AB551: Bill Text

LRB-3262/1

RAC:jld:pg

2007 - 2008 LEGISLATURE

2007 Assembly BILL 551

October 30, 2007 - Introduced by Representatives Parisi, Pocan, Shilling, Black, Jorgensen, Pope-Roberts, Richards, Sheridan, Hebl, Mason, Benedict, Staskunas, Berceau, Boyle, Hilgenberg, Fields, Nelson and A. Williams. Referred to Committee on Assembly Organization.

AB551,1,2 An Act to create 13.38 of the statutes; relating to: convening and conduct of committees of conference on biennial budget bills.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Currently, under the joint rules of the legislature, in cases of disagreement between the two houses on amendments to a bill or joint resolution, one house may request a committee on conference to resolve the differences between the houses. If a committee of conference is created and is able to resolve the differences, the final agreement is contained in a conference report that is submitted to each house for approval.

This bill seeks to regulate the convening and conduct of committees of conference on biennial budget bills and to compel attendance of members at meetings of the committees. Under the bill, if a committee of conference on a biennial budget bill is created, the committee must convene on the first Monday after the committee is created or on the first Monday in July, whichever occurs first.

The bill provides that the committee of conference must meet for at least eight hours per day on Monday to Friday during the first week that the committee is convened. If the committee of conference has not approved a conference report before the end of the first week, the committee must convene on the following Monday and meet for at least nine hours per day on Monday to Friday during that week. If the committee of conference has still not approved a conference report before the end of the second week, the committee must convene on the following Monday and meet for at least ten hours per day on at least six days during that week, and during each succeeding week, until the committee approves a conference report.

Under the bill, each member of the committee of conference must attend each committee meeting, unless the member is unable to attend on account of illness or a family emergency. The bill requires the sergeant of arms of each house to ensure that members appointed to the committee of conference attend each committee meeting. The bill grants the sergeants of arms the same powers to compel members to attend committee meetings as are granted the sergeants of arms to compel members to return to the senate or assembly chambers during a call of the house. Most importantly, the sergeants of arms may request assistance from the county sheriff to compel a member to attend a meeting of the committee on conference.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB551, s. 1 Section 1. 13.38 of the statutes is created to read:

AB551,2,5 13.38 Committee of conference on biennial budget bills. (1) If a committee of conference on a biennial budget bill is created, the committee shall convene on the first Monday after the committee is created or on the first Monday in July, whichever occurs first.

AB551,2,14 (2) The committee of conference shall meet for at least 8 hours per day on Monday to Friday during the first week that the committee is convened. If the committee has not approved a conference report before the end of the first week, the committee shall convene on the following Monday and meet for at least 9 hours per day on Monday to Friday during that week. If the committee has still not approved a conference report before the end of the 2nd week, the committee shall convene on the following Monday and meet for at least 10 hours per day on at least 6 days during that week, and during each succeeding week, until the committee approves a conference report.

AB551,2,17 (3) Each member of the committee of conference must attend each meeting of the committee, unless the member is unable to attend the meeting on account of illness or a family emergency.

AB551,3,6 (4) The sergeant of arms of the senate shall ensure that senators appointed to the committee of conference attend each meeting of the committee. The sergeant of arms of the assembly shall ensure that representatives to the assembly appointed to the committee of conference attend each meeting of the committee. The sergeant of arms of each house shall have all powers granted the sergeant of arms under s. 13.33 to compel members to attend each meeting of the committee of conference.

AB551,3,7 (End)