Assembly Members, Senators Protest Bill to Undermine Local Decision Making

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 30, 2011

Madison, WI—In advance of today’s Assembly Labor Committee meeting, Assembly Members, State Senators and a broad coalition of workers’ rights groups, health care advocates and good governance groups called on state legislators to vote against AB41, which would strip local municipalities of some of their legislative power.  The bill (AB41) would preempt local governments and voters from enacting paid sick day legislation, and in doing so, open the door for the State Legislature to overturn a range of legislation passed in towns and cities throughout Wisconsin. 

Assembly Members Toles, Zamarripa, Grigsby, Sinicki, Young, Berceau, Richards, Pocan and Coggs issued the following statement:

“Wisconsinites want an end to the partisan politics that is undercutting the state’s middle class.

“AB 41 is a scam that will strip Milwaukeeans of the paid sick days they voted for and that they need to take care of their families in a changing economy.  AB 41 overrides the will of the 68% of Milwaukee voters who approved this measure and overrides a carefully considered decision from the state Court of Appeals.  Even worse, this bill is another attack on the working women and men who should be getting support from their representatives in Madison instead new laws that don’t create jobs and make their lives even harder.

“We are also deeply concerned that this legislation will open the door for Madison politicians to overturn local ordinances at will across the state, undermining the principles of local governance and local control that have long been a hallmark of Wisconsin political tradition.

“Paid sick day legislation provides workers with time off for routine illness, preventive care, efforts to prevent recurrences of violence - key areas that the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) does not.  Wisconsin does not have a policy on these critical short-term health needs, and AB 41 will not set a uniform standard that would address this.

“We call on our colleagues to respect the majority vote of the people of Milwaukee and the ruling of the state Court of Appeals, and vote against this bill. Instead of wasting our time on bills that pay back CEOs for their political support, infringe on workers’ rights and make life harder for working families, we ought to be passing legislation that would create good jobs and grow our economy.”

Wisconsin has a rich history of local governance, in which municipalities enact legislation that addresses the needs of their communities.  In 2008, nearly 70% of Milwaukee voters approved a law to provide paid sick days for workers in the city.  Last Thursday, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals issued a decision to uphold the law, which would provide 120,000 Milwaukee families who do not have paid sick days of the freedom to take care of ill family members without fear of losing their jobs or a paycheck. 

“This bill is inconsistent with Wisconsin’s tradition of local municipalities having discretion, whether through direct legislation or their own power, to shape these matters,” said Kathleen Dolan, Professor of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.  “It is also inconsistent with the Republican ideology that says, ‘Leave the states alone, one size does not fit all, top down is not always the best thing.’  Here they are trying to impose a position on localities who may want to determine their own needs.”

“State legislators are trying to rob voters in Milwaukee and cities across the state of their basic right to local decision-making,” said Rhonda Willette, Milwaukee Organizer of 9to5, National Association of Working Women.  “Workers deserve a voice at work and at the ballot box.”

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