April 20, 2012 – Gov. Scott Walker signed a number of bills this month – including ones related to agriculture, public safety, abortion, employment discrimination, abstinence education, and DNR permitting – concluding a 2011-12 legislative session that produced a total of 286 acts.
The Wisconsin Legislature maintains a list of all 286 acts with relating clauses on its website, as well as act memos written by the Legislative Council that explain the new laws. These resources can help lawyers and the public search new laws by subject area and effective date.
For instance, the Legislature passed major laws relating to attorney fees, trespasser liability, civil judgment interest rates, self-defense, early prison release, collective bargaining, tort reform, auto insurance, concealed carry, redistricting, and landlord-tenant law, to name a few.
Throughout the legislative session, the State Bar of Wisconsin reported on major legislation, including but not limited to legislation its board and sections supported or opposed. The following list includes articles covering legislation from 2011-12 that became law.
Attorney fees
Gov. Walker signs bill regulating attorney fees, adopts castle doctrine and trespasser bills
Attorney fees: Proposed bill seeks to cap reasonable attorney fees where available
Judgment interest
Judgment interest: Bill reducing interest rates on court judgments awaits final signature
Healthcare
Peer review statute: Health care providers get broader protections under revised law
New state budget act increases medical record fees
Labor & employment
Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill: Implications for public-sector employers
Collective bargaining: The rules governing negotiations in a post-Act 10 environment
Bill will eliminate compensatory and punitive damages under Wisconsin’s Fair Employment Act
Tort reform
A New Era: Products Liability Law in Wisconsin
Perspective on tort reform: Law makes it more difficult for injured parties to achieve justice
Perspective on tort reform: Reforms improve Wisconsin's civil liability system
Tort Reform: Judges now have less discretion in finding frivolousness, imposing sanctions
Governor signs controversial tort reform bill into law
State Senate passes omnibus tort reform bill, makes new law effective immediately
Criminal law
The Pendulum Swings: No More Early Release
Criminal sentencing provisions could change under Gov. Walker’s proposed budget bill
Castle doctrine: Lawmakers considering law on self-defense in the home
Insurance
Wisconsin’s New Automobile Insurance Law
Auto insurance changes: New law rolls back coverage limits and prevents stacking
Telecommunications
The Telecommunications Modernization Act of 2011: Wisconsin repaves the information superhighway
Children and family law
Gov. Walker signs bill permitting power of parental rights, other child-related legislation
2011 Assembly Bill 30 creates a new power of attorney to allow parents to delegate parental authority to a third party
Mandatory reporting: Wisconsin makes changes to child abuse reporting laws
Juvenile law: Crime sparks expanded access to juvenile records
Concealed carry
Concealed carry: Could prohibiting weapons in the workplace lead to liability?
Property and landlord-tenant
Trespasser liability: Wisconsin Legislature votes to codify existing law
New law eases restrictions on residential landlords
Landlord-tenant law: Rights, remedies, and changes under new Act 143
Government and municipalities
Pothole liability: Proposed bill could create “discretionary” immunity for highway defects
Changing the Rules on Rulemaking
Voting
The new Voter ID Law: How it works
Redistricting: Litigation common, current cycle unique in Wisconsin
Federal court panel largely upholds Republican-drawn legislative redistricting maps
Prosecutor pay
Assembly gives final passage to bill improving prosecutor compensation
Bill to improve prosecutor compensation advances; public defender pay progression bill introduced
Bipartisan bill aims to improve retention of prosecutors
Civil procedure
Open access to courts or forum shopping? A look at Wisconsin Act 61
Evidence
Proposed legislation allows hearsay evidence to overcome probable cause standard
The Daubert Standard in Wisconsin: A Primer
State budget
Gov. Walker signs state budget bill into law, issues vetoes
State budget increases small claims limit, effective July 1
Proposed state budget will reduce funding for indigent civil legal needs