Senate leaders promise to work quickly to pass their version of the new state budget

Talk about it

Wisconsin Senate leaders promise to work quickly to pass their version of the new state budget.

Majority Leader Russ Decker says his 18-member caucus will review the Assembly’s changes, and get the package to the full Senate floor as quickly as possible.

If the Senate changes anything, a conference committee would work out the differences and the two houses will then take a final vote before the two-year, $62 billion budget goes to Governor Jim Doyle.

Lawmakers would have to act quickly for the budget to be signed by July first. That’s the day the state’s new fiscal year begins.

And if Doyle signs the budget before then, Wisconsin would get 15-million-dollars more in federal highway funds for approving one measure in the budget, letting police ticket drivers just for not wearing their seat belts.

It’s still anybody’s guess as to whether the Senate will ratify all the Assembly’s changes. Decker had said he was against restoring law enforcement money cut from the Justice Department’s budget, before the Assembly put those funds back last week.

Decker had also said the oil profits’ tax should stay as it was before the Assembly Democrats passed what in essence is a 4 cent a gallon gas tax hike aimed at warding off an expected lawsuit against the profits’ tax from big oil.

The Assembly OK’d its version around 5:20 a.m. Saturday, after an all-night session on Friday. They needed Independent Jeff Wood’s yes vote to pass it.

Tags: state budget, wisconsin, senate