Majority of New Legislature on Record in Favor of Reform

November 6, 2008

Madison - More than half of the members of the new Legislature have either voted for or publicly committed to support two important campaign reforms.

Fifty-one elected to the 99-member Assembly and 25 of the 33-member Senate are on record in favor of electioneering disclosure legislation that would require special interest groups that sponsor phony election-season "issue ads" to reveal how much they spend and who is paying for the advertising as well as follow existing state limits on campaign contributions. This not only bodes well for passage of disclosure legislation but also legislative endorsement of new disclosure rules the Government Accountability Board will consider and may approve as soon as next Tuesday.

There also is demonstrated majority support in the new Legislature for the Impartial Justice bill creating a system of publicly financed state Supreme Court elections, with 50 members of the Assembly and 22 members of the Senate already on record in favor of the reform.

Ten members of the new Legislature, including eight newly elected lawmakers, have not taken a public position on the two reforms. Of the 10, eight are in the Assembly and two are newly elected senators. Six of the 10 are Republicans and four are Democrats.

Senate Support • Assembly Support

2009 Senate
Impartial Justice YES Votes Carpenter, Tim Coggs, G Spencer Darling, Alberta Decker, Russ Ellis, Michael Erpenbach, Jon Hansen, Dave Harsdorf, Sheila Jauch, Bob Kreitlow, Pat Lassa, Julie Lehman, John Miller, Mark Olsen, Luther Plale, Jeff Risser, Fred Robson, Judith Schultz, Dale Sullivan, Jim Taylor, Lena C Vinehout, Kathleen Wirch, Robert 22 votes	Disclosure YES Votes Carpenter, Tim Coggs, G Spencer Cowles, Robert Darling, Alberta Decker, Russ Ellis, Michael Erpenbach, Jon Hansen, Dave Harsdorf, Sheila Jauch, Bob Kapanke, Dan Kreitlow, Pat Lasee, Alan Lassa, Julie Lehman, John Miller, Mark Olsen, Luther Plale, Jeff Risser, Fred Robson, Judith Schultz, Dale Sullivan, Jim Taylor, Lena C Vinehout, Kathleen Wirch, Robert 25 votes
2009 Assembly
Impartial Justice YES Votes Benedict, Chuck Berceau, Terese Bernard Schaber, Penny Black, Spencer Clark, Fred Colon, Pedro Cullen, David Danou, Chris Fields, Jason M Garthwaite, Phil Grigsby, Tamara D Hebl, Gary Hilgenberg, Steve Hintz, Gordon N Hixson, Kim Hraychuck, Ann Hubler, Mary Jorgensen, Andy Kaufert, Dean Kessler, Frederick P Krusick, Peggy Mason, Cory Milroy, Nick Molepske, Louis John Jr Nelson, Tom Parisi, Joseph T Pasch, Sandra Pocan, Mark Pope-Roberts, Sondy Richards, Jon Roys, Kelda Helen Schneider, Marlin Seidel, Donna J Sheridan, Mike Sherman, Gary Shilling, Jennifer Sinicki, Christine Smith, Jeff Soletski, Jim Spanbauer, Richard J Staskunas, Tony Steinbrink, John Toles, Barbara L Turner, Robert Van Akkeren, Terry Vruwink, Amy Sue Williams, Annette Polly Young, Leon Zepnick, Josh Zigmunt, Ted 50 votes	Disclosure YES Votes Benedict, Chuck Berceau, Terese Bernard Schaber, Penny Black, Spencer Clark, Fred Colon, Pedro Cullen, David Danou, Chris Davis, Brett H Fields, Jason M Garthwaite, Phil Grigsby, Tamara D Hebl, Gary Hilgenberg, Steve Hintz, Gordon N Hixson, Kim Hraychuck, Ann Hubler, Mary Jorgensen, Andy Kaufert, Dean Kessler, Frederick P Krusick, Peggy Mason, Cory Milroy, Nick Molepske, Louis John Jr Nelson, Tom Parisi, Joseph T Pasch, Sandra Pocan, Mark Pope-Roberts, Sondy Richards, Jon Roys, Kelda Helen Schneider, Marlin Seidel, Donna J Sheridan, Mike Sherman, Gary Shilling, Jennifer Sinicki, Christine Smith, Jeff Soletski, Jim Spanbauer, Richard J Staskunas, Tony Steinbrink, John Toles, Barbara L Turner, Robert Van Akkeren, Terry Vruwink, Amy Sue Williams, Annette Polly Young, Leon Zepnick, Josh Zigmunt, Ted 51 votes