MADISON, Wis. -- A proposal that is nearing approval in the Legislature would set up a referendum next year on whether to amend the state constitution to prohibit the so-called "Frankenstein veto."

That's when Wisconsin governors use their unique partial veto power to stitch together unrelated words and numbers to create laws never intended by the Legislature.

In the new two-year budget, Gov. Jim Doyle used the power to raise property taxes by about $45 million more than what lawmakers wanted.

The Republican-controlled Assembly approved the measure earlier this year and now Doyle's fellow Democrats who lead the Senate are advancing the plan after delaying it for months.

A committee headed by Senate President Fred Risser is expected to approve the plan this week. That would leave approval by the full Senate as the final hurdle before setting up a statewide referendum next April or November.

The plan comes 17 years after voters took away the "Vanna White veto" in which governors crossed out letters within words to make new words.