MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin state Senate has adjourned for the year without taking up a number of much-discussed issues.

The Senate on Thursday didn't debate a renewable energies bill that had been worked on for years. It also did not vote on an elections reform measure or a bill to deregulate the telephone industry.

It did pass a measure to regulate the payday loan industry for the first time, and changes to the bill were approved by the Assembly. The bill now awaits a signature from Gov. Jim Doyle, who has said he will sign any bill regulating the industry.

The state Assembly had a number of issues to take up on its last day and passed several of them, including a bill designed to turn around Milwaukee and other struggling schools.

Early Friday morning they also approved a bill allowing the private sale of raw milk until the end of 2011 as lawmakers determine a more permanent solution. A bill making it easier for bars to offer outdoor smoking areas after the statewide smoking ban goes into effect in July was also passed early Friday.

Wisconsin Renewable Energy Bill Dies

Wisconsin lawmakers have pulled the plug on a bill to set new renewable energy mandates.

The state Senate has finished its two-year session without voting on the bill. The Assembly has not voted on it either. The measure was on that chamber's calendar for later Thursday, but the vote would be symbolic since the measure needs Senate approval to go to the governor. Barring a special or extraordinary session this summer, the bill is dead.

Supporters said the bill would create thousands of green jobs and reduce the state's dependency on fossil fuels.

"I think there are a number of folks who are certainly going to be frustrated that clean energy jobs, for example, wasn't brought to the floor, that we didn't have an opportunity to have a vote on that. Frankly there are people who will be glad that we didn't," said Sen. Jim Sullivan, D- Wauwatosa.

Opponents countered it could cost rate payers millions and cost jobs.

"If you talk to voters about the clean energy bill, as soon as they heard their utilities were going to increase significantly there wasn't the support for it. So Democrat senators were bailing out," said Sen. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau.

Election Reform Bill Dies In Senate

A plan to reform Wisconsin's voter registration and elections laws that was fiercely opposed by Republicans will not pass the Legislature this year. The Senate adjourned Thursday without taking up the bill.

Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker said the bill was introduced too late in the process for lawmakers to deal with it.

The proposal would have allowed Wisconsin residents to automatically register to vote when they signed up for a driver's license. Voters could also register online for the first time under the bill, which included many other changes designed to make voting easier and stop vote suppression.

Republicans raised concerns the measure would increase opportunities for voter fraud.

Milwaukee Transit Bill Dies In Senate

The state Senate has ended its work for the year without considering a proposal to create a regional transit authority in Milwaukee and southeast Wisconsin.

The measure as introduced would have imposed a half-cent sales tax increase in Milwaukee County to pay for bus services. Ultimately, the so-called RTA would manage commuter rail and other transportation services in the Milwaukee area and that corner of the state.

The bill got derailed Tuesday in the Assembly when a Republican-backed amendment was added requiring a vote before the sales tax increase could take effect. Democrats who control the Assembly pulled the bill and did not vote on it then.

Gov. Jim Doyle has been a staunch supporter of creating the transit authority.

Phone Deregulation Dies In Legislature

A proposal to deregulate the telephone industry in Wisconsin has died in the Legislature.

The Senate adjourned for the year on Thursday without taking up the heavily lobbied measure.

The Assembly on Tuesday night passed the measure that would strip state telecommunication regulators of their authority to oversee rates for landline phones and investigate complaints.

But the bill was not taken up by the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker had expressed concerns over its cost and put the bill in the budget committee for a hearing, which was never scheduled.

The measure was backed by phone giant AT&T.

Consumer advocates argued the changes would hurt customers by driving up rates and removing protections.