Legislative Update: No-Text List, Abortion Consent, Workplace Discrimination | Business

Legislature passes ban on text solicitations

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The state Assembly has passed a bill that would extend no-call prohibitions to text messages.

Right now, telephone solicitors are banned from calling numbers people place on Wisconsin's no-call list. The ban doesn't include nonprofit organizations, calls made in response to a request for solicitation or to a solicitor's current customers.

The bipartisan bill would bar solicitors from sending texts to numbers on the no-call list.

The Senate passed the measure in October. The Assembly passed the measure 94-0 on Tuesday. It goes next to Republican Gov. Scott Walker's desk.

Senate passes abortion consent bill

The Wisconsin state Senate has passed a bill placing new requirements on doctors and women before abortions can be performed.

The Senate passed the bill Wednesday after Democratic opponents blocked a vote on Tuesday. It passed 17-15 on a party line vote.

The bill would require doctors be present when prescribing abortion-inducing drugs. It would ban the use of web cams to do that, a practice not currently done in Wisconsin.

The measure would also require doctors inform a woman on her right to refuse or consent to an abortion. The doctor would be required to speak to the woman away from any partner or family member.

Republican supporters say the bill will protect girls and women from harm.

It now heads to the Assembly.

Assembly votes to end workplace discrimination awards

The state Assembly has passed a bill that would put an end to punitive and compensatory damages for workplace discrimination.

Currently, workers can file discrimination complaints with the state Department of Workforce Development seeking reinstatement, back pay, costs and attorney fees. They also can file an action in circuit court to recover compensatory and punitive damages.

If a judge finds discrimination existed, he or she must order defendants to pay up to $300,000 in compensatory and punitive damages depending on the size of the business. The bill would eliminate such awards.

The Assembly passed the bill 60-35 on Tuesday. The Senate approved the measure in November. It now goes to Republican Gov. Scott Walker for his signature.

Assembly passes child death reporting bill

The state Assembly has passed a bill that lays out new child death reporting requirements.

The bill would require a guardian to report a child's death to police immediately.

A guardian also would have to report a missing child to police within a day if the child is under 13, within two days if the child is between ages 13 and 16 or within three days if the child is 16 or older.

The measure also outlaws moving a child's corpse as well as hiding a corpse to collect government benefits.

The Assembly passed the bill 92-2 on Tuesday. It goes next to the Senate.

Legislators: Law won't let us redraw voter maps

A trial to determine whether the state's new election maps are constitutional has been delayed by a number of issues, including an assertion by lawmakers that the state Constitution prevents them from making changes to the maps approved last year.

A panel of three federal judges asked both sides Tuesday to spend the day determining whether lawmakers would consider drawing new maps to address concerns of Democrats and an immigrant-rights group.

Attorney Daniel Kelly said the state Constitution only allows lawmakers to draw new voter lines once every 10 years, and the issue can't be revisited until the next U.S. Census numbers are out.

An attorney for the plaintiffs disagreed, saying state law only requires that new voter maps be completed in the first legislative session. He says this first legislative session hasn't ended.

That matter is only a secondary issue for now. The judges will decide Wednesday whether Jim Troupis, an attorney for lawmakers, can be deposed. Troupis' name surfaced in emails linked to the voter-map issue, but he has said his communications are protected by attorney-client privilege.

Wisconsin will apply for waiver from No Child Left Behind

Wisconsin education officials will apply for a waiver from No Child Left Behind, hoping to join 11 other states that were already granted breathing room from the landmark educational requirements.

The state Department of Public Instruction will submit its waiver request Wednesday.

The No Child law sets strict testing rules and requires minimum proficiency levels. But the Obama administration is letting states seek waivers if they prove their standards are more rigorous.

State Superintendent Tony Evers says the state's waiver includes provisions for holding schools accountable in four areas: student achievement, student academic growth, narrowed achievement gaps and readiness for higher education.

Under the state's proposal, schools and districts would be given accountability ratings. Top schools would get public recognition and the worst schools could face closure.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)