Government Relations
Legislative Update
January 3, 2003
Governor-Elect Doyle names more cabinet and leadership team members
Governor-elect Doyle announced a number of cabinet nominees and leadership team members. They are:
- Secretary, Department of Natural Resources: Scott Hassett of Madison. Hassett is an attorney at Lawton & Cates in Madison.
- Secretary, Dept of Transportation: Frank Busalacchi of Brookfield. Busalacchi is secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 200.
- Chair, Public Service Commission: Burnie Bridge of Madison. Bridge is the Deputy Attorney General in the Dept of Justice.
- Secretary, Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection: Rod Nilsestuen of DeForest. Nilsestuen served as President and CEO of the Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives for 24 years.
- Secretary of Workforce Development: Roberta Gassman. Gassman is the president of Gassman Communications and Public Affairs LLC.
- Executive Director of Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA): State Rep. Antonio Riley. Riley has served the 18th Assembly District since 1993.
- Deputy Chief of Staff/Legal Counsel: Stan Davis. Davis is a former assistant attorney general at the Department of Justice. Davis is also chair of the UW-La Crosse Multicultural Alumni Advisory Board and a director of the UW-La Crosse Alumni Association Board of Directors.
All Finance Committee members named
All the Joint Finance Committee members have been named. Senate Minority Leader Jon Erpenbach named Senator Gwen Moore (Milwaukee) and Senator Russ Decker (Weston). Assembly Democrat members include Spencer Coggs (Milwaukee) and Dan Schooff (Beloit). Senate Republican committee members include Co-Chair Alberta Darling (River Hills), Scott Fitzgerald (Juneau), Sheila Harsdorf (River Falls), Ted Kanavas (Brookfield), Mary Lazich (New Berlin) and Bob Welch (Redgranite). Assembly Republicans include Co-Chair Dean Kaufert (Neenah), Mike Huebsch (West Salem), David Ward (Fort Atkinson), Kitty Rhoades (Hudson), Jeff Stone (Greenfield) and Dan Meyer (Eagle River).
Representative Plale to run for Grobschmidt seat
Rep. Jeff Plale (D-South Milwaukee) has announced his decision to run for the seat vacated by Sen. Rick Grobschmidt (D-South Milwaukee). Grobschmidt is leaving to become an Assistant State Superintendent for Libraries, Technology and Community Living in the Department of Public Instruction.
Gard names Republican committee members
Speaker John Gard named the Republicans to all standing and joint committees. Democrat members should be named shortly. Two committees whose work will impact the UW System are:
- Colleges and Universities: Chair, Rob Kreibich (Eau Claire), Mark Gottleib (Port Washington), Gregg Underheim (Oshkosh), Steve Nass (Whitewater), Sue Jeskewitz (Menomonee Falls), Judy Krawczyk (Green Bay) and Debi Towns (Janesville).
- Joint Committee on Employment Relations: Chair John Gard (Peshtigo), Dean Kaufert (Neenah), Steve Foti (Oconomowoc) and Jean Hundertmark (Clintonville).
Inauguration Events
Governor-elect Jim Doyle will be sworn in at the State Capitol on Monday, January 6, 2003 at noon. The Governor's inauguration will be television live on Wisconsin Public Television and re-broadcast at 7:00 p.m. on January 6th. Check WPT "schedule" section in the event there are further broadcasts of the event: http://www.wpt.org/. For further information on Governor-elect Doyle's inaugural events, go to http://www.doyleinauguration.com/.
The legislative inauguration will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, January 6, 2003 in the State Capitol. The State Assembly event will be broadcast via the State Assembly website at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/nav/asm.htm. According to the Senate Chief Clerk's office, the Senate inauguration will not be webcast.
Information on the Web
UW System Government Relations:
http://www.uwsa.edu/govrel/
UW System Budget:
http://www.uwsa.edu/budplan/
Wisconsin Legislature on the Web
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/
Prepared by Kerry Niemcek. For further information contact Margaret Lewis (608) 262-4464 or David Miller (608) 262-4463