Rush to Vote

Rep. Steve Nass (R-Whitewater) just released a press statement lamenting the fact that Rep. Jeff Wood scheduled a Ways and Means Committee vote on the revenue amendment for tomorrow, but failed to send out the new version of the amendment in time for the Legislative Fiscal Bureau to review it for the committee members prior to the scheduled vote.

According to the press release from Nass: "The new version of AJR 77 may be the most conservative version to date, but we as legislators have an obligation to know what we are voting on before casting our vote in either committee or on the floor."

What jumped out at me was the phrase "most conservative version to date." It sounds like Nass had some assurances by Wood that the amendment was good to go when the vote was scheduled.

I'm glad to see Nass is at least maintaining the committee should have time to review it first before voting. He is urging Wood to reschedule the vote for April 24 to give the committee members time to review the new version of the amendment.

I checked the Assembly committee calendar, but couldn't find anything listed for the Ways and Means Committee tomorrow. It looks like the authors want to do this quickly and without many people noticing.

Other Ways and Means Committee members include: Eugene Hahn (R), Suzanne Jeskewitz (R), Samantha Kerkman (R), Thomas Lothian (R), Pat Strachota (R), Don Pridemore (R), Terese Berceau (D), Bob Ziegelbauer (D), Barbara Toles (D), Gary Hebl (D), and Jason Fields (D).

UPDATE: Rep. Frank Lasee (R-Bellevue) has joined in strongly urging Rep. Wood to delay the Ways and Means Committee vote (see here and here). Still no word on whether Wood will agree.