WISCONSIN BLUE BOOK 1987-1988


in favor of or against a measure. The committee then decides whether to return
the proposal to
the house of origin with a favorable or adverse recommendation (it may return
the proposal
"without recommendation" only if the vote is tied). The committee
may also recommend the bill
in an amended form. The committee's decision is contained in a very brief
report to the house.
The following is a 1987 example of a committee report to the Assembly from
the Journal of the
Assembly, February 3, 1987:

   The committee on Ways and Means reports and recommends:
   Senate Bill 26
   Relating to permitting the secretary of administration, if requested by
the governor, to change
   the biennial state budget process to an annual budget process in fiscal
years 1987-88 and 1988-
   89.
   Adoption of assembly substitute amendment 1:
   Ayes: (13) Noes: (1)
   Concurrence: Ayes: (13) Noes: (1)
   To calendar.
                                                              JEFFREY NEUBAUER
                                                                        
Chairperson

   Measures before a committee are to be taken up as soon as possible, with
the scheduling of
committee hearings determined by the chairperson. A committee is allowed
a reasonable period
of time to consider matters referred to it. After 21 days, a proposal that
has not been reported
out of an Assembly committee may be withdrawn on a motion or petition by
majority vote of the
Assembly. In the Senate, a proposal may be withdrawn from committee at any
time by majority
vote, but if the attempt is unsuccessful, all subsequent motions to withdraw
the same proposal
require a two-thirds vote.
   To Calendar. Both houses of the Wisconsin Legislature have adopted a procedure
for system-
atic calendar scheduling of proposals. In the Senate, all proposals reported
by standing commit-
tees are referred to the Committee on Senate Rules; in the Assembly, they
are referred to the
Committee on Rules. These two committees schedule all business for floor
debate.
   Second Reading. When a bill is reached on the calendar, it is given a
second reading by title.
The Assembly rules state the the question before the house becomes: "Shall
the proposal be
ordered engrossed and read a 3rd time?" At this stage of the proceedings
amendments to the bill
may be considered. Amendments to a bill may be offered at any time prior
to engrossment. A
simple amendment would make changes in the bill, while a substitute amendment
would com-
pletely replace the original bill. Before a vote is taken on the question
of engrossment, the
amendments are debated and voted on. Engrossment is the incorporating of
all adopted amend-
ments and all approved technical corrections in a proposal in the house of
origin. The rules of
both houses require rescheduling of the proposal after engrossment. This
would allow time for
reconsideration of the vote by which the proposal was ordered engrossed.
However, in many
cases the rules are suspended (by unanimous consent or by a two-thirds vote)
so that second
reading and third reading can occur on the same legislative day.
  Third Reading. The purpose of the third reading is to make a final decision
on a proposal.
After third reading, the question becomes: "This bill having been read
3 separate times, the
question is, 'Shall the bill pass?"' The bill can again be debated at
this point, but it is not subject
to amendment. The bill may be passed by voice vote or by roll call (in the
Assembly an electric
roll call machine is used); on some types of proposals a roll call vote is
required.
  To Second House. If the bill passes, it is messaged to the other house,
where it goes through
substantially the same procedure as in the first house. However, in the second
house the bill is
often referred directly to the calendar instead of to a standing committee.
If the bill is concurred
in by the second house, whether with or without additional amendments, it
is messaged back to
the house of origin. If no amendments were added to the bill by the second
house, the first house
is ready to enroll it, that is, to direct the Legislative Reference Bureau
to prepare a clean copy of
the text agreed to by both houses.
  Amendments In The Second House. If the second house concurred with amendments,
these
must first be voted upon in the house of origin. If any amendments are rejected
or further


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