Joint Committee on Finance

Joint Committee on Finance Informational Paper 76 Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau January, 2017 Joint Committee on Finance Prepared by Jere M. Bauer, Jr. Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau One East Main, Suite 301 Madison, WI 53703 http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lfb TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 1 Review of the Governor's Recommended Budget ........................................................................................ 1 Review of Other Fiscal Bills ......................................................................................................................... 2 Emergency Clause Requirement ................................................................................................................... 2 Supplementation of Agency Appropriations ................................................................................................. 3 Changes in Authorized Position Levels ........................................................................................................ 3 Other Responsibilities ................................................................................................................................... 4 Appendix I A History of the Joint Committee on Finance ............................................................... 6 Appendix II Reviews by the Joint Committee on Finance ............................................................... 23 Appendix III Appropriation and Position Adjustments by the Joint Committee on Finance .............................................................................................. 24 Appendix IV Bill Introductions by the Joint Committee on Finance ................................................ 26 Appendix V Approvals by the Joint Committee on Finance ............................................................ 27 Appendix VI Statutorily-Required Reports to the Joint Committee on Finance ............................... 38 Appendix VII Statutorily-Required Appearance Before the Joint Committee on Finance ................. 50 Appendix VIII Joint Committee on Finance Co-chairs Ex Officio Memberships ............................... 51 Appendix IX Co-chairs of the Joint Committee on Finance .............................................................. 52 Appendix X Joint Committee on Finance Members and Sessions Served, 1911-2017.................... 54 Appendix XI Joint Committee on Finance Members by Legislative Session, 1911-2017 ................ 61 Appendix XII Joint Committee on Finance Members by Municipality, 1911-2017 .......................... 73 Joint Committee on Finance Introduction Legislative Fiscal Bureau's informational paper entitled, "State Budget Process."] Following that The Joint Committee on Finance is a statuto- section, succeeding sections describe the Com- ry, standing committee of the Wisconsin Legisla- mittee's duties for: (a) review of other fiscal bills; ture. A Joint Committee on Finance has been (b) supplementation of agency appropriations; specified in the statutes since 1911 when the Leg- and (c) approval of changes in authorized posi- islature enacted Chapter 6, Laws of 1911, first tion levels. creating the Committee. Appendix I provides a detailed history of the Members of the Committee are appointed by Joint Committee on Finance. This history is each house in the same manner as are members based on material that was originally prepared by of other standing committees [by the Speaker in Tony Mason, a member of the staff of the Legis- the Assembly and by the Senate Majority Leader lative Fiscal Bureau, and first distributed publicly in the Senate]. The Committee is staffed on a at a ceremony held October 24, 2001, to dedicate full-time basis by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, a the Committee's new hearing room (Room 412 statutory legislative service agency whose Direc- East of the State Capitol). Following that history, tor is appointed by the Joint Committee on Legis- there are six additional appendices which provide lative Organization. As Committee staff, the Bu- detailed listings of the Committee's various statu- reau's analysts provide a wide variety of infor- tory responsibilities in the areas of: (a) required mation and analyses to Committee members re- reviews; (b) appropriation and position adjust- garding each biennial budget as well as on state ments; (c) specific bill introductions; (d) required programs and fiscal policy. In addition, staff pro- approvals of agency actions; (e) agency reports vide summary information on all bills considered required to be submitted to the Committee; and by the Committee and prepare analyses of agency (f) required appearances before the Committee. requests for appropriation supplements and The eighth appendix lists the other legislative changes in authorized position levels requested committees and statutory bodies on which the outside of the budget process. Co-chairs of the Committee are ex officio members. The ninth appendix lists the Co-chairs of the The Joint Committee on Finance's original Committee since 1911. The final appendices (X and still primary responsibility is to serve as the through XII) list all legislators who served as principal legislative committee charged with the members of the Joint Committee on Finance review of all state appropriations and revenues. since 1911. These appendices list members: (a) This responsibility is most prominently carried alphabetically (Appendix X); (b) by legislative out by the Committee's detailed review of the bi- session (Appendix XI); and (c) by municipality ennial budget recommendations of the Governor. (Appendix XII). In addition, the Committee has been given a number of other fiscal and budgetary oversight Review of the Governor's Recommended responsibilities. The next section of this paper Budget briefly summarizes the Committee's procedures in reviewing the Governor's proposed budget. [A The statutes provide that immediately after more detailed summary is also available in the delivery of the Governor's budget message, the 1 executive budget bill(s) must be introduced, clude the review of all other (non-budget) reve- without change, into one of the two houses of the nue or spending bills. This responsibility ema- Legislature by the Joint Committee on Finance. nates from a statutory requirement [s. 13.093(1)] Further, upon introduction the bill or bills must which specifies that, "All bills introduced in ei- be referred to the Committee for review. ther house of the legislature for the appropriation of money, providing for revenue or relating to Upon completing its summary of the budget, taxation shall be referred to the joint committee the Legislative Fiscal Bureau may provide initial on finance before being passed." overview briefings on the budget for the full Committee (and any other legislators who wish to Although Committee sessions are not held on attend). In addition, state agency officials may all bills that are referred to it, most bills that have provide testimony on the budget to the Commit- a significant fiscal effect or otherwise involve tee. Following completion of any such briefings, major policy are reviewed by the Committee. the Committee begins to hold public hearings on Some of these bills may not actually appropriate the Governor's proposed budget. The hearings are any additional funds but the accompanying fiscal usually held in a number of locations throughout estimate (prepared by the affected state agency) the state. may project that if the bill is enacted, it will result in significant increased costs to the agency. Fur- Upon conclusion of the public hearings, the ther, for some bills, the Committee's Co-chairs Finance Committee commences executive ses- may decide to hold a public hearing on a bill sions on the Governor's recommended budget. even though another committee may have already These executive sessions represent the decision- done so. In addition, some major fiscal bills may making phase of the Committee's responsibilities. be referred by the presiding officer of the As- In Wisconsin, executive session meetings on the sembly or Senate directly to the Finance Commit- budget are open to the public; however, testimo- tee. (Under the rules of the Assembly, commit- ny or commentary from the public or agency of- tees are not required to hold a public hearing on a ficials is not taken and discussion is between bill prior to action; under Senate rules, no bill Committee members, Legislative Fiscal Bureau may be placed on the calendar that has not had a staff, and the Department of Administration's public hearing, but the Senate Committee on Or- State Budget Office staff. ganization may waive this requirement.) The Joint Committee on Finance invariably Emergency Clause Requirement adopts a budget which contains numerous changes to the budget proposed by the Governor. Once In addition to its general responsibility for re- all proposed changes have been considered, the view of spending and/or revenue bills, the Com- Committee directs the Legislative Fiscal Bureau mittee has a special responsibility at the start of to work with the Legislative Reference Bureau each session in the odd-numbered years regard- and draft (in bill form) the Committee's recom- ing legislation with a fiscal impact. Under s. mended budget. Typically, the form of the Com- 16.47(2), no bill providing an appropriation, de- mittee's recommended budget

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