WISCONSIN GOVERNMENT Executive, Legislative, Judicial

Executive Branch - Governor  What does he do?  Supervises administrative agencies Appoints heads to run agencies Too many to oversee entire agency Controls finances (Budget)  Proposes biennial state budget Must be approved by Legislature  Appoints special committees  Calls special elections  Recommends new laws or improvements Formal address to legislature Discussions with senators or representatives

Executive – Governor Cont.  Sign bills into law Has veto power If not signed after 6 days bill becomes law 2/3 in both houses to override veto Partial veto when dealing with money (budget)  Focal point for complaints and suggestions  Call special sessions of Legislature when needed  Approve federal aid expenditures  Approve state land purchases  Construction projects  Office of the Governor  employees  $8 million dollar annual budget

Exec. Branch – Constitutional Officers  All officers are elected to 4 year terms  Governor  Scott Walker - $137,092 – 2011  Lieutenant governor  Rebecca Kleefisch - $72,  Takes over duties of Governor when he is temporarily out of the state or disabled  Specific duties are outlined by the Governor  Similar to US Vice President

Exec. Branch – Constitutional Officers  Secretary of State  Douglas J. La Follette - $65,  Maintain official acts of the Governor and Legislature  Affix seal to official government acts  Variety of services for the state and municipal governments  If Lt. Gov. office is vacant is next in line to be Governor

Exec. Branch – Constitutional Officers  State treasurer  Kurt Schuller - $65,079 – 2011  Fiscal trustee  Oversees disbursement of unclaimed property  Administers states college savings program

Exec. Branch – Constitutional Officers  Attorney General  J.B. Van Hollen - $133,033 – 2011  Supervises the Department of Justice Provide legal advice and representation Criminal Investigation Law enforcement services  Appoints positions in the Dep. of Justice  Represents state in law suits  Advises state, county, and municipal official on legal issues

Exec. Branch – Constitutional Officers  State Superintendent of Public Instruction  Tony Evers - $122,516 – 2013  Elected in April 2009  Supervises public schools in the state Over 1 million students annually 426 school districts

Executive Branch State Departments (18)  Department of Administration (DOA)  Department of Natural Resources (DNR)  Department of Public Instruction (DPI)  Department of Revenue (DOR)  Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP)  Department of Corrections (DOC)  Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS)  Department of Transportation (DOT)  Department of Tourism  Department of Workforce Development (DWD)  Department of Children and Families (DCF)  Department of Commerce  Employee Trust Funds  Financial Institutions  Department of Justice (DOJ)  Department of Military Affairs  Department of Regulation and Licensing  Department of Veterans Affairs

Executive Branch  Employment  74,491 Full and part-time employees  68,821 Full-time equivalent as of Jan  Largest government branch by far  Majority of government money spent

Legislative Branch  Power to create or revise laws – Statutes in Wisconsin  Some constitutional limits  Governor’s veto  Two houses or chambers  Assembly 99 members 2 year terms 2 nd District- Andre Jacque $49,943 plus $88 per diem Elected in 2010

Legislature  Senate 33 members 4 year terms – ½ elected every 2 years 3 assembly districts in every senate district 1 st District Frank Lasee-$49,943 plus $88 per diem Elected to assembly in 1994 Elected to Senate in 2010

Legislature  Officers  Senate President – Michael Ellis President pro tempore – Joe Liebham Majority leader – Scott Fitzgerald Minority leader – Mark Miller  Assembly Speaker – Jeff Fitzgerald Speaker pro tempore – Bill Kramer Majority leader – Scott Suder Minority leader – Peter Barca

Legislature  Legislative Session Legislative Session  Start on the First Monday in January on odd year but no early than January 3  2 year sessions  Schedule allows for floor periods and committee time  Special Sessions can be called by Governor

Legislature  Committees  Standing Committees Senate has 17 Each senator must serve on at least1 committee Both parties in proportion to membership Assembly has 31 Speaker determines the number of committee members Speaker determines division of majority and minority 10 Joint Committees – members from both houses 10 Joint Committees  Temporary Special Committees

How a bill becomes law  Bill is introduced in assembly or senate  Bill is referred to appropriate committee  Public hearing  Committee amendments and recommendations  Bill may die in committee  Floor debate and vote  If passed bill is sent to the other house  Bill must be passed in identical form to be presented to governor  If there are differences a conference committee is called  Page 47 of Little blue book

Judicial Branch  Supreme Court  7 members Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson Justice Annette K. Ziegler Justice David T. Prosser, Jr. Justice Ann Walsh Bradley Justice N. Patrick Crooks Justice Patience D. Roggensack Justice Michael J. Gableman.  Elected to a 10 year term  Court of “last resort” – appellate court  Interprets the laws of Wisconsin

Judicial  Court of Appeals  4 districts Madison Milwaukee Waukesha Wausau  16 Judges Elected to a 6 year term 3 judge panel hears most cases  Only hears cases that are appealed after decision in circuit court

Judicial  Circuit Court  69 Circuit Courts (mainly 1 per county)  249 total circuits/circuit branches Same number of judges Elected to a 6 year term In larger counties there are multiple branches Washington County has 4 branches and judges  Has jurisdiction over all types of cases ranging from petty theft to murder.  Decisions can be appeals to the Court of Appeals

Judicial  Municipal Courts  Courts for Cities, Villages and Towns Deal with municipal ordinances Mostly traffic violations Most Municipal courts are a combination of multiple cities, villages and towns  More than 200 Municipal Courts  Most are part time courts with part time judges

Judicial  Civil and Criminal Cases  Civil Cases Person vs. Person or Business/Company Seeking a remedy for a wrong that was done Usually money but not always the case Usually a Jury of 6 Jury must be requested and a fee typically paid 5/6ths of a jury must agree If a jury is not requested a Judge will make the final decision Small Claims $5,000 or less No jury unless specifically requested

Judicial  Criminal Cases A criminal action has been committed (aka you broke the law) Two Types of Crimes Felony More serious of the two Minimum sentence of 1 year in state prison with a maximum of life Murder, Sexual Assault… Misdemeanor Less severe Maximum sentence of 12 months in prison unless a repeat offender Theft, some drug charges…

Judicial  Criminal Cases Continued Trial by jury unless waived by the defendant (this depends on the type of case) 12 member jury Must be a unanimous decision – all 12 jurors must agree Defendant can plead 1 or 4 ways if they choose Guilty Not Guilty No Contest – subject to approval of the court Not Guilty by reason of mental disease or defect