1-22-14 state of state

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic legislative leaders say they are asking Gov. Scott Walker to use a $977 million budget surplus to eliminate a projected deficit and spend more on education and job training programs.  Assembly Democratic Leader Peter Barca and Senate Democratic Leader Chris Larson say they met with Walker on Tuesday but he didn't reveal his plans. The governor is scheduled to deliver his State of the State speech on Wednesday night.  Walker has said he wants to tap the surplus to provide income and property tax relief, but he has not said exactly what he will propose.

Larson says Democrats would like to see tax cuts, but not before essential obligations of the state are taken care of. He says that includes a projected $725 million budget shortfall predicted by mid-2017.

1-22-14 traveling sales crews

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Assembly has passed a bill that would impose new pay requirements on employers who run traveling sales crews.  The Republican measure would require crew employers to pay workers on regularly agreed-upon dates and at least semi-monthly. They would have to note the worker's hours, pay rate and the amount and reason for each deduction on the pay stub or an accompanying document. The employer also would have to obtain a permit and identification card for each worker and operator would have to carry while working in Wisconsin.  The Assembly passed the bill on a voice vote Tuesday. The measure now goes to the state Senate.

1-22-14 gun sales

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin residents would be able to buy rifles and shotguns from dealers anywhere in the nation under a bill the state Assembly has passed.  The U.S. Gun Control Act from 1968 banned interstate firearm sales but allowed dealers to sell long guns to buyers in contiguous states. A federal law enacted nearly two decades later granted states the ability to permit people to buy long guns from dealers in any state.  The Republican bill would lift the contiguous state restriction on Wisconsin residents.  The Assembly passed the proposal 94-3 Tuesday afternoon. The bill now goes to the state Senate.

1-22-14 open records law

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state Assembly has approved a bill that clarifies Wisconsin's open records law extends to elected officials.  The bill is one of a number of proposals Republicans have been developing to streamline and update existing state statutes and regulations.  The bill states that the open records law applies to every elected official who is a records custodian, regardless of whether the official was elected to an office or appointed to fill a vacancy in an office.  The Assembly approved the bill on a voice vote Thursday. Minority Democrats tried to amend the bill to clarify that the law extends to legislators but the attempt failed.   The bill goes next to the state Senate.

1-22-14 social media account legislation

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Legislation cleared the state Legislature today that would prohibit bosses from asking workers or job applicants for access to their social media accounts. The push to pass such laws is gaining momentum nationally as employers ask for workers' user names and passwords for their personal accounts. Some employers say they need such access to protect proprietary information or trade secrets. Others contend it's an invasion of privacy.

1-22-14 wi marijuana law

The Wisconsin Assembly is moving forward with a bill that would expand the power that municipalities have to enforce marijuana ordinances in cases where the district attorneys has refused to prosecute. Currently, cities, counties and towns can enforce ordinances prohibiting possession of 25 grams or less of marijuana or synthetic marijuana. But they can't prosecute anyone who possesses more than 25 grams or for second-offense possession of any amount.   Fond du Lac Republican state representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt is the bill's author.  "This simple adjustment to the law will empower local governments such as the city of Fond du Lac...it will assure that those who violate marijuana possession laws will be much less likely to evade responsibility for their actions due to lack of prosecution by the District Attorney,"  Thiesfeldt said.

1-21-14 fdl high student misses the cut on "the voice"

A Fond du lac High School student missed the cut after a private audition  for the popular reality show The Voice.  Phillip Johnson was discovered after posting a series of music videos and later creating a YouTube channel where he posted two songs a week.  Auditions were held Saturday and Sunday in Rosemont, Illinois and Johnson was called back for a private audition yesterday.  The NBC TV show features four musicians who select their teams based on blind auditions.