Walker Defends Lame Duck Bills
Plans to sign several measures, still reviewing others.
Gov. Scott Walker weighed in Tuesday on a package of bills passed by state lawmakers last week, appearing to indicate he plans to approve at least a handful of the measures.
In a Facebook update and e-mail newsletter, Walker said he is evaluating the extraordinary session bills to see if they promote transparency, accountability and stability and protect taxpayers.
He indicated several proposals met those criteria, including a bill that would limit Gov.-elect Tony Evers’ power over state work requirements for benefits like Medicaid and food stamps.
The governor also signaled support for legislation that would require the Evers administration to track and issue reports on convicted criminals who have been pardoned by the governor.
Walker also argued the merits of a bill that would mandate new online sales tax revenues be used to lower property taxes and a plan that would give state lawmakers authority over how the state spends proceeds from legal settlements.
“Even though the Senate failed to take up that legislation, I am still focused on finding a way to keep these jobs here in Wisconsin,” Walker said. “I hope to have some good news to share this week.”
The governor’s position on other, arguably more controversial, legislation passed during the extraordinary session remains unclear.
The measures, passed mostly along party lines last week, do a number of things, including place limits on the powers of the incoming governor and attorney general-elect. Under the bills, Evers would not be able to approve the state’s withdrawal from a multi-state lawsuit challenging the federal Affordable Care Act, something he campaigned on doing.
Evers would also have less power to change Wisconsin’s voter ID law.
A number of opponents say these changes to executive power amount to a power grab by the GOP-controlled Legislature, but Walker refuted that in his post.
“Let’s set the record straight — the new governor will still have some of the strongest powers of any governor in the nation if these bills become law,” Walker wrote. “He will have the power to veto legislation and he will have some of the broadest line-item veto authority of any governor in the nation.”
The governor also outlined Evers’ future powers to appoint cabinet members, present his version of the state budget and pardon convicted felons.
Walker also defended 82 appointments approved by the Senate, saying the vast majority had been sent to lawmakers for approval months ago.
Another high-profile bill passed during the extraordinary session would limit early voting in Wisconsin. Critics have said they plan to challenge that measure in court if it is signed by Walker.
Walker has six days, excluding Sundays, after receiving the bills to act on them. According to state Senate staff, Walker had yet to call for the bills as of Tuesday. He has until Thursday, Dec. 20 to do so.
Listen to the WPR report here.
Walker Defends Lame-Duck Session Bills was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
More about the Lame Duck Laws
- Four Years Later, State’s Lame Duck Law Still Faces Court Challenge - Shawn Johnson - Jan 17th, 2023
- Judge Rules Against Law Giving Legislators Power Over Attorney General Settlements - Shawn Johnson - May 11th, 2022
- State Supreme Court Dismisses AG’s Lame-Duck Lawsuit - Ruth Conniff - Mar 25th, 2021
- Kaul Sues Legislature Over Lame Duck Laws - Melanie Conklin - Nov 24th, 2020
- AG Kaul Announces Legal Action to Allow DOJ to Again Enforce Wisconsin Laws Without Unconstitutional Legislative Interference - Josh Kaul - Nov 23rd, 2020
- Vos Thinks Lame-Duck Session Didn’t Go Far Enough - Melanie Conklin - Jul 31st, 2020
- The State of Politics: Court Rulings Against Evers Sow Confusion - Steven Walters - Jul 20th, 2020
- Court Tosses Dems’ Lame-Duck Suit - Laurel White - Jul 16th, 2020
- Op Ed: State High Court Nullifies 2018 Election - James Rowen - Jul 12th, 2020
- WI Supreme Court Upholds GOP Lame-Duck Laws - Laurel White - Jul 9th, 2020
Read more about Lame Duck Laws here
Dear Governor Walker,
Please consider the advice of Sheldon Lubar and others. Veto the whole lame duck mess lest you look like a sore loser or worse. Your legacy will be more favorable if yo do the right thing on this matter.
Thank you in advance for seeing the light and denouncing the partisan bullying in the lame duck legislation.