Anyone with a bachelor’s degree could be hired and licensed to teach sixth- through 12th-grade English, math, social studies or science in Wisconsin under a provision slipped into the state budget proposal by a Republican lawmaker. And any person with relevant experience — even a high school dropout — could be licensed to teach in…
Regulations
Conservatives, Employment, Gov. Walker, Legislation, Regulations, Wisconsin
Conservatives want prevailing wage repeal
“Pains me as it does to say this, in this term he appears to be, well, leading from behind,” Bader wrote Wednesday. “There is a complete meltdown among the players in the huddle and Walker isn’t even on the sideline. He’s mingling with the talent scouts in the crowd, telling them about how great the…
Milwaukee, Police, Regulations
MKE’s Flynn on Gun Laws
Gov. Walker, Health, Legislation, Medicine, Presidential race 2016, Regulations, State Government, Wisconsin
“Just A Cool Thing Out There”
During the interview with conservative radio host Dana Loesch, Walker defended a bill he’d signed in 2013 that required women get the ultrasounds. “The thing about that, the media tried to make that sound like that was a crazy idea,” Walker said. “Most people I talk to, whether they’re pro-life or not, I find people…
Ecology, Environment, Federal Government, Regulations, Wisconsin
Water
“The Obama administration is expected in the coming days to announce a major clean water regulation that would restore the federal government’s authority to limit pollution in the nation’s rivers, lakes, streams and wetlands. Environmentalists have praised the new rule, calling it an important step that would lead to significantly cleaner natural bodies of water…
Government Spending, Regulations
WISGOP Vote Advances Drug Tests Before Food
Animals, Regulations
Unwelcome
“The penalties for breaching Australia’s biosecurity laws are severe, according to the agriculture minister [agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce]. ‘Mr Depp has to either take his dogs back to California or we are going to have to euthanise them. He’s now got about 50 hours left to remove the dogs.’” Via Australia threatens to kill Johnny…
Business, Economy, Legislation, Regulations
Prevailing wage doesn’t keep everyone safer
Legislation, Poverty, Regulations
Requiring Testing Before Eating
Madison— People seeking unemployment insurance and public benefits would have to be tested for drugs and those who receive food stamps would have to use two-thirds of their benefits for nutritional items, under GOP bills moving quickly through the Assembly. Via Panel takes up drug testing for public benefit recipients @ JSOnline.
Business, Employment, Government Spending, Regulations, Wisconsin
Prevailing wage law may not prevail much longer
Gov. Walker, Legislation, Liberty, Lifestyle, Presidential race 2016, Regulations
No waiting
Scott Walker signals support for eliminating 48-hour waiting period for handgun purchases http://t.co/02avOwVDtn — madison.com (@madisondotcom) March 3, 2015
Accidents, Business, Regulations
Shoddy Work
Over three and a half years, workers experienced more than 1,000 work-related injuries … aren’t small cuts and scrapes. All were what OSHA considers "recordable," meaning they required treatment by someone other than the injured person, said Mark Hysell, the agency’s area director … "Ashley Furniture has created a culture that values production and profit…
Health, Liberty, Lifestyle, Regulations
Cannabis debate doesn’t follow script
HLN talk show host Nancy Grace discussed the subject with rapper 2 Chainz, who is a known smoker. I think whoever put this segment together believed the loud-mouthed Grace would own the segment. They showed clips of parents giving their toddlers weed and kids getting high. But the segment did not go down as expected.…
Congress, Health, Regulations
Cannabis inches forward
Animals, DNR, Nature, Regulations
Wolf-kill over state quota
Animals, Nature, Regulations
When a quota’s not a quota
With only four legal wolf kills remaining under the current season’s quota of 150, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources must close the season today or enable the intentional, quota-breaking overkilling of wolves beginning tomorrow after the gun-dear season has closed when hounders will be free to release their dogs against wolves and packs the…
Business, Crony Capitalism, Cronyism, Regulations
Same road, opposite direction
Higher business rankings have nothing to do with everyday citizens. It reflects the size and breadth of corporate welfare and deregulation. It’s not exactly “free market” stuff here, since the Walker administration is merely purging the old system and replacing it with regulatory protections…for big business. Via Business likes Walker’s Wisconsin, without creating jobs or…
Animals, DNR, Lifestyle, Regulations
The Deer Czar’s Rules
Many times Secretary Cathy Stepp repeated, “The rules have changed, but the tradition remains.” Hunters whom I’ve spoken with wonder if all we’ll have years from now is the fond memory of what used to be Wisconsin’s very equal deer hunting tradition. Many things are changing. New rules could hasten the loss of our populist…
Crime, Regulations
What about drunk driving?
Yet when it comes to known, harmful nationally-leading drug abuse practices and events in Wisconsin, Walker and Vos have steadfastly refused to lift a finger to deal with known, data-proven facts about drug use in Wisconsin – – impaired driving – – and have blocked many serious attempts to make the most minimal of reform…
Animals, Nature, Regulations, State Government
Quotas, what quotas?
Via WI wolf kill exceeds 130, heading for 150. Perhaps more. @ The Political Environment.
Employment, Regulations, State Government
Fill the cup
Via Scott Walker Announces Entitlement Reform that Includes Drug Testing @ MacIver Institute.
Government Spending, Regulations
A cup in every bathroom
Education, Lifestyle, Regulations
Clemson requires submission
Via “Public university required students to submit sexual history or face disciplinary action” @ Althouse.
Elections, Law, Regulations
A medium-sized city’s worth
Around 300,000 Wisconsin voters don’t have the forms of identification required to vote under the law, a disproportionate number of whom are people of color. Opponents of the law have asked the full 7th Circuit to review the September 12 ruling, but if the order stands, all voters will now have to bring identification to…
Regulations
Someone skipped Drivers Ed
A “slow-rolling stop” is, you know, not a stop. I’m sure there are cases of red light cameras snagging people who shouldn’t be snagged but by your own damn admission this isn’t one of them. Via Um, You Didn’t Stop? @ Eschaton.
Milwaukee, Regulations, State Government, WISGOP
Situation-based principles
* The latest example. An order from the Wisconsin Public Service Commission – – with a 2-1 right wing majority appointed by Wrong-Way Walker – – micro-managing how many miles of new pipe the City of Milwaukee must replace annually. Via WI GOP now loves ‘stick-it-to-Milwaukee’ big government @ The Political Environment.
Animals, Ecology, Nature, Regulations
How many wolves will they kill?
Via Wolf Advisory Committee recommends range of wolf population goals @ JS On the Trail Blog.
Environment, Regulations
The New Carbon Emission Rules
Animals, Legislation, Nature, Regulations
Crossbows made easy
Via Kleefisch Crossbow Madness another Lazy Conservative Shortcut to Kill Deer, shorten Season? @ Democurmudgeon.
Local Government, Regulations
Regulatory mindset
This does not explain the need for the ordinance. It explains the desire for authority. And I can’t help but wondering just who needs protection from a storefront sign. Suppose the city passed an ordinance preventing people from wearing yellow shoes. Now imagine a mayor saying “The reason for the ordinance is to have the…
Health, Milwaukee, Regulations
Regulatory failure
A Milwaukee house so bug-infested and filthy that officials, upon inspecting it, immediately boarded it up and charged its owner with child neglect, did not — in the Department of Children and Families’ opinion — pose an imminent threat to health or safety of the seven children that lived in it. Via State did not…
Lifestyle, Regulations
The GOP Nannies
Elections, Federal Government, Law, Regulations, State Government, Wisconsin
Voting Rights in Wisconsin
Attorney General Eric Holder announced today [Wednesday, July 30, 2014] that the Justice Department has submitted filings in voting rights cases in Wisconsin and Ohio. The department’s involvement in these two cases represents its latest steps to enforce the remaining parts of the Voting Rights Act against restrictive state laws, following up on the department’s…
Elections, Regulations
4-2
Federal Government, Regulations, Wisconsin
Residents’ heavy burden
[Washington, D.C.] Federal regulations cost Wisconsin $2.4 billion in just the first half of 2014 according to a study by American Action Forum (AAF), a national public policy institute. Wisconsin faced the largest per capita regulatory cost in the Midwest, costing every person in the state $415 from January to June of 2014. Minnesota ranked…
Elections, Law, Regulations, State Government, Wisconsin
Contradictions in state policy
The secrecy requirements, as I understand it, were devised to protect those who are under investigation, but I can see how those doing the investigation could exploit the requirement to shield their work from public scrutiny. With secrecy enforced by criminal sanctions, it’s hard to fault the Board for demanding secrecy, but that’s an absurd…