Legislature gearing up for final week

WLUK TV

Updated: Mar 8, 2012 6:32 PM

MADISON — It's the final frantic few days of the legislative session inside the state Capitol.

"We always do a lot of work right at the end and it gets bottled up, there is a lot of committee movement and that is what you are seeing here today," said State Senator Frank Lasee, R-De Pere.

Between committee meetings and public hearings, the Legislature has stacks of bills waiting for votes.

"It's an on-going process throughout the entire session, sessions have an end and so yes it looks like at the end there is a lot of extra work that gets done right at the last minute," said Representative Penny Bernard Schaber, D-Appleton.

With so much activity in the halls of the Capitol and just days to go before the session ends, legislators are fighting to get their own bills passed.

"It's going to be a nightmare for the next five days," said State Senate President Mike Ellis, R-Neenah.

Several bills with ties to Northeast Wisconsin are waiting to be voted on. One of the biggest is a bill limiting the expansion of the school voucher program. Senate President Mike Ellis of Neenah says he wants to make sure public schools continue to get the funding they need.

"That bill is at the top of the list because of the huge fiscal impact it'll have on our public school system," Ellis said.

Lasee is also hoping to get a vote on his bill limiting the placement of wind turbines. The bill has been in the works for more than a year.

"There is more work to be done on the proposal before it can move forward, but there is not a lot of time and legislative time," Lasee said.

While the clock keeps ticking, legislators prepare for their final days to turn into long nights.

"We all work very hard to do this, we work very hard throughout the session to make our sessions good and successful," said Bernard Schaber.

Time will tell how successful their efforts will be.

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