Change would end law publication delays

A proposal that changes the process for when a bill passed by the Wisconsin Legislature takes effect has cleared a Senate committee.

Normally a sleepy, regular function of state government the process came under the spotlight in 2011 when Secretary of State Doug La Follette did not immediately publish the bill effectively ending collective bargaining for public workers.

The Republican-sponsored measure advanced out of committee Monday on a party-line 3-2 vote removes the power of the secretary of state to delay by 10 days when a bill takes effect.

Instead, the Legislative Reference Bureau would be required to publish bills they day after they are signed by the governor. All bills would take effect then, unless otherwise specified.

The Senate could take up the measure Tuesday.