January 27, 2020 | Number 49
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Assembly and Senate Approve Municipal Bills in Floor Action last Week
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The Assembly passed the following bills affecting municipalities last week:
AB 310,
Timing of Levy Limit Referendums. Enabling municipalities to conduct referendums to exceed levy limits earlier in the year than November, which is the only time such referendums may be conducted under current law.
The League helped initiate this bill with the Wisconsin Counties Association. The bill is available for the Senate to schedule for a floor vote in February or March.
SB 310,
Fire Fighting Foam. Regulating the use of fire fighting foam containing PFAS.
The League supports this bill. The Senate also passed this bill, which will be been sent to the Governor for his signature.
AB 544,
Workforce Housing Grant Program. Requiring WHEDA to establish a workforce housing pilot program and allocate $10,000,000 of its surplus fund to make awards under the pilot program. Under the pilot program, WHEDA may award grants, loans, loan guarantees, or other financial assistance to encourage the creation of single- and multi-family workforce housing. An eligible project must be located in a county in which more than 25 percent of the residents live in a rural area. (According to information WHEDA supplied to the Legislature, the following counties would not meet the rural standard: Brown, Dane, Eau Claire, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Outagamie, Racine, Waukesha, and Winnebago.)
The League supports the
amended version
of this bill. A public hearing was held last week on the Senate companion bill,
SB 484. The full Senate will likely take up AB 544 when it meets again in February.
The
Senate passed the following bills affecting municipalities last week:
SB 310,
Fire Fighting Foam. Regulating the use of fire fighting foam containing PFAS.
The League supports this bill. The Assembly also passed this bill, which will be sent to the Governor for his signature.
SB 511
PTSD Workers Comp Claims. Changing the standard for making claims for compensation for post-traumatic stress disorder by police officers and fire fighters under the worker's compensation law.
The League is neutral on this bill. The Senate passed this bill by voice vote. The bill is available for the Assembly to schedule when it meets again in February.
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Governor Signs Municipal Court Bill into Law
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Last week, Governor Evers signed
SB 214 into law as
Act 70, which makes numerous changes to municipal ordinance enforcement and municipal court procedures. The League supports this legislation.
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Updated Guide to Property Assessment Process Posted on DOR's Website
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IN THE NEWS
Policy board allows DNR to move ahead on regulating 'forever chemicals'
Curt Witynski, deputy director of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, said the state needs to ensure the costs of following the new regulations are justified.
Witynski cited a study from the American Water Works Association that estimates moving from the EPA’s 70 ppt health advisory to the proposed 20 ppt standard could result in a 1,000% increase in capital and operational costs.
“New regulations will undoubtedly increase the costs to people who use waste water and drinking water systems,” Witynski said.
Wisconsin can’t enforce tobacco age at 21 because of state law, causing confusion at stores
Scholz says the Wisconsin Grocers Association supports raising the tobacco age to 21, just not the way it was implemented by the federal government.
He says stores need time to train staff, update ID-checking software and change signs, though he's hopeful that if the Wisconsin legislature raises the age to 21 during the next floor period in February, there will no longer be confusion and frustration.
Read the story...
State Senate ‘tinkers around the edges’ of dark store loophole
The Wisconsin state Senate has passed a bill dealing with – but not closing – the dark store loophole. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) says the measure – making the tax assessment appeal process easier – was one of three bills to come out of a study committee.
Voter registration notice mailed to thousands in Wisconsin causing 'confusion'
(Milwaukee County voters)
"The mailing is done by a third party organization. It was not anything that was done by our office, the municipality in which you live in, or the state," said Henry.
Read the story...
Wisconsin Senate approves one of eight bills to combat homelessness
The bill that passed this week would allocate $500,000 each year to fund grants for homeless shelters in Wisconsin. The funding for the effort -- and the other legislation in the package -- was already appropriated in the state budget.
Read the story...
Little change in Wisconsin union membership in 2019
The number of union members working in Wisconsin remained largely unchanged in 2019 while the percentage workers represented by unions rebounded after dipping in 2018.
Read the story...
ICYMI > Jerry Deschane, the League's Executive Director, and Mark O'Connell, the Wisconsin Counties Association Executive Director, discuss politics, rankings and more on the latest LocalGovMatters Podcast.
LocalGovMatters
is back as a partnership between the League and the Wisconsin Counties Association. Episodes will be available every two weeks beginning with the inaugural episode on January 15.
Listen to the podcast on your PC here or subscribe...
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RECENTLY INTRODUCED BILLS
AB 771/
SB 726,
Making it easier for property owned by a church and leased to an education association to qualify for a property tax exemption. Under current law leasing tax exempt property does not render the property taxable as long as the lessor uses the leasehold income for maintenance or construction debt
retirement of the leased property. Under this bill, leasing all or part of any property owned by a church or religious organization to an educational association or institution that is also exempt from
taxation does not render the property taxable, regardless of how the lessor uses the leasehold income. By Rep. Wittke (R-Racine) and Sen. Marklein (R-Spring Green).
While the League generally has concerns about expanding property tax exemptions, we are neutral on this narrowly drafted bill.
Comment to the League about this bill.
AB 793/
SB 711,
Priorities and criteria for the municipal flood control and riparian restoration program. The Department of Natural Resources, under its current rules, provides a list of activities that are eligible for municipal flood control grants. These activities are listed in priority order. When DNR receives an application for a municipal flood control grant, it must score the application based on that priority order. This bill provides that any of the activities listed in DNR's rules are eligible for municipal flood control grants, and clarifies that the listed activities are not in priority order. The bill also requires DNR, when scoring applications for municipal flood control grants, to consider the cost-effectiveness of the proposed activity. In
addition, if an application proposes to acquire and remove structures, the bill requires DNR, when scoring the application, to consider the loss of tax base to be an adverse impact. By Rep. Brooks (R-Saukville) and Sen. Marklein (R-Spring Green)
The League supports this bill.
Comment to the League about this bill.
AB 797/
SB 716,
Prohibiting the sale of coal tar-based sealant products and high PAH sealant products (products with more than 0.1 percent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by weight) beginning January 1, 2021, and prohibits the use of such products beginning July 1, 2021. By Rep. Kitchens (R-Sturgeon Bay) and Sen. Cowles (R-Green Bay).
The League supports this bill.
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PUBLIC HEARINGS ON MUNICIPAL BILLS
SB 612,
Increasing the minimum retirement age under the Wisconsin Retirement System. By Senate Committee on Government Operations, Technology and Consumer Protection, on Wednesday, January 29, at 10:30 a.m. in room 330 Southwest.
The League is neutral on this bill.
AB 670,
Increasing the minimum retirement age under the Wisconsin Retirement System. By Assembly Committee on State Affairs, on Wednesday, January 29, at 10:00 a.m. in room 328 Northwest.
The League is neutral on this bill.
SB 440,
Creating a state income and franchise tax benefit for investment in Wisconsin opportunity zones. By Senate Committee on Agriculture, Revenue and Financial Institutions, on Wednesday, January 29, at 10:00 a.m in room 300 Southeast.
The League supports this bill.
SB 720,
Making various technical changes to the laws administered and enforced by the Department of Revenue. By Senate Committee on Agriculture, Revenue and Financial Institutions, on Wednesday, January 29, at 10:00 a.m in room 300 Southeast.
The League supports this bill.
SB 726,
Making it easier for property owned by a church and leased to an education association to qualify for a property tax exemption. By Senate Committee on Agriculture, Revenue and Financial Institutions, on Wednesday, January 29, at 10:00 a.m in room 300 Southeast.
While the League generally has concerns about expanding property tax exemptions, we are neutral on this narrowly drafted bill.
SB 525,
Impersonating a public officer, public employee, or employee of a utility and providing a penalty. By Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, on Wednesday, January 29, at 12:00 noon, in room 425 Southwest.
The League supports this bill.
SB 711,
Priorities and criteria for the municipal flood control and riparian restoration program and amending administrative rules. By Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy, Thursday, January 30, at 10:00 a.m. in room 411 South.
The League supports this bill.
SB 716,
Prohibiting the sale and use of coal tar-based sealants and high PAH sealant products. By Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy, Thursday, January 30, at 10:00 a.m. in room 411 South.
The League supports this bill.
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