Governor Doyle Signs Assembly Bill 657, Legislation Protecting Property Owners
Governor Doyle Signs Assembly Bill 657, Legislation Protecting Property Owners
Vetoes Legislation Hampering Local Economic Development, Signs 23 Other Bills
Governor Doyle today signed Assembly Bill 657, which makes changes to eminent domain laws to better protect an individual's property rights.
The bill shields homeowners from having their homes condemned for purely economic reasons, and requires that more information is provided to owners of property that a municipality is seeking to condemn.
"This bill is important to ensure that eminent domain laws are used the way they were intended," Governor Doyle said. "AB 657 provides property owners the protections they deserve."
AB 657 comes in response to a recent United States Supreme Court decision in the case of Kelo v. City of New London, where the court upheld an interpretation of eminent domain law that allowed the seizure of property for purely economic development reasons.
Governor Doyle thanked Representatives Mary Williams and Bobby Gronemus, as well as Senator Dave Zien for their work on the bill.
Governor Doyle also today vetoed Assembly Bill 597, which would hamper economic development by increasing the liability of local governments and creating disincentives for them to grant building permits.
"Economic development on the local level is vital to growing our state's economy, and I can't support a bill that would keep Wisconsin from moving forward," Governor Doyle said.
Governor Doyle's veto message is available at: http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/docview.asp?docid=6633
Governor Doyle also signed the following bills:
Assembly Bill 41 updates outdated procedures for tracking juvenile offenders across states and addresses many deficiencies, including enforcement, administration, financing, communication, data sharing and training.
Governor Doyle thanked Representatives Garey Bies and Bobby Gronemus, as well as Senators Dave Zien and Julie Lassa for their work on the bill.
Assembly Bill 154 removes the "corner-to-corner" provision of county supervisory district plans, effective following the 2010 census, discouraging gerrymandering of supervisory districts.
Governor Doyle thanked Representatives Steve Freese and Fred Kessler for their work on the bill.
Assembly Bill 217 allows a certified veterinary technician to administer a rabies vaccine if a veterinarian is physically present at the same location. The bill facilitates the administration of rabies vaccines, which may increase the vaccination rate.
Governor Doyle thanked Representatives J.A. Hines and Terese Berceau, as well as Senators Luther Olsen and Fred Risser for their work on the bill.
Assembly Bill 218 amends current law to provide that a veterinarian's license is not required for castrating male livestock, but is required to castrate a male dog or cat. The bill provides protection of household pets from harm, while not placing an undue burden on farmers.
Governor Doyle thanked Representatives J.A. Hines and Bobby Gronemus for their work on the bill.
Assembly Bill 235 directs the Department of Transportation to designate and, upon receipt of sufficient contributions from interested parties, mark the entire route of STH 173 as the "173rd Airborne Brigade Highway." The 173rd Airborne Brigade are also known as the "Sky Soldiers."
Governor Doyle thanked Representatives Terry Musser and Mike Sheridan, as well as Senators Julie Lassa and Cathy Stepp for their work on the bill.
Assembly Bill 382 requires the Department of Transportation to display a POW/MIA flag at each department rest area along an interstate highway if the department receives sufficient contributions from interested parties to do so. The bill honors soldiers from the state that have been prisoners of war and soldiers that are missing in action.
Governor Doyle thanked Representatives Terry Musser and Louis Molepske Jr., as well as Senators Neal Kedzie and Dave Hansen for their work on the bill.
Assembly Bill 527 authorizes a city, village or town to exempt the owner of a dog from the requirement to have the dog vaccinated against rabies if the owner provides a letter from a veterinarian stating that vaccination is inadvisable for reasons related to the dog's health. The bill helps protect canine health by allowing veterinarians to withhold a rabies vaccination when medical conditions warrant.
Governor Doyle thanked Representative Pat Strachota and Senator Glenn Grothman for their work on the bill.
Assembly Bill 594 allows a merchant, in the case of a customer default, to recover a motor vehicle.
Governor Doyle thanked Representatives Jean Hundertmark and Marlin Schneider, as well as Senators Joe Leibham, and Bob Wirch for their work on the bill.
Assembly Bill 614 authorizes towns, villages, and cities to delay settlement in full for property taxes assessed on improvements located on leased land until August 20. It will enable municipalities to delay paying other taxing jurisdictions until they have the final installment deadline for payments received from taxpayers.
Governor Doyle thanked Representatives Terry Moulton and Bobby Gronemus, as well as Senators Ron Brown and Roger Breske for their work on the bill.
Assembly Bill 722 recognizes the growing use of alternative pharmacy business models by state consumers and provides some oversight of out-of state operations.
Governor Doyle thanked Representative Phil Montgomery and Senator Alan Lasee for their work on the bill.
Assembly Bill 823 places the burden of proof, in complaints filed by motor vehicle dealers for unfair cancellation of agreements or for relocation of a dealership or outlet, with the vehicle manufacturers, distributors, or importers. The bill also allows dealerships to seek damages for arbitrary behavior by manufacturers, distributors, or importers and allows dealerships to recover costs and attorney fees when they are the prevailing party in a legal dispute.
Governor Doyle thanked Representatives Andy Lamb, Steve Freese, and Bobby Gronemus, as well as Senators Dan Kapanke, Alan Lasee, and Roger Breske for their work on the bill.
Assembly Bill 905 allows nonresident full-time students pursuing an associate degree or postgraduate studies at a Wisconsin college to purchase certain hunting and fishing licenses at resident rates.
Governor Doyle thanked Representatives Mary Hubler and Scott Gunderson, as well as Senators Bob Jauch and Dave Zien for their work on the bill.
Assembly Bill 971 changes the deadline for submission of a report from a physician or psychologist selected by the defense or prosecution from three days to at least fifteen days before a trial. This deadline applies to criminal actions as well as hearings for defendants committed to DHFS. It allows prosecution and defense counsel additional time to examine the expert testimony and adequately prepare for trial.
Governor Doyle thanked Representative Scott Suder and Senator Dave Zien for their work on the bill.
Assembly Bill 1069 allows wagering on unlimited simulcast races, which would provide tracks with the ability to maintain revenue levels that would more likely allow tracks to remain open, securing jobs and providing additional tax revenue to the state.
Governor Doyle thanked Representatives Jim Kreuser and Samantha Kerkman, as well as Senators Cathy Stepp and Bob Wirch for their work on the bill.
Senate Bill 34 permits local governments to order a special election to fill a vacancy in specified municipal and county elective offices if the vacancy occurs before June 1 in the year preceding the expiration of the term of office. The bill allows a vacancy to be filled by special election in elective offices currently filled by appointment and it may in some cases allow the election to be held sooner. Allowing for more vacancies to be directly filled by the electorate will make municipal and county governments more responsive to the electorate.
Governor Doyle thanked Senators Joe Leibham and Julie Lassa, as well as Representative Gabe Loeffelholz for their work on the bill.
Senate Bill 150 makes purely technical and minor substantive changes across a broad portion of the statutes relating to administrative rulemaking procedures. The changes were prompted by input provided to the Joint Legislative Council from rule-promulgating state agencies, the chief clerks of the legislature, and the revisor of statutes. The bill cleans up existing law to make the statutes more accurate and easier to understand and administer.
Senate Bill 480 ensures that drivers transporting buildings are qualified and have adequate insurance and that buildings are moved by vehicles capable of safely transporting such loads.
Governor Doyle thanked Senator Alan Lasee and Representative Jerry Petrowski for their work on the bill.
Senate Bill 520 requires school districts to also include in the annual school district report the number of hours of direct pupil instruction provided in each school by teachers legally qualified to teach. It will make detailed information on the number of hours of pupil instruction provided in each school available to the state and the public.
Governor Doyle thanked Senator Luther Olsen and Representative Debbi Towns for their work on the bill.
Senate Bill 539 makes purely technical and minor substantive changes across a broad portion of the statutes. The bill makes changes in accordance with a change in drafting style, inserting commas before the last item in a series are. It also replaces "Which" with "that" where grammatically correct.
Senate Bill 540 cleans up existing law to make the statutes more accurate and easier to understand and administer.
Senate Bill 597 which makes changes to the law regarding charitable bingo events including increasing the allowable prizes for bingo games and bingo occasions.
Governor Doyle thanked Senators Mary Lazich and Jeff Plale, as well as Representative Terry Musser for their work on the bill.
Senate Bill 601 would require standard building permit forms to have a designation to indicate whether insulating concrete forms are used in the construction of the building being permitted. The bill also allows for the tracking of a new technology used in building construction.
Governor Doyle thanked Senator Dale Schultz and Representative Sheryl Albers for their work on the bill.
Senate Bill 637 authorizes the town of Madison to modify the boundaries of its ERTIF district once during the life of the district by subtracting territory from the district, subject to approval from a joint review board and certain conditions. This will facilitate the clean up and redevelopment of a brownfield within the Town of Madison.
Governor Doyle thanked Senator Ted Kanavas and Representative Ann Nischke for their work on the bill.
http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/journal_media_detail.asp?locid=19&prid=1872