The Lame Duck Legislation As Passed:

Does this:

Limits early voting to two weeks. A similar limit was found unconstitutional in 2016 and Democrats have threatened to take legal action again.

Gives Republicans more say over the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., including over its enterprise zone program that gives tax breaks to individual businesses. WEDC’s board, rather than the governor, would appoint WEDC’s leader until September.

Puts lawmakers in charge of litigation, allowing them to keep alive a lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act, widely known as Obamacare.

Gives lawmakers — instead of the attorney general — control over how court settlements are spent.

Makes it easier for lawmakers to hire private attorneys at taxpayer expense when they are accused of violating the open records law or other statutes.

Eliminates the solicitor general’s office, which oversees high-profile litigation.

Modestly lowers the state’s income tax rates next year to offset about $60 million in online sales taxes from out-of-state retailers that Wisconsin recently began collecting.

Requires Evers to get permission from lawmakers to ban guns in the state Capitol.

Bars judges from giving deference to state agencies’ interpretations of laws when they are challenged in court. That could make it easier to win lawsuits challenging how environmental regulations and other laws are being enforced.

Broadens lawmakers’ powers to block rules written by the Evers administration to implement state laws.

Requires the Evers administration to report if the governor pardons anyone or his aides release anyone from prison early.

Forces Evers to get permission from the Legislature before asking the federal government to make any changes to programs that are run jointly by the state and federal governments. That would limit the governor’s flexibility in how he runs public benefits programs. If the Legislature’s budget committee determined the administration was not implementing recent changes to those programs, it could reduce funding and staffing for state agencies.

Requires Evers to go along with a plan aimed at reducing premiums for insurance plans offered through the Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces for individuals.

Channels federal money into a smaller number of state road projects, so that other projects could avoid having to comply with federal environmental and wage laws.

What didn’t get accomplished?

The reason lawmakers were returning to Madison before January in the first place also didn’t make it to the floor: a tax incentive package for Fox Valley paper maker Kimberly-Clark.

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1 thought on “The Lame Duck Legislation As Passed:

  1. What happened to the rule where Evers must ask permission from Fitz or Vos to use the Capital building’s bathrooms?!

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