Tuesday, November 1, 2011
11:00 AM
Senate committee delays vote on redistricting bill
A Senate committee has delayed until tomorrow voting on legislation that would move up implementation of new Senate district boundaries ahead of expected recall elections next year.
GOP Sen. Dale Schultz of Richland Center said yesterday he does not support the bill, leaving Republicans at least one vote shy of the support needed to pass the legislation.
Senate Transportation and Elections Committee Chairwoman Mary Lazich, R-New Berlin, said she delayed the committee vote so the caucus can meet and discuss the bill.
Lazich said after the hearing she has not discussed the legislation with Schultz, but said it was important to meet with her GOP colleagues on the bill before a committee vote even if they’re at least one vote shy.
“We have the discussion,” Lazich said. “There needs to be a discussion.”
Dem committee members Spencer Coggs, D-Milwaukee, and Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, said they weren’t sure why Lazich needed a caucus meeting before voting on the bill and doubted it would change Schultz’s mind.
“There are probably other members in that caucus who agree with Dale,” Erpenbach said.
The committee vote was rescheduled for 10:30 a.m. tomorrow.
-- By JR Ross
Labels: 2012_recall_elections
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