Mar 18, 2014

Wisconsin Senate Bows to Pressure, Votes 30-2 on Chemo Bill

Update: Assembly Speaker Vos' office says the body will hold a vote on Thursday, and that the caucus will "hold a discussion." Vos' office refused to rule out the GOP-ruled Assembly attaching amendments that would kill the bill. Vos'  office can be reached at:  (608) 266-9171.

"The state Senate overwhelmingly voted Tuesday to help curb costs for cancer patients taking chemotherapy pills and the Assembly speaker said his house would consider the bill Thursday — perhaps with changes that could kill the measure," the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is reporting.

The Senate's Republican majority leader, Scott Fitzgerald, had been blocking the bill, changing his public explanations.

Scott Walker was caught on the record cracking to reporters, "I don't know enough about it" to have a position on the popular bill, Senate Bill 300 and Assembly Bill 392.

Republicans hold a narrow 18-15 advantage in the senate, and killing a bill that helps cancer victims is a tough sell in an election year.

Still the gerrymandered Assembly may try to make changes, effectively killing the bill.

Meanwhile Democratic senators blasted Scott Walker for his cracks about the bill:

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports:
Walker is "apparently the only person in this state who doesn't understand the plight of cancer victims," said Sen. Bob Jauch (D-Poplar).

"Thirty-to-two ought to tell him he should support the bill."

Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton) said it was "scary" that Walker wouldn't say how he feels about the bill. "It's not a confusing bill by any means," he said.
What I can report is that without the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's virtual crusade on SB 300, the bill would already be dead.

No comments:

Post a Comment