Fox 6 reporter Bryan Polcyn did a special investigation on spoofing and I played a key role.

You can watch his special report here:
 

The state Senate has approved legislation to regulate ticket reselling. Senate Bill 458 (SB 458) allows the Bradley Center, Miller Park, and Summerfest to create ticket resale zones.

A resale zone is defined as property controlled by the aforementioned sports and entertainment venues that is designated as the only area of its property that a ticket may be resold. Under an amendment approved, Camp Randall Stadium and the Kohl Center at the UW-Madison are exempt.

Under SB 458, a municipality would be allowed to prohibit the reselling of tickets at or less than face value within 250 feet of any property on which a resale zone is created if signage is posted notifying the public that reselling of tickets is prohibited in that area. The reselling of tickets to a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament event at or less than face value within 250 feet of the Bradley Center would be prohibited.

If a person is convicted of violating the requirements of a resale zone, the person is subject to a forfeiture of $10 for the first offense. For a second or any subsequent offense, a person is subject to a forfeiture not to exceed the penalty for a Class C forfeiture, which is a civil penalty with a maximum forfeiture of $500. Court costs may be imposed on a defendant for a second or subsequent offense, but not for a first offense.

I voted against SB 458 that constitutes another example of government intervention where it does not belong. The motivation of the bill to go after the large groups of professional scalpers that reportedly bother and annoy event patrons as they enter a facility is understandable.

However, what about the one-time scenario of a single individual or a small family that wants to either sell or purchase tickets? Why is state government regulating this rather harmless, simple transaction?

It seems there should be some specific, numerical level of ticket-reselling that is deemed  problematic before the state drops a punitive hammer on families or a single sports fan that only want to see a ballgame. On this vote, I side with families and against government intrusion.

SB 458 was approved by the state Senate, 28-3 and advanced to the state Assembly. The Assembly voted to table the legislation.

As an avid motorcycle enthusiast, I am thrilled that Harley-Davidson has proclaimed March 2010 to be National Garage Party Month with special events planned all across the country especially for women. 

Click here to search the list for Wisconsin events.

Here is testimony I gave to the state Assembly Committee on Corrections and the Courts today about Assembly Bill 759 and its companion bill in the state Senate, Senate Bill 548:
 

Senator Mary Lazich

Testimony

Assembly Bill 759

Assembly Committee on Corrections and the Courts

March 11, 2010

Greetings, Committee Chairman Parisi and committee members.  Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony to the Assembly Committee on Corrections and the Courts about Assembly Bill 759.  

Assembly Bill 759 (AB 759) and Senate Bill 548 (SB 548) impose the greatest risk to children and families in the state of Wisconsin.  Eliminating local ordinances that allow local communities and local law enforcement to do their jobs to protect society would put all residents, particularly children, in danger.  Approving AB 759 and SB 548 would put you and all of our constituents in the state of Wisconsin collectively in danger. 

Why do I say that prohibiting a local sex offender ordinance in a community remote to your district would put you and your constituents in danger?   We have outstanding law enforcement in the state of Wisconsin and they do an excellent job protecting us.  As a legislator you know you can speak with law enforcement in any of the communities you represent, and they, more than anyone else, are best equipped to inform you about crime in the community.  They know the daily challenges to protect the community.  Each day they take on the incredible responsibility of knowing their community and preempting crime.  By eliminating their ability to do their job, and transferring that responsibility to the state, you, your family, and your constituents are not safe visiting or traveling through communities in the state of Wisconsin.  The ability for law enforcement to fully and effectively do their job is severely hampered because AB 759 and SB 548 transfer the responsibility for community safety to the state.  The state does not have the full and adequate understanding of the community.  Local law enforcement does have that keen knowledge and expertise suited for their community.

One of the communities I am honored to represent, Franklin is the leading pioneer about this issue.  Franklin officials carefully examined case law, reports, studies, and articles from around the country before adopting two sex offender ordinances.  Special attention was given to an important Florida trial court case October 11, 2007, the state of Florida v. Schmidt.

During the trial, two expert witnesses, Dr. Jill Levenson and Dr. Chris Robison agreed with research concluding that in the 15 years following release of sex offenders, about 24 percent will re-offend, and that offenders with a prior sex offense conviction have even higher recidivism rates.

Although Dr. Levenson and another expert witness, Dr. Luis Rosell both testified against sex offender residency restrictions, they both find that reducing access to children can reduce the likelihood of a sex offense.  Dr. Levenson testified that she once wrote, “It makes sense that risk might be managed by reducing some of the exposure to children and prohibiting them from living near places where children congregate.”  Furthermore, Dr. Rosell had testified in a previous case, Doe v. Miller that “reducing a specific sex offender’s access to children was a good idea, and that if you remove the opportunity, then the likelihood of reoffense is decreased.”

Armed with this critical information, Franklin approved its two sex offender ordinances.  During 2008, the Franklin ordinances prevailed over nine constitutional challenges, and Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge John Franke ruled the ordinances constitutional.

Today, dozens of municipalities around Wisconsin have enacted similar ordinances.  They have made the critical decision to utilize a legal and law enforcement tool they believe best suited for their communities.  The state should not be stripping Wisconsin communities of their weapon to protect children.

AB 759 and SB 548 are direct attacks on the communities that have enacted ordinances, and a direct attack on children and their parents.  AB 759 and SB 548 violate the all-important concept of self-governance and home rule by striking down laws that benefit the health and well-being of citizens.

Can the state be trusted with the responsibility of ensuring families and their children are safe from sex offenders?  A recent, highly publicized case suggests the answer is emphatically no.

During 1998, a Dane County Circuit Court Judge ruled Lindon Knutson to be a sexually violent person. Lindon Knutson had a very serious criminal record including convictions for rape and kidnapping, and was committed to a mental health facility.  During March of 2009, a Dane County Circuit Court judge discharged Lindon Knutson from his commitment.

It is reported that there was one assessment of Lindon Knutson relied upon for his release.  One assessment, and that one assessment, was that he was safe to be released.

During November 2009, Knutson was arrested in Wilmar, Minnesota for allegedly asking for a church tour conducted by a 73-year-old woman, and then beat, raped, and robbed the woman.

Taking away the authority of municipalities and transferring decisions about offenders’ whereabouts to state bureaucrats is not just risky, it is dangerous. Committee members, please give serious consideration to the stakes. Communities in your districts are best equipped to apply safety.

AB 759 and SB 548 would repeal ordinances in communities that committee members represent including Glendale, Glenmore, the village of Wrightstown, New Holstein, the Town of Sheboygan, Oostburg, Reedsburg, and dozens of other communities throughout Wisconsin.

Think about the ramifications of this legislation.  AB 759 and SB 548 are gambling.  It is gambling with lives of children and the lives of all Wisconsin residents.  These two bills increase the chance of children and Wisconsin residents being killed by released sex offenders, and before they will be killed, they will be tortured.  We should be making it more difficult for offenders to kill children, not easier for them to sexually and violently rape and kill our constituents.   We owe it to children, their parents, and all Wisconsin residents to reject this legislation, and allow communities the power to keep an important weapon in their fight against sex offenders.

My bet and my gamble are with local law enforcement, local citizens, and local elected officials, not with the state.

The state Assembly Committee on Corrections and the Courts will hold a public hearing Thursday, March 11, 2010, about legislation proposed to repeal local ordinances that restrict released sex offenders whereabouts and residences. Dozens of communities around the state have ordinances in place.  Many of the communities I represent, including Franklin, Greendale, Greenfield, Muskego, and Waukesha have sex offender ordinances.

Franklin is the leading pioneer about the issue, adopting two ordinances during 2007. The ordinances were challenged by a released sex offender that moved into Franklin after the ordinances were enacted into law.  Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge John Franke during 2008 ruled Franklin’s ordinances to be constitutional. Numerous municipalities around Wisconsin followed suit and adopted similar laws that have been found to be effective in protecting children and families.

I strongly oppose Assembly Bill 759 and I urge concerned citizens to attend Thursday’s public hearing. 

I encourage you to contact family, friends, and acquaintances in other legislative districts and request they contact their State Senator and State Representative opposing the bill. Here is a link to a Wisconsin State Legislature website that assists finding a person's State Senator and State Representative.

The city of Franklin’s web site has more background about this issue.

UPDATE: The room location has been changed for Thursday's public hearing. The hearing will take place in the North Hearing Room (2nd Floor North) of the state Capitol. The time of the public hearing remains the same.

Wisconsin has the tenth worst financial condition, number 41, of all states in a ranking compiled by Forbes.com. Wisconsin has a debt per capita of $1,429, unfunded pensions per capita of $16,418, and debt as a percentage of Gross State Product of 22 percent. Our state is classified as a debt disaster.  

Forbes.com makes this observation:

“Of the 10 states in the worst financial condition, eight are among a total of 23 defined by Gallup as ‘solidly Democratic,’ meaning the Democrats enjoy an advantage of 10 percentage points or greater in party affiliation. These states include Illinois, New York, Connecticut, California, and New Jersey, as making up the bottom five, plus Massachusetts, Ohio and Wisconsin.”

Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political studies and public affairs at the University of Illinois' Center for State Policy and Leadership attributes the state struggles to, as Forbes.com writes, “a larger appetite for public programs,” an assertion I have made about our state government numerous times on my blog.

Daniel Fisher of Forbes Magazine correctly emphasizes that states like Wisconsin face major problems combating debt. Paying debt off is difficult, and Washington is often looked to for assistance. That puts states in direct competition with the federal government for taxpayer funds.

How many warnings and wake-up calls do we need in Wisconsin before we finally put a halt to runaway spending?

The extremely popular grade school basketball tournament, Padre Serra begins with all games taking place at Mount Mary College.

The annual event debuted during 1959 dubbed, The Catholic Midget League Playoff.  For many years, it was called the Milwaukee Archdiocesan Catholic Grade School Invitational Basketball Tournament until 1985, the name Padre Serra Tournament was adopted. The tournament is named for Padre Junipero Serra.

Last year, the boy’s team from Holy Apostles New Berlin placed fourth among 36 teams.

Here are teams from schools located in State Senate District 28 that are competing in this year’s Padre Serra Tournament:


BOYS


Holy Apostles, New Berlin

St. Alphonsus, Greendale

St. Joseph, Big Bend

St. Leonard, Muskego



GIRLS

Holy Apostles, New Berlin

St. Mary, Hales Corners

St. Thomas Aquinas, Waterford

St. Leonard, Muskego

Good luck to all!

Padre Serra began last Thursday.

Here is an update from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) for the Zoo Interchange emergency bridge replacement project:

MONDAY, MARCH 8

Double Left Lane closure I-94 WB from 84^th St. to I-894/US 45 SB bridge 9:30 p.m. – 5:30 a.m.

Full closure of the ramp from I-94WB to I894/US45 SB 9:30 p.m. – 5:30 a.m.

Full closure of the EB & WB Greenfield Ave entrance ramps to I894/US 45 NB 9:30 p.m. – 5:30 a.m.

Single left lane closure I-94 EB STH 100 to 92nd Street 9:30 p.m. – 5:30 a.m.

Full closure of the ramp from I-94 EB to US 45 NB 9:30 p.m. – 5:30 a.m.

Full closure of the I-894/US 45 NB System Ramp to US 45 NB (through Interchange) 9:30 p.m. – 5:30 a.m.

Full closure of the I-94 WB System Ramp to I94 WB (through Interchange) 9:30 p.m. – 5:30 a.m.

TUESDAY, MARCH 9

Double Left Lane closure I-94 WB from 84^th St. to I-894/US 45 SB bridge 9:30 p.m. – 5:30 a.m.

Full closure of the ramp from I-94WB to I894/US45 SB 9:30 p.m. – 5:30 a.m.

Single left lane closure I894/US45 NB Greenfield  to I94 9:30 p.m. – 5:30 a.m.

Full closure of the ramp from I-94 EB to US 45 NB  9:30 p.m. – 5:30 a.m.

Full closure of the I-94 WB System Ramp to I94 WB (through Interchange) 9:30 p.m. – 5:30 a.m.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10

Single Right Lane closure I-94 WB from 84^th St. to I-894/US 45 SB bridge 11 p.m. – 5 a.m.

Full closure of the ramp from I-94WB to I894/US45 SB 11 p.m.- 5 a.m.

Single left lane closure I894/US45 NB Greenfield to I94 11p.m. – 5 a.m.

Full closure of the EB & WB Greenfield Ave entrance ramps to I894/US 45 NB 11 p.m. – 5 a.m.

Full closure of the ramp from I894/US 45 NB to I-94 WB 11 p.m. – 5 a.m.

Full closure of the I-94 WB System Ramp to I94 WB (through Interchange) 11 p.m. – 5 a.m.

THURSDAY, MARCH 11

Double Left Lane closure I-94 WB from 84^th St. to I-894/US 45 SB bridge 9:30 p.m. – 5:30 a.m.

Full closure of the I-94 WB ramp to I-894/ US 45 SB 9:30 p.m. – 5:30 a.m.

Full closure of the I-94 EB System Ramp to I94 EB (through Interchange) 9:30 p.m. – 5:30 a.m.

Full closure of the US 45 SB System Ramp to I894/US 45 SB (through Interchange) 9:30 p.m. – 5:30 a.m.

Single left lane closure I-94 EB STH 100 to 92nd Street 9:30 p.m. – 5:30 a.m.

Full closure of the I-94 EB ramp US 45 NB 9:30 p.m. – 5:30 a.m.

FRIDAY, MARCH 12

Double Left Lane closure I-94 WB from 84^th St. to I-894/US 45 SB bridge 11p.m. – 8 a.m.

Full closure of the I-94 WB ramp to I-894/US 45 SB 11p.m. – 8 a.m.

Full closure of the I-94 EB System Ramp to I94 EB (through Interchange) 11p.m. – 8 a.m.

Full closure of the US 45 SB System Ramp to I894/US 45 SB (through Interchange) 11p.m. – 8 a.m. Single left lane closure I-94 EB STH 100 to 92nd Street 11p.m. – 8 a.m.

Full closure of the I-94 EB ramp US 45 NB 11p.m. – 8 a.m.

SATURDAY, MARCH 13

Double Left Lane closure I-94 WB from 84^th St. to I-894/US 45 SB bridge 11p.m. – 8 a.m.

Full closure of the I-94 WB ramp to I-894/US 45 SB 11p.m. – 8 a.m.

Full closure of the I-94 EB System Ramp to I94 EB (through Interchange) 11p.m. – 8 a.m.

Full closure of the US 45 SB System Ramp to I894/US 45 SB (through Interchange) 11p.m. – 8 a.m. Single left lane closure I-94 EB STH 100 to 92nd Street 11p.m. – 8 a.m.

Full closure of the I-94 EB ramp US 45 NB 11p.m. – 8 a.m.

SUNDAY, MARCH 14

No Closures Planned

Wisconsin was hurt less than other states during the recession. However, Wisconsin does not possess a magic formula to rebound quickly. Job growth is coming. Unfortunately, a return to prosperity will take a long time.

Two noted experts shared their economic forecasts at a symposium presented at the state Capitol sponsored by the Wisconsin Legislative Council. Mike Knetter, the Dean of the Wisconsin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Rick Mattoon, Senior Economist and Economic Advisor at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago addressed the U.S. economy and its implications for Wisconsin.

The absence of certain factors prevented Wisconsin from suffering a more severe recession. Wisconsin did not experience the level of overbuilding and excessive lending that swept other parts of the country. News that only Iowa outperformed Wisconsin in the Midwest region during the recession and that Wisconsin’s economy is stabilized provides little, if any consolation to struggling families.

Wisconsin’s unemployment rate has not risen as quickly as the nation’s. American job losses have piled up and returning to previous employment levels will be a daunting task. During August 2009, there were 1.3 million fewer jobs in the United States than had existed during 1999. Richard Mattoon of the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago does not foresee job growth for a protracted time in part because businesses are hesitant to bring on new employees until they are confident that the downturn is over.

Mattoon offered the audience what could definitely be classified as a worst-case scenario, a study by Rutgers University. Authors calculated America’s job deficit, i.e., job losses plus lack of new job creation, would total 9.39 million by December 2009. “America’s New Post-Recession Employment Arithmetic” reports, “Erasing this deficit will require substantial and sustained employment growth. Even if the nation could add 2.15 million private-sector jobs per year starting in January 2010, it would need to maintain this pace for more than 7 straight years (7.63 years), or until August 2017, to eliminate the jobs deficit!”

So what about Wisconsin? We have our strengths. Remember, we excel in manufacturing, a sector the state has outperformed the rest of the country. Agriculture, higher education, patent counts, research and development, licensing and royalties, and a devoted workforce levels are also huge plusses.

Our weaknesses prevent a faster climb out of our economic abyss. Manufacturing, a longtime Wisconsin trump card, has taken a back seat to a national shift toward knowledge and service economies. Wisconsin has a world class university meaning the state is a high producer of human capital. However, we train these intelligent young people and we export them and their innovations.  Additionally, ideas, products and services created in Wisconsin get commercialized elsewhere due to a culture that is big on modesty and low on willingness to take risks.

UW Business School Dean Michael Knetter contends that because Wisconsin is heavy on manufacturing and light on knowledge and service economies, the state seriously lags the rest of the nation in income and wealth. Richard Mattoon sees Wisconsin’s continuing budget deficits as an issue in need of attention.

Michael Knetter’s outlook and advice for Wisconsin: Unemployment will be nine percent at the end of 2010 meaning there will still be a number of discouraged workers. Wisconsin must defend its strengths and at the same time venture into areas like knowledge and service economies that will garner higher profits and wages. He concludes, “We just need to ride out the recession like everyone else.”

Richard Mattoon’s outlook and advice for Wisconsin: The state Department of Revenue predicts pre-recession job levels will not return here until 2012. Wisconsin needs to boost its production and retention of coveted human capital and stabilize its fiscal condition by creating an environment that makes the state a great place to do business.

Licenses for hunting, fishing, and trapping in Wisconsin for the 2010-2011 seasons go on sale this month. Here is more information from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Here is the calendar for the state Senate floor session scheduled for Thursday, March 4, 2010 at 11:00 a.m.:


First Order.                  Call of Roll.

Second Order.             Chief clerk's entries.

Third Order.                 Introduction, first reading and reference of proposals.

Fourth Order.               Report of committees.

Fifth Order.                  Petitions and communications.

Sixth Order.                 Referrals and receipt of committee reports concerning proposed administrative rules.

Seventh Order.            Advice and consent of the Senate

Eighth Order.               Messages from the Assembly.

Ninth Order.                 Special Orders.

Tenth Order.                Consideration of motions, resolutions, and joint resolutions not requiring a third reading.

QUESTION:            Shall the joint resolution be concurred in?

Assembly Joint Resolution 14. Relating to: the life and public service of Frank H. Urban, M.D.

Assembly Joint Resolution 79. Relating to: honoring the life of Terry Wise. 

Assembly Joint Resolution 92. Relating to: recognizing the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the symbolic end of the Cold War. 

Eleventh Order.           Second reading and amendments of senate joint resolutions and senate bills.

QUESTION:            Shall the bill be ordered to a third reading?

Senate Bill 250. Relating to: accepting pupils under the full-time Open Enrollment Program.
(Report passage recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Senate Bill 286. Relating to: collection agencies. (Report passage recommended by committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, Biotechnology, and Financial Institutions, Ayes 5, Noes 0)

Senate Bill 291. Relating to: authorizing the designation of a tax incremental district as distressed and expanding the use of donor tax incremental districts. (Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1, Ayes 7, Noes 0, adoption of Senate Amendment 2, Ayes 7, Noes 0, passage as amended recommended by committee on Economic Development, Ayes 7, Noes 0)     Senate Amendments 1 and 2 pending

Senate Bill 399. Relating to: authorizing two or more cities, villages, towns, or counties, or a combination of such political subdivisions, to create a commission to issue conduit revenue bonds and exercise eminent domain authority and exempting from taxation interest on such bonds.(Report adoption of Senate Amendment 2, Ayes 7, Noes 0, passage as amended recommended by committee on Economic Development, Ayes 7, Noes 0) Senate Amendment 2 pending

Senate Bill 414. Relating to: school nurses and the administration of drugs to pupils. (Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1, Ayes 7, Noes 0, passage as amended recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 6, Noes 1) Senate Amendment 1 pending

Senate Bill 452. Relating to: a sales and use tax exemption for food sold by child welfare facilities. (Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1, Ayes 7, Noes 0, passage as amended recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 7, Noes 0) Senate Amendment 1 pending

Senate Bill 483. Relating to: prohibiting health insurance policies and self-insured health plans from excluding coverage for injuries based on the use of alcohol or controlled substances.  (Report passage recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 4, Noes 3) Senate Amendment 2 pending

Senate Bill 527. Relating to: the agricultural producer security program, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, and granting rule-making authority. (Report passage recommended by committee on Agriculture and Higher Education, Ayes 5, Noes 0)

Twelfth Order.             Second reading and amendments of assembly joint resolutions and assembly bills.

QUESTION:            Shall the bill be ordered to a third reading?

Assembly Bill 139. Relating to: littering and providing a penalty. (Report concurrence recommended by committee on Environment, Ayes 4, Noes 1) Senate Substitute Amendment 1 pending

Assembly Bill 159. Relating to: the charge-back of refunded or rescinded taxes and of personal property taxes and sharing certain collected taxes.  (Report concurrence recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Assembly Bill 455. Relating to: the testing of portable scales used for the enforcement of vehicle weight limitations. (Report concurrence recommended by committee on Agriculture and Higher Education, Ayes 5, Noes 0)

Thirteenth Order.         Third reading of joint resolutions and bills.

Fourteenth Order.        Motions may be offered.

Fifteenth Order.           Announcements, adjournment honors, and remarks under special privilege.

Sixteenth Order.          Adjournment.

Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen is recommending crime victims enroll with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Office of Victim Services and Programs so they can obtain information about offenders’ custody and supervised release.

Van Hollen says a controversial provision in the 2009-2011 state budget that is now being enforced, the early release of some prison inmates, has changed the dynamic for crime victims wanting and needing accurate information about offenders.

In a news release, Van Hollen says, “Victims heard the sentence handed down by the judge when their case went through court. Now they are hearing that the sentence isn’t necessarily the sentence anymore and they may or may not be told ahead of time if the offender is released early. Enrolling in these programs sooner rather than later ensures victims can be as aware as the law allows and entitles them to be.”

Van Hollen says victims interested in enrolling should call 1-800-947-5777.

Here is more information.

The state Senate has approved legislation to regulate ticket reselling. Senate Bill 458 (SB 458) allows the Bradley Center, Miller Park, and Summerfest to create ticket resale zones.

A resale zone is defined as property controlled by the aforementioned sports and entertainment venues that is designated as the only area of its property that a ticket may be resold. Under an amendment approved, Camp Randall Stadium and the Kohl Center at the UW-Madison are exempt.

Under SB 458, a municipality would be allowed to prohibit the reselling of tickets at or less than face value within 250 feet of any property on which a resale zone is created if signage is posted notifying the public that reselling of tickets is prohibited in that area. The reselling of tickets to a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament event at or less than face value within 250 feet of the Bradley Center would be prohibited.

If a person is convicted of violating the requirements of a resale zone, the person is subject to a forfeiture of $10 for the first offense. For a second or any subsequent offense, a person is subject to a forfeiture not to exceed the penalty for a Class C forfeiture, which is a civil penalty with a maximum forfeiture of $500. Court costs may be imposed on a defendant for a second or subsequent offense, but not for a first offense.

I voted against SB 458 that constitutes another example of government intervention where it does not belong. The motivation of the bill to go after the large groups of professional scalpers that reportedly bother and annoy event patrons as they enter a facility is understandable.

However, what about the one-time scenario of a single individual or a small family that wants to either sell or purchase tickets? Why is state government regulating this rather harmless, simple transaction?

It seems there should be some specific, numerical level of ticket-reselling that is deemed  problematic before the state drops a punitive hammer on families or a single sports fan that only want to see a ballgame. On this vote, I side with families and against government intrusion.

SB 458 was approved by the state Senate, 28-3 and advances to the state Assembly.

Illicit drugs are not being used exclusively by the young. Americans over 50, including many senior citizens are now smoking marijuana.

Retirees say they are resorting to marijuana to ease pain. However health officials warn they could be jeopardizing their health, becoming at risk to falls and heart problems. There are, as I have blogged in the past, other alternatives that are legal.

I am concerned about a growing number of marijuana users that has now extrapolated into the elderly. As a member of the state Senate Health Committee that is considering the issue of medical marijuana. I fear such legislation, if enacted into law, would open Pandora’s Box to even more people experimenting with and getting hooked on marijuana and potentially even more dangerous drugs.

Read more from the Associated Press.  

Here is the calendar for the state Senate floor session scheduled for Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at 11:00 a.m.:

First Order.                  Call of Roll.

Second Order.             Chief clerk's entries.

Third Order.                 Introduction, first reading and reference of proposals.

Fourth Order.               Report of committees.

Fifth Order.                  Petitions and communications.

Sixth Order.                 Referrals and receipt of committee reports concerning proposed administrative rules.

Seventh Order.             Advice and consent of the Senate

Eighth Order.               Messages from the Assembly.

Ninth Order.                 Special Orders.

Tenth Order.                 Consideration of motions, resolutions, and joint resolutions not requiring a third reading.

Eleventh Order.            Second reading and amendments of senate joint resolutions and senate bills.

QUESTION:            Shall the bill be ordered to a third reading?

Senate Bill 44. Relating to: adjudications for involuntary commitment, appointment of a guardian of the person, and protective placement or protective services, background checks for the purchase of handguns, and requiring the exercise of rule-making authority. (Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1, Ayes 5, Noes 0, passage as amended recommended by committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing, Ayes 5, Noes 0) Senate Substitute Amendment 1 pending

Senate Bill 418. Relating to: disclosure of information by health care providers and insurers and providing a penalty. (Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1, Ayes 7, Noes 0, passage as amended recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 7, Noes 0) Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Substitute Amendment 1, and Senate Substitute Amendment 1 pending

Senate Bill 431. Relating to: the use of the terms college, university, state, and Wisconsin in the name of a school; the issuing, manufacture, or use of a false academic credential; the false use of a legitimate academic credential; making an appropriation; and providing a penalty. (Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1, Ayes 5, Noes 0, passage as amended recommended by committee on Agriculture and Higher Education, Ayes 5, Noes 0) Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Amendment 1, and Senate Amendment 1 pending

Senate Bill 458. Relating to: the local regulation of ticket selling and providing a penalty. (Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Substitute Amendment 1, Ayes 7, Noes 0, adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1, Ayes 6, Noes 1, passage as amended recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 6, Noes 1) Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Substitute Amendment 1, Senate Substitute Amendment 1, and Senate Substitute Amendment 2 pending

Senate Bill 517. Relating to: the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children. (Report passage recommended by committee on Children and Families and Workforce Development, Ayes 5, Noes 0)

Twelfth Order.              Second reading and amendments of assembly joint resolutions and assembly bills.

QUESTION:            Shall the bill be ordered to a third reading?

Assembly Bill 128. Relating to: authorizing a sheriff to depute certain security officers who are employed by the Department of Military Affairs. (Report concurrence recommended by committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, Biotechnology, and Financial Institutions, Ayes 5, Noes 0)

Assembly Bill 173. Relating to: the method by which the Department of Revenue makes certain calculations regarding tax incremental financing district number 4 in the village of Elmwood. 
(Report concurrence recommended by committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Assembly Bill 213. Relating to: establishing and changing compensation for city and village elective offices; signing village contracts; bidding procedure for village public construction contracts; officer-of-the-peace status of village officers; publication by the city clerk of fund receipts and disbursements; village and 4th class city regulation of political signs; liability of counties and cities for mob damage; means of providing police and fire protection by cities and villages; holdover status of appointed city and village officers; use of the s. 32.05 procedure in villages for certain housing and urban renewal condemnation; and application of public contract bidder prequalification to 1st class cities. (Report concurrence recommended by committee on Ethics Reform and Government Operations, Ayes 5, Noes 0)

Assembly Bill 230. Relating to: electronic access by law enforcement agencies to photographs on motor vehicle operators licenses and identification cards. (Report concurrence recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Assembly Bill 485. Relating to: required judicial findings and orders when a child is placed outside the home, termination of parental rights warnings, mandatory child abuse or neglect reporters, the confidentiality of social services records, changing from day care to child care the term used to describe care and supervision for children for less than 24 hours a day, and renumbering the definition of neglect. (Report concurrence recommended by committee on Children and Families and Workforce Development, Ayes 5, Noes 0)

Assembly Bill 574. Relating to: lightweight utility vehicles and providing a penalty. (Report concurrence recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 7, Noes 0)

Assembly Bill 579. Relating to: special distinguishing registration plates associated with Marquette University. (Report concurrence recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 6, Noes 0)

Thirteenth Order.         Third reading of joint resolutions and bills.

Fourteenth Order.        Motions may be offered.

Fifteenth Order.            Announcements, adjournment honors, and remarks under special privilege.

Sixteenth Order.           Adjournment.

Chuck Devore, a candidate for U.S. Senate in California, is critical of the state’s planned $45 billion high speed rail project from Anaheim to San Francisco. The project will use $2.25 billion in stimulus funding.

California voters approved the high speed rail project, a bonding initiative, during November 2008 by a percentage of 52-48. Devore writes on the website Big Government that supporters promised less expensive travel that would save time. High speed rail, proponents claimed, would offer an alternative to high gas prices, reduce greenhouse gases, and would cost less than expanding freeways and airports.

You can guess what has happened since the November 2008 vote. Cost estimates are increasing with a one-way fare from Los Angeles to San Francisco jumping from $50 to $105. Devore writes, “The doubled cost to riders has tanked train ridership estimates by one-third.”

Estimates of ridership, according to Devore who cites a newspaper report, were based on public employees intentionally holding back final projections to help get the ballot project approved.

Devore adds paying back the bonds will be extremely costly.

If all this sounds familiar, it should.

The Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee quickly approved spending $810 million of federal stimulus money for high speed rail between Milwaukee and Madison. The state will need an additional $7.6 million in operating expenses each year to cover the cost of the project. Bonding is being considered.

Specific figures about the cost of fares and ridership are unknown. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has reported that only 55 permanent jobs will be created.

Devore concludes his piece on Big Government with this advice:

“As for the rest of America, look to California and take careful notice: incurring mountains of debt without the ability to reliably repay it comes at a high cost.  Out of control debt encumbers future generations with crushing repayment obligations – essentially subjecting America’s youth to taxation without representation while consigning them to a life with a lower standard of living than their parents and grandparents.”

We would be wise to pay attention. Wisconsin’s economy is not as horrendous as California’s. However, we are in the ballpark.

Here is the latest about California high speed rail from the LA Times.

The state Senate Health Committee that I serve on conducted a public hearing Wednesday, February 24, 2010 about legislation that would exempt wellness programs from unfair trade or marketing practices. Under current Wisconsin law, fully insured and individual health insurance plans are prohibited from providing benefits that are not spelled out in the policy. Therefore, they are prohibited from advertising, marketing, offering or operating a wellness program without violating an unfair trade or marketing practice. Senate Bill 502 that I have co-sponsored would allow health care providers to offer wellness program incentives to all clients without violating unfair trade or marketing practices.

The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau in its analysis of SB 502 writes, “A wellness program is designed to promote health or prevent disease by offering a reward to insured individuals.” Wellness programs include smoking cessation weight loss, stress management, and nutrition improvement.

Meg Christianson, a nurse coach for Humana that provides coverage to more than 400,000 Wisconsinites gave excellent testimony about SB 502.  Meg Christianson told the Senate Health Committee Wisconsin must provide wellness program incentives to everyone and ensure reasonable alternatives for persons with medical conditions that make it medically unadvisable for them to participate or satisfy the program standard.

She reminded committee members current federal nondiscrimination rules under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) provide protections to ensure wellness programs do not unfairly discriminate on the basis of health factors. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that wellness program information is treated confidentially, separate from employer personnel files and only accessible to wellness program personnel.

More and more employees are spending time at work, Meg Christianson testified, making the workplace an ideal spot to engage people in wellness programs. Workers that participate in employer-based wellness programs have better on the job decision-making and time management skills and greater loyalty to their company.

Businesses that invest in workplace wellness programs can enjoy savings through lower healthcare costs, decreased absenteeism and decreased workers' compensation claims. A MetLife survey found that more than half, 57 percent, of larger employers, those with 500 or more employees, during 2008 were providing employees with a wellness program, up from 49 percent during 2006.

CNN.com reports, “Employee wellness programs just may be the cure for companies struggling to keep up with rapidly rising health care costs. According to the Kaiser Foundation's Employer Health Benefits 2008 Annual Survey, average premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance for family coverage increased 119 percent between 1999 and 2008. The report, which surveyed randomly selected public and private firms, also found that more employers are turning to employee wellness programs -- more than half of the small and large firms that offered employee health benefits also offered some form of a wellness program.”

I wholeheartedly support SB 502.  Wisconsin should provide the flexibility businesses need to provide wellness programs that can lead to healthier lifestyles, longer lives, and reduced health care costs.

Legislation will soon be introduced at the state Capitol to immediately repeal the early release privileges for convicted felons, a provision that was included in the 2009-2011 state budget. I will be a co-sponsor of the legislation to end this dangerous policy.

During last year’s state budget deliberations, I blogged, “Suggestions to save the state over $2 billion and ease prison overcrowding involve locking up fewer criminals and releasing many from custody early. The Council of State Governments Justice Center has made a series of recommendations to the state Legislature. They include alternatives that result in reduced incarceration. That is a recipe for even greater costs and harm to society. Wisconsin cannot afford this open door policy for criminals.”

I added the following:

“Why is the prison population growing? The Capital Times also examined the Council of State Governments Justice Center report, writing that, ‘A majority of inmates are incarcerated because they re-offend or violate the terms of their release. In 2007, 55 percent of prison inmates had violated terms of their parole, probation or extended supervision or were re-offenders who had committed a new crime.’

And we want to release more of them earlier? Certainly, inmates inside prison cost the state. Do not forget all the costs of criminals to society.”

I was also one of 45 state legislators to sign a letter to Governor Doyle requesting that he immediately stop his early release of felons. Our letter to Governor Doyle reads in part:

“In the interest of public safety and in light of the suspension of a similar program in Illinois, we are respectfully asking you to consider an immediate repeal of the early release program.

Chief among our concerns is the threat this program poses for compromising public safety. Out of the 21 offenders who were released this week, many of them have a history of serious felony convictions. Most could be classified as career criminals who have been in and out of the corrections system their entire life.

Furthermore, the fact that this program does not rely on judges, prosecutors, or law enforcement to determine whether these inmates are safe for release makes it even more likely that new crimes will be committed.

Also, communities are not being notified when these felons are being released.”

You can read the entire letter here.

Our letter was ignored by Governor Doyle.

The Wisconsin Policy Research Institute did an independent analysis of the criminal backgrounds of the first 22 offenders released early and reports, “The 22 inmates together have been convicted of at least 150 crimes and that, in nearly 70% of the cases, judges earlier denied their requests for early release.”

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported last week, “A review of court records for (Derrick) Parnell and other offenders from Milwaukee who have been released early this year shows that several of the men - convicted of a range of felonies including drug dealing and identity theft - have extensive criminal records and a history of returning to crime during previous stints on the streets.”

The incredibly risky procedure of releasing dangerous prisoners must end immediately before an innocent citizen is victimized by a freed inmate that should have been behind bars.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection reminds that the deadline for the next no-call list that goes into effect April 1, 2010 is this Sunday, February 28, 2010. If you sign up after the deadline, you will be added to the list on July 1, 2001.

Here are more details.