| For the first time in the 11-year history of
the Qualified Economic Offer law, a Republican legislator has
introduced a bill to repeal it. Three other Republican legislators
have signed on to support the measure authored by Rep. Garey Bies
of Sister Bay.  | | Rep. Garey Bies | “This is a major victory for Wisconsin’s
great schools," WEAC President Stan Johnson said. “The
fact that a Republican has introduced the bill and that there
are other Republicans co-sponsoring the measure shows that lawmakers
realize the harm this law has done over the last 10 years.”
Johnson urged WEAC members to contact their
legislators and ask them to support Assembly Bill 751 and to hold
a hearing on the measure.
“Please visit the Cyberlobby at OnWEAC’s
Members Only site to communicate
with your legislators,” Johnson said. “If your representative
is a co-sponsor, please send a message thanking him or her.”
Johnson said WEAC has registered in favor the
bill, “after a complete review by WEAC legal counsel and
our collective bargaining team.”
“We have, however, registered concerns
over the random selection of arbitrators recommended in the bill.
We met with Rep. Bies in late December and he indicated he understood
our concerns about that provision. Now, we’ll see if it gets
a public hearing before the end of the legislative session.”
Joining Bies as co-sponsors are Republican Reps.
Sheryl Albers, Terry Musser and Jerry Petrowski. Rep. Carol Owens
was a cosponsor, but withdrew her name from the list the day after
the governor’s State of the State speech, where he applauded
Bies and other sponsors.
Democrats cosponsoring the bill are Reps. Larry
Balow, Terese Berceau, Spencer Black, Pedro Colon, Tom Hebl, Jim
Kreuser, John Lehman, Mark Miller, Louis Molepske, Joe Plouff,
Mark Pocan, Sondy Pope-Roberts, Jon Richards, Dan Schooff, Gary
Sherman, Jennifer Shilling, Christine Sinicki, Tony Staskunas,
John Steinbrink, Lena Taylor, Robert Turner, Terry Van Akkeren,
Amy Sue Vruwink and Josh Zepnick; and Sens. Dave Hansen, Roger
Breske, Jon Erpenbach, Fred Risser and Robert Wirch. Resource page on
the QEO law Posted January 30, 2004 |