Contact:
Jessica Erickson, Governor’s Office, 608-261-2156
Doyle Also Signs 14 Other Bills at Ashland City Hall
ASHLAND – At a bill signing ceremony at Ashland City Hall
today, Governor Jim Doyle signed into law 14 bills, and highlighted a bill
signed earlier in the day that limits baiting and feeding only to areas
where Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is known to be present in the state’s
deer herd.
“Since CWD was first discovered, my Administration has
worked very hard to control the spread of the disease, ensure a healthy deer
population, and preserve a sport that is a way of life in Wisconsin,”
Governor Doyle said. “Our efforts are working. We’ve restored hunter
confidence in the deer herd, and had a very successful hunt last season.”
Debate has remained, however, over the status on baiting and
feeding and its impact on the spread of disease. Assembly Bill 519 bans
baiting and feeding only in areas where CWD is known to be present in the
deer herd, and allows the practice in non-affected areas of the state.
Specifically, the bill:
* Bans baiting and feeding in any county contained in a CWD control
zone or where a positive test for CWD has been confirmed.
* Bans baiting and feeding in any county within a 10-mile radius of
where a CWD positive deer has been found.
* Allows baiting and feeding in all other non-affected counties, with
certain safety limitations.
*
* AB 519 takes into account regional differences
throughout the state, while ensuring that protections are maintained in
critical areas already contaminated, the Governor said.
*
* “This compromise legislation provides some balance
to the regulation of baiting and feeding,” Governor Doyle said. “It will
allow many small businesses that depend on the sale of feed to stay in
business. And most importantly, it will help curb the spread of this
disease.”
*
* Wisconsin has not yet completely eradicated CWD from its borders.
The Governor said he has directed the Departments of Natural Resources (DNR)
and Agriculture, Trade, & Consumer Protection (DATCP) to continue their
efforts to control the disease and ensure a healthy and plentiful deer herd.
*
* Governor Doyle thanked the bill’s lead authors – Representatives
Scott Gunderson, Gary Sherman, and Barbara Gronemus and Senators Bob Welch
and Russ Decker. The Governor signed AB 519 today at an event in Eau
Claire, and held a ceremonial bill signing in Ashland.
*
*
* The Governor also signed 14 bills in Ashland:
*
* Assembly Bill 13, authored by Representative Don Friske and Barbara
Gronemus and Senators Neal Kedzie and Roger Breske, expands the authority of
the DNR and counties to sell timber damaged by fire, wind, snow, hail, or
ice.
*
* Assembly Bill 157, authored by Representative Mark Pettis and
Senator Dave Zien, prohibits intentional and public flag desecration if it
is intended to incite imminent violence.
*
* Assembly Bill 200, authored by Representative Jerry Petrowski and
Senator Neal Kedzie, allows for the sighting of a firearm by an individual
on property owned or leased by that individual 24 hours before deer gun
season starts.
*
* Assembly Bill 210, authored by Representatives Mark Pettis and Joe
Plouff, reduces the difficulty of changing bartending jobs by requiring
municipalities to issue a provisional license to those with a valid license
from another municipality.
*
* Assembly Bill 286, authored by Representatives Jeff Wood and Barbara
Gronemus and Senator Dale Schultz, adds recreational fishing establishments
to the list of premises serving alcohol that children may enter without an
adult.
* Assembly Bill 323, authored by Representative Don Friske and
Senators Bob Welch and Roger Breske, encourages the sustainability of more
forest land and more public access to the state’s natural resources through
changes in the Managed Forest Land Program. The Governor signed AB 323 with
partial vetoes. The Governor’s Partial Veto Message can be found online at:
* Assembly Bill 424, authored by Representative Scott Gunderson and
Senators Dave Zien and Julie Lassa, clarifies when an individual can legally
possess velvet antlers and closes a loophole that allows for the mounting of
deer and elk heads for commercial gain without a taxidermist license.
*
* Assembly Bill 530, introduced by the Joint Committee for Review of
Administrative Rules, increases all-terrain vehicle and snowmobile routes in
the state by ensuring access over the Pine, Pike, and Popple Rivers.
*
* Assembly Bill 623, authored by Representatives DuWayne Johnsrud and
Marlin Schneider and Senators Dale Schultz and Mark Meyer, encourages more
bass fishing tournaments to come to Wisconsin by establishing regulations
for tournaments.
*
* Senate Bill 271, authored by Senators Ted Kanavas and Russ Decker
and Representatives Jerry Petrowski and Greg Huber, allows certain beer
wholesaler licenses to be transferred to another municipality within the
same county.
*
* Senate Bill 277, authored by Senators Sheila Harsdorf and Russ
Decker and Representative Mark Pettis, improves all-terrain vehicle safety
by increasing funding for trails, safety education, and law enforcement.
*
* Senate Bill 416, authored by Senator Bob Welch and Representative
J.A. Hines, extends penalties for fraud to include failure to pay for
tickets at recreational attractions.
*
* Senate Bill 423, authored by Senators Joe Leibham and Bob Jauch and
Representatives Gary Sherman and Jerry Petrowski, facilitates access to
roadways in northern Wisconsin for the transport of forest products.
*
* Senate Bill 434, authored by Senators Cathy Stepp and Roger Breske
and Representatives Dan Meyer and Barbara Gronemus, ensures that snowmobile
education for children is completed in a classroom and that young riders
have the option of receiving a portion of the training on a snowmobile.
Earlier today, the Governor also vetoed Assembly Bill 908, a
trailer bill to Assembly Bill 323. The Governor’s partial vetoes of AB 323,
which he signed, address the problems that AB 908 was designed to fix. The
Governor’s Veto Message can be found online at:
Governor Doyle also vetoed Senate Bill 63 today, saying the
bill could potentially result in the overharvest for feathers and parts of
upland game birds, which would have negative long-term impacts on the upland
game bird population. A reduction in the population could negatively affect
the sport by resulting in reduced bag limits, shorter hunting seasons, and
fewer permits. The Governor’s Veto Message can be found online at:
