Conservatively Speaking
State Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) represents parts of four counties: Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine, and Walworth. Her Senate District 28 includes New Berlin, Franklin, Greendale, Hales Corners, Muskego, Waterford, Big Bend and parts of Greenfield, East Troy, and Mukwonago. Senator Lazich has been in the Legislature for more than a decade. She considers herself a tireless crusader for lower taxes, reduced spending and smaller government.
Senate Democrats’ strategy: ram legislation through at last minute
By Mary Lazich
Wednesday, Mar 5 2008, 02:32 PM
Tuesday, Senate Democrats scheduled an executive voting session for the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources on the Great Lakes Compact. There are over 150 pages in the Great Lakes Compact bill, Senate Bill 523, and 33 amendments were added to the complex bill late Monday.
Late Tuesday night, the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources recessed until 11:00 a.m. today without taking votes on the amendments or the bill. This morning, the Senate Committee on Organization met to schedule the calendar for Thursday’s Senate floor session. Committee members were informed a ballot would be sent to members later today to add the Great Lakes Compact bill to Thursday’s Senate calendar after it is passed out of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee.
I am told the 33 amendments are being combined into one comprehensive substitute amendment. The question is, when will legislators get to see the amended bill? Will most state Senators get their first look at this large bill when they go to the Senate floor Thursday? Are state Senators expected to vote on such a massive bill without time to review and research the contents?
There’s more on the Senate Democrats’ list of bills to ram through in the final days of the current legislative session that ends next week Thursday, March 13. Stay tuned.
