are in session to meet with lawmakers -- Democrats and Republicans. And you know I'm always just a phone call away.
Vince Lombardi said it well: "People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses or the problems of society."
So as we look to the future, we will remain America's State by daring to do even more. We will lead a nation into a new millennium.
And we will do it together, in these chambers and in communities throughout this great state.
Tonight, we begin laying out a bold blueprint for success in the 21st Century. We have so many new ideas that this speech would last longer than the Packers victory parade if we were to discuss them all right now.
So tonight, we will talk about where we have come and where we will go -- with special emphasis on the future of education in Wisconsin. Next week, I will outline an ambitious new plan for the environment. And in two weeks, I will present to you a biennial budget that will take us to the brink of a new millennium.
Economy
In these chambers, we helped spur an economic revolution that transformed Wisconsin from a hub in the Rust Belt into the Job Center of a nation.
Wisconsin's economy is as strong as it has ever been. If the numbers that tell the success of our economy are beginning to sound like a broken record it is because we keep breaking records. Our economy is a sweet tune of success that never grows old.
Three million people are working today -- the most ever. Four straight years of record employment.
