NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin : News : Choice in the News

by Stacy Forster and Steven Walters ¦ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ¦ 10 December 2007

On the last session day of the year, Wisconsin lawmakers are planning on Tuesday to tackle several high-profile issues that were shoved aside by the four-month impasse over the state budget.

The Senate and Assembly are scheduled to debate cable TV deregulation; emergency contraception for rape victims; whether fired Milwaukee police officers should get paid while they appeal; and the governor’s veto powers.

Two other key issues — health care and campaign finance reform — won’t come up until next year.

“We still have a lot of time this spring to get stuff done,” said Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker, D-Weston, referring to the mid-May scheduled adjournment of the Legislature.

Cable deregulation: The Assembly has already passed this major piece of legislation once this year. But because of changes that were made during the Senate debate on the bill, it must again clear the Assembly.

The bill would overhaul the system in place since the 1970s. Instead of local governments awarding franchises to cable providers, as is done now, the bill would require the state to issue franchises. Supporters of the bill said it’s important to modify the system to bring greater competition to the cable industry.

“It is no longer 1970 (when) there is only one technology to provide video,” said Assembly author Rep. Phil Montgomery, R-Ashwaubenon.

Rep. Gary Hebl, D-Sun Prairie, a leading critic, said he will try to change the measure to offer more protections for consumers and local public-access channels.

Montgomery predicted the full Assembly will accept the Senate’s changes, sending the bill to Gov. Jim Doyle.

Emergency contraception for rape victims: The bill would require hospitals to offer to sexual assault victims information on and access to emergency contraception. Backers say they have enough votes to get the bill through the Assembly.

Measure supporters also said they will work to eliminate an amendment that would exempt hospitals that adopt policies citing moral and religious issues for not complying. The measure’s authors have said the amendment would gut the bill.

Emergency contraception, known as the morning-after pill or the brand name Plan B, is a higher dose of regular hormonal contraceptives.

Taking it within the first 72 hours after having unprotected sex can reduce the chances of pregnancy.

Some abortion opponents object to it because they said it could stop a fertilized egg from implanting. Supporters of access to emergency contraception have said the drug doesn’t affect an established pregnancy.

The Senate passed the bill 27-6 this year. Approval by the Assembly would send it to Doyle, who has said he would sign it.

“We’ve really gotten bipartisan support for a bill that’s very important to rape victims in Wisconsin,” said Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, an Assembly author.

Pay for fired Milwaukee cops: Trying to change a 27-year-old law, senators are expected to vote for a bill that would end the ability of fired Milwaukee police officers to continue drawing salaries while they appeal their terminations. Those appeals can take months, or even years. Milwaukee has paid $4.4 million in pay and benefits to fired officers since 1990, city records show.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and other city officials have called for an end to the practice, which Senate sponsor Sen. Spencer Coggs, D-Milwaukee, said is a benefit that no other worker, public or private, gets.

The Milwaukee Police Association supports ending pay for officers charged with felonies, but argues the bill is too punitive. The association wants officers accused of lesser offenses a chance to defend themselves before they lose their jobs. The Assembly is working on a plan to give hearings to those charged with misdemeanors or rule violations.

Supporters of the original measure said a strong Senate vote might help build support in the Assembly.

‘Frankenstein’ veto: A three-year push in the Capitol for new limits on the veto powers of governors is likely to go before voters in April. The Senate is expected to easily pass the measure Tuesday, and the Assembly is expected to go along with the April referendum date.

The constitutional amendment would stop governors from being able to methodically strike certain numbers and words, thereby linking those not crossed out together to make laws not passed by the Legislature.

On Oct. 26, Doyle used that veto power to raise — from 2 percent to 3.86 percent — the limit on property tax levies local governments could approve for 2008 budgets. That veto allowed local governments to levy about $41 million more in property taxes.

“This strikes at the heart of maintaining integrity in the budget process,” said Sen. Sheila Harsdorf, R-River Falls, who began the push for new control on veto power after Doyle used it extensively in 2005.