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Legislative updates
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The legislative session will end March 15th. March 13th will be the last day the entire Assembly or Senate can meet as a group to vote on bills. The Wisconsin Association of Lakes has been working to move several initiatives forward this session.
How does a bill become law
Once a bill has been introduced, it is referred to the appropriate legislative committee within each house of the legislature for consideration. Because the breadth of Wisconsin law is expansive, legislative committees focus on narrower topic areas. For example, the Senate Committee on Natural Resources considers the details of bills related to natural resources.
Often the same bill may have two different bill numbers, an Assembly Bill (AB) and a Senate Bill (SB). When the bill language is identical, these are called companion bills.
The committee must then hold a public hearing on a bill. The committee must then hold an executive session where committee members vote on whether the bill should be sent to the full Assembly or Senate for consideration. In order for a bill to become law, the bill must be approved by both the full Assembly and the Senate. After the full Senate and Assembly have passed the bill it is sent to the Governor to be signed into law, or vetoed.
Lake bills this session: where are they now?
WAL has been working on many bills this session. The list below details where various bills are in the legislative process, and what steps would need to occur between now and the end of the session (next week) in order for these bills to become law this session.
Statewide ban on phosphorus in lawn fertilizer (Companion bills SB 197/AB 396)
What would it do: This bill would institute a statewide ban on phosphorus in lawn fertilizer (with reasonable exemptions) modeled after Dane County’s successful ordinance. WAL supports this bill.
Where in the process: Passed the Senate, public hearing held in Assembly committee
Steps needed to become law: Assembly committee must hold executive session, vote to send bill to the Assembly floor, vote must be scheduled, full Assembly must pass bill
Illegal to transport (SB 454, companion bill AB 821)
What it would do: This bill would make it illegal to operate motor vehicles and recreational trailers on highways if they have aquatic plants attached. WAL supports this bill.
Where in the process: passed the full Senate, referred to the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources
Steps needed to become law: Assembly committee must hold public hearing, hold executive session, vote to send bill to the Assembly floor, vote must be scheduled, full Assembly must pass bill
Restoring independent DNR Secretary (Companion bills AB 504/SB 15)
What it would do: Restore the authority to appoint the DNR Secretary to the Natural Resources Board rather than the Governor. WAL supports this bill.
Where in the process: passed full Senate; executive session held in Assembly committee, Assembly committee voted to send bill to full Assembly
Steps needed to become law: vote must be scheduled, full Assembly must pass bill
Slow no wake within 100 feet of shoreline (SB 385)
What would it do: require boats to operate at slow wake speeds within 100 feet of shoreline (local opt out provision included). WAL supports this bill.
Where in the process: passed out of Senate Committee on Natural Resources
Steps needed to become law: Senate must schedule a vote on the bill, if passed the bill must be referred to the Assembly Natural Resources committee. Assembly committee must hold public hearing, hold executive session, vote to send bill to the Assembly floor, vote must be scheduled, full Assembly must pass bill
What it would do: ratify the eight state agreement to protect the Great Lakes water from being diverted outside of the region. WAL supports this bill.
Where in the process: Passed by full Senate
Steps needed to become law: Must be referred to the Assembly Natural Resources committee. Assembly committee must hold public hearing, hold executive session, vote to send bill to the Assembly floor, vote must be scheduled, full Assembly must pass bill.
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Wisconsin Lakes Convention: take advantage of early bird rates
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The 30th Annual Wisconsin Lakes Convention will be held at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay April 17th-19th. Register by March 17th to take advantage of early bird rates!
We encourage you to attend part or all of this three day reunion of Wisconsin’s extended lake family or send a representative from your lake group.
The Convention is a great opportunity to network and share experiences with lake people across the state, visit with business partners to learn more about products and services, and talk with staff (and Board of Directors) from WAL, DNR and the UW-Extension Lakes Program.
Thursday’s field trip and three hour in-depth workshops cover important lake topics such as:
- Training for Lake District Commissioners
- Running an effective Lake organization
- Aquatic Plant Identification
- Engaging Youth in Lake issues
- How to get state grant dollars for your local lake project
- Early AIS detection and rapid response
- Groundwater & Lake Interactions: Science, Policy, and Tools
- Managing shoreland property to keep your lake healthy
Join us Friday and Saturday for more speakers and sessions on the following topic areas:
- Aquatic invasive species
- Water Law
- Lake Science
- Citizen Involvement
- Value of Lakes
- Flora and Fauna
Have a story to share?
Non-profit organizations and agencies: are you looking for ways to help lake folks learn more about your organization and the resources you offer? Lake groups: do you have a local story to share? A limited number of hallway display tables are available. Please contact Susan Tesarik if you are interested in a table?
Interested in exhibiting or sponsoring the Convention?
Is your business interested in meeting with lake people to talk about the products, services, and resources you offer? Are you interested in sponsoring the Convention to help support the event that keeps lake people coming back year after year? Download exhibitor/sponsor information. Please contact Tami Jackson if you are interested in exhibit or sponsorship opportunities.
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| DNR decides it has authority to regulate ballast water |
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On December 5, 2007 the Wisconsin Association of Lakes and twelve other state, national and local conservation groups petitioned the Natural Resources Board and the Department of Natural Resources to require permits for the discharge of Great Lakes ballast water containing aquatic invasive species and diseases from international ships, and to modify any state administrative rules as necessary to move forward with a discharge permit system.
The petition argued that Wisconsin already has authority to regulate ballast water under the Clean Water Act, which requires that anyone discharging “biological materials” (such as aquatic invasive species and diseases) into Wisconsin waters have a discharge permit. The petition suggested that Wisconsin’s current state law and permitting system could be used to regulate and require treatment of ballast water.
After reviewing this petition, the DNR agreed and determined that it “has legal authority to regulate ballast water discharges under the Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System” and that it will be developing discharge permits for international ships in order to eliminate the release of invasive species into Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.
More than 180 invasive species and diseases have been introduced into the Great Lakes. Many of these species—including zebra mussels, quagga mussels, the round goby, spiny water flea, and possibly VHS—have been introduced by the discharge of ballast water into the Great Lakes from international ships.
The organizations petitioning the Natural Resources Board include: the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, the National Wildlife Federation, The Wisconsin Federation of Great Lake Sport Fishing Clubs, the Wisconsin Council of Sportfishing Organizations, the River Alliance of Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Council of Trout Unlimited, Walleyes for Tomorrow, Midwest Environmental Advocates, Wisconsin Association of Lakes, Winnebago Land Conservation Alliance, Wisconsin Environment and Lakeshore Fisherman Sports Club Ltd.
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| New multi-agency agreement aims to make Madison lakes cleaner |
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Dane county officials, DNR, and Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to assess the nutrients and sediment loading into Madison’s five-lake chain—much of which comes from manure and fertilizer runoff from farm fields—and then develop a strategy to reach water quality goals.
The plan will:
- Create a model to assess existing pollution.
- Establish a community vision for what the lakes' water quality should be,
- Develop achievable goals to reach water quality goals
- Determine how much that would cost.
- Advise and communicate progress about the process to Dane County residents through a major public outreach effort.
Nutrients and sediments that wash into area waters are the main cause of algae blooms. Other sources besides agricultural run-off include pollution from lawns, streets and construction sites.
Over the last 50 years, the DNR said almost all end-of-pipe discharges -- called point sources -- into the lake have been eliminated and that the water quality in the Yahara lakes has improved as a result. One of the study's goals is to determine if the lakes will improve further in response to intensive "nutrient reduction practices."
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Working with you for clean, safe, healthy lakes
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The Wisconsin Association of Lakes is the only statewide organization working exclusively to protect and enhance the quality of Wisconsin's 15,000 lakes.
We represent citizens like you who care about Wisconsin's lakes as a natural resource, and who also recognize the value healthy lakes bring to property values, tourist economies, and overall quality of life.
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