1. Issue ad disclosure and regulation bill passes state Senate

2. Supreme Court to revisit recusal rule for adoption this Thursday

The Special Interest Electioneering Disclosure bill, SB 43, was passed on a 26-7 bipartisan vote in the Senate this morning. The League strongly supports this bill, which would regulate phony "issue ads" which reference candidates during campaigns. The producers of these ads would have to abide by the same limits and disclosure requirements that apply to campaigns and registered political action committees. The bill still has to be passed by the Assembly and signed by Governor Doyle to become law.

The state Supreme Court will consider on Thursday a revision by Justice David Prosser of the recusal rules initially proposed by the Wisconsin Realtors Association and Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce. The revision retains the WRA/WMC proposals which held that campaign contributions or independent expenditures on phony issue ads would not require a judge to withdraw from a case. In addition, Justice Prosser proposes that judicial campaigns may solicit donations from individuals in court proceedings that the candidate is likely to participate in as a judge.

Read more background here: http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/82010232.html

See Justice Prosser's proposal and rationale here: http://thewheelerreport.com/releases/jan10/jan19/0119supremecourtdraft.pdf