Advocating for Animals
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Legislative Update
2021-2022 Session Summary
In keeping with the previous legislative session, Wisconsin remains one of the least active legislatures nation-wide, at one point going more than 300 days without passing a bill. The Legislature also remains deeply at odds with the Governor’s Office, and without a supermajority, is unable to override the Governor’s veto. On the other side, the single party control of the Legislature means limited ability for the minority to advance legislation with only 263 bills being authored by lawmakers in the minority and of those only seven receiving a hearing this session.
This means legislation that is signed into law is mostly reserved for necessary obligations and increasingly rare bi-partisan measures. In the current session, of the 2,617 bills introduced, just 267 were signed into law.
WFHS Bills of Interest
WFHS weighed in on eight separate measures and an administrative rule this session. Two bills that WFHS extensively gathered supporters and engaged lawmakers included AB368/SB366 to increase penalties for animal abuse, and AB341/SB347 to deregulate exotic animal exhibitors which would have allowed less oversight over illegal animal trade and slaughter.
While there was a great showing for AB368, ultimately a poisonous amendment from the hunting lobby and lack of consensus among animal advocate led to this bill not passing in this session. On a more positive note, we were able to successfully lobby the Governor’s Office to prevent the passage of AB341 despite it passing both the Senate and Assembly.
All other bills failed to gain enough support to pass both chambers or were vetoed by the Governor, including a slate of excessive hunting bills put forth near the end of the session.
This session was very limited in terms of other animal related bills, only one animal bill passed this year, AB276/SB298, which added an exception allowing for dogs to be on premises for establishments that sell pre-packaged food. This bill was sponsored by Rep. Cabral-Guevara (R-Appleton) and was signed into law by the Governor in March of 2022.
Upcoming Session
We are at the end of the 2021-2022 legislative session which means no legislative activity for the rest of the year as lawmakers prepare to campaign for seats in the 2023-2024 legislative session.
In terms of next year, we are looking at a number of factors affecting the start of the 2023 session. First, the race for the Governor’s Office will play a big part in determining how the session will go. The last four years under Governor Evers has meant a standoff between the Legislature and the Governor’s Office. Without a legislative supermajority, this has significantly limited the bills being passed and created a barrier to what bills are able to be passed into law.
If there is no change in the Governor’s Office, we will likely see a very similar scenario playing out in the next session with a Republican controlled majority controlling what bills are sent to the governor and a very limited set of bills passing all the way into law.
If the Governor’s Office changes hands we will likely see a return to strict control over the legislative process that existed under Governor Walker. This would mean a hard requirement for majority support in order to advance any WFHS supported advocacy, a limited ability to amend, and very limited ability to oppose any majority supported measures.
Also in play is the recent Supreme Court decision to reverse the Wisconsin State Supreme Court redistricting map decision. While there are still pending smaller challenges, it is looking very likely at this point that the state will adopt the Republican drawn maps that create even greater levels of partisan gerrymandering.
While it is likely this will not significantly affect the makeup of the 2022 election results, these maps would hold for the next 10 years with increasing likelihood of allowing a supermajority within the legislative branch, which would have material impacts on how legislation is passed.
Of interest is that the “Great Resignation” also appears to be hitting the Wisconsin Legislature with 29 members announcing they will not be running for re-election. This totals 7 senators and 22 representatives and affects the Senate Agriculture and Sporting Heritage Committee, as well as the Chairman of the Assembly Agriculture Committee, Vice-Chair of the Criminal Justice & Public Safety Committee, and members of the Assembly Sporting Heritage Committee, which all commonly weigh in on bills affecting animals. This ties the number from 2014 which is the second highest level ever, only beaten by the 1942 record of 32 legislators who left at the start of WWII.
There are no alerts at this time.
Legislative Update
2021-2022 Session Summary
In keeping with the previous legislative session, Wisconsin remains one of the least active legislatures nation-wide, at one point going more than 300 days without passing a bill. The Legislature also remains deeply at odds with the Governor’s Office, and without a supermajority, is unable to override the Governor’s veto. On the other side, the single party control of the Legislature means limited ability for the minority to advance legislation with only 263 bills being authored by lawmakers in the minority and of those only seven receiving a hearing this session.
This means legislation that is signed into law is mostly reserved for necessary obligations and increasingly rare bi-partisan measures. In the current session, of the 2,617 bills introduced, just 267 were signed into law.
WFHS Bills of Interest
WFHS weighed in on eight separate measures and an administrative rule this session. Two bills that WFHS extensively gathered supporters and engaged lawmakers included AB368/SB366 to increase penalties for animal abuse, and AB341/SB347 to deregulate exotic animal exhibitors which would have allowed less oversight over illegal animal trade and slaughter.
While there was a great showing for AB368, ultimately a poisonous amendment from the hunting lobby and lack of consensus among animal advocate led to this bill not passing in this session. On a more positive note, we were able to successfully lobby the Governor’s Office to prevent the passage of AB341 despite it passing both the Senate and Assembly.
All other bills failed to gain enough support to pass both chambers or were vetoed by the Governor, including a slate of excessive hunting bills put forth near the end of the session.
This session was very limited in terms of other animal related bills, only one animal bill passed this year, AB276/SB298, which added an exception allowing for dogs to be on premises for establishments that sell pre-packaged food. This bill was sponsored by Rep. Cabral-Guevara (R-Appleton) and was signed into law by the Governor in March of 2022.
Upcoming Session
We are at the end of the 2021-2022 legislative session which means no legislative activity for the rest of the year as lawmakers prepare to campaign for seats in the 2023-2024 legislative session.
In terms of next year, we are looking at a number of factors affecting the start of the 2023 session. First, the race for the Governor’s Office will play a big part in determining how the session will go. The last four years under Governor Evers has meant a standoff between the Legislature and the Governor’s Office. Without a legislative supermajority, this has significantly limited the bills being passed and created a barrier to what bills are able to be passed into law.
If there is no change in the Governor’s Office, we will likely see a very similar scenario playing out in the next session with a Republican controlled majority controlling what bills are sent to the governor and a very limited set of bills passing all the way into law.
If the Governor’s Office changes hands we will likely see a return to strict control over the legislative process that existed under Governor Walker. This would mean a hard requirement for majority support in order to advance any WFHS supported advocacy, a limited ability to amend, and very limited ability to oppose any majority supported measures.
Also in play is the recent Supreme Court decision to reverse the Wisconsin State Supreme Court redistricting map decision. While there are still pending smaller challenges, it is looking very likely at this point that the state will adopt the Republican drawn maps that create even greater levels of partisan gerrymandering.
While it is likely this will not significantly affect the makeup of the 2022 election results, these maps would hold for the next 10 years with increasing likelihood of allowing a supermajority within the legislative branch, which would have material impacts on how legislation is passed.
Of interest is that the “Great Resignation” also appears to be hitting the Wisconsin Legislature with 29 members announcing they will not be running for re-election. This totals 7 senators and 22 representatives and affects the Senate Agriculture and Sporting Heritage Committee, as well as the Chairman of the Assembly Agriculture Committee, Vice-Chair of the Criminal Justice & Public Safety Committee, and members of the Assembly Sporting Heritage Committee, which all commonly weigh in on bills affecting animals. This ties the number from 2014 which is the second highest level ever, only beaten by the 1942 record of 32 legislators who left at the start of WWII.
Partner Updates
Our partners at the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project regularly track state legislation that impacts animal welfare. You can see their updates on the No Wisconsin Puppy Mills Website or see real-time updates on their Facebook Page.
Our partners at the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project regularly track state legislation that impacts animal welfare. You can see their updates on the No Wisconsin Puppy Mills Website or see real-time updates on their Facebook Page.
