Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Voting Record
2007-2008 Wisconsin State Legislature
Summary of Bills
STATE ASSEMBLY
ASSEMBLY BILL 47
Tax Breaks for Health Savings Accounts Paired with High Deductible Health Insurance Plans
(Unfavorable on Passage) This legislation promotes the wrong path to health care reform. It provides generous state tax breaks for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), but only if these personal accounts are paired with a high deductible health insurance policy (minimum single deductible of $1,100; minimum family deductible of $2,200, as of 2008 and adjusted annually). This so-called “consumer-driven” approach to health care is being promoted to counter the growing movement for affordable universal health coverage. This HSA consumer-driven approach will shift more health costs from employers to employees, increase the cost of traditional comprehensive insurance coverage due to adverse selection, discourage individuals from getting necessary medical attention and fail to control health care costs. In the first three years alone, the proposal would cost the state over $39 million in lost revenue that could fund public services and education. The recorded vote of 60 to 35 was on passage and a vote in favor was a “wrong” vote. AB 47 passed the Assembly but was not taken up by the Senate.
ASSEMBLY BILL 250
Impartial Justice: Public Financing of State Supreme Court Elections
(Favorable on Motion to Withdraw from Committee) The integrity of our judicial system would be enhanced by this legislation known as the Impartial Justice Act which provides for public financing of qualified candidates for State Supreme Court. It would help ensure that decisions made by elected justices are based on their truly impartial interpretation of the law in a fair, neutral and non-partisan way—not influenced by campaign contributions from wealthy individuals and corporate interests. The recorded vote of 46 to 51 was on a motion offered by Assembly Democrats to pull AB 250 from a committee where it was being denied action and bring it to the Assembly floor. A vote in favor of the motion was a “right” vote. The motion was defeated and the bill died at the end of the session.
ASSEMBLY BILL 307
American Jobs Act
(Favorable on Motion to Withdraw from Committee) State government can outsource work currently done by public employees and contract to have it performed by domestic or foreign workers. AB 307 requires that when the state contracts for services to be performed by the private sector, those services must be performed by workers in the U.S., unless the services are not available here. This would help reduce the transfer of work offshore to countries where firms exploit the cheapest labor possible, and would direct taxpayer dollars to support the jobs of American workers. The recorded vote of 46 to 51 was on a motion offered by Assembly Democrats to withdraw AB 307 from a committee where it was being denied action and bring it to the Assembly floor. A vote in favor of the motion was a “right” vote. The motion was defeated. A similar bill had passed the Senate, but both died at the end of the session.
ASSEMBLY BILL 403
Wage Protection Act
(Favorable on Motion to Suspend Rules to Withdraw and Take Up) Every year there are businesses that simply close or go bankrupt and their employees are still owed wages and benefits. This legislation would restore top priority ahead of all other creditors in all cases for wage claim liens filed on behalf of workers who are left unpaid by their employers. The bill also eliminates the current cap of $3,000 on the wages and benefits that can be collected. The recorded vote of 46 to 50 was on a motion by Assembly Democrats to suspend the rules to withdraw AB 403 from a committee where it was being denied action and bring it to the Assembly floor. A vote in favor of the motion was a “right” vote. The motion was defeated and the bill died at the end of the session.
ASSEMBLY BILL 751
Corporate Tax Accountability Act
(Favorable on Motion to Withdraw from Committee) The public needs and deserves a more complete disclosure of the taxes paid by corporations in Wisconsin, so that an accurate analysis of Wisconsin’s tax system—and its fairness—can be made. AB 751 requires all publicly-held companies doing business in Wisconsin to submit publicly accessible annual disclosures of their income, including all items used to reduce their Wisconsin tax liability. This will not apply to 99 percent of companies, but to the one percent that are publicly held, which are the largest firms doing business in our state. It is estimated that corporate tax loopholes cost state and local governments $1.3 billion each year, but more complete data is needed for a thorough analysis. The recorded vote of 45 to 52 was on a motion by Assembly Democrats to withdraw AB 751 from a committee where it was being denied action and bring it to the Assembly floor. A vote in favor of the motion was a “right” vote. The motion was defeated and the bill died at the end of the session.
SENATE BILL 108
Teaching Labor History in Schools
(Favorable on Motion to Suspend Rules to Take Up) This legislation requires each school district to include the history of organized labor and the collective bargaining process in its curriculum. For most of the 20th century, Wisconsin was one of the nation’s most strongly unionized states, and this continues to be the case as virtually every family has a union member past or present in its family tree. To ignore the history of American workers and their unions— what textbooks largely do—is to ignore a major part of the history of our state and nation, and this does a real disservice to our youth. The recorded vote of 46 to 49 is on a motion offered by Assembly Democrats to suspend the rules to bring SB 108 to the Assembly floor because it had passed the Senate and was being denied action. A vote in favor of the motion was a “right” vote. The motion was defeated and the bill died at the end of the session.
SENATE BILL 165
Equal Pay Enforcement Act
(Favorable on Motion to Suspend Rules to Withdraw and Take Up) This bill allows employees who experience employment discrimination to seek compensatory and punitive damages, if a violation relates to equal pay or other protected classes under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Currently, the only remedy for victims of employment discrimination of any form is reinstatement, back pay and legal fees. This remedy is not significant enough to deter employers from violating the law, nor does it adequately compensate employees for violations of their employment rights. Wage inequity is especially harmful because it denies workers their full earning potential, and the accumulated loss of income undermines the economic security of the families. The recorded vote of 47 to 50 is on a motion offered by Assembly Democrats to withdraw SB 165 from a committee where it was being denied action and bring it to the Assembly floor. A vote in favor of the motion was a “right” vote. The motion was defeated and the bill died at the end of the session.
SENATE BILL 353
Collective Bargaining Rights: UW System Faculty & Academic Staff
(Favorable on Motion to Withdraw from Committee) This legislation extends bargaining rights to approximately 17,000 state employees who are employed by the University of Wisconsin System as faculty and academic staff. This is the largest group of public employees in the state who are denied the freedom to organize. In all states bordering Wisconsin, as well as a majority of states in the country, university faculty and academic staff have the fundamental right to collectively bargain. The recorded vote of 45 to 50 is on a motion offered by Assembly Democrats to withdraw SB 353 from a committee where it was being denied action and bring it to the Assembly floor. A vote in favor of the motion was a “right” vote. The motion was defeated and the bill died at the end of the session.
SENATE BILL 431
Unemployment Insurance
(Favorable on Passage) This is the agreed-upon bill negotiated by labor and management representatives on the Unemployment Insurance Advisory Council. In 2008, maximum benefit levels are held at the 2007 level. In 2009, maximum benefit levels increase by $8 per week. The UI tax on employers is increased to ensure the solvency of the UI Trust Fund. The recorded vote of 76 to 21 is on passage and a vote in favor of passage is a “right” vote. SB 431 passed the Legislature and was signed into law by Governor Doyle.