[Updated from 12/8 and 9/'17 - - Walker will sign the bill Monday in Rhinelander, mixing re-election campaign talking points about jobs with meaningless rhetoric about protecting the same environment he has systematically damaged since his first few hours in office.]
[Updated from 12/8/17 with information about sulfide mining, as the term doesn't indicate clearly the risks:
- - and information emailed to me at my request on November 30th by Donnie LeBarre, a communications assistant in the Governor's office, indicates that Wednesday, December 13 is the deadline for signing such recently-passed bills.
[Updated from 12/8/17 with information about sulfide mining, as the term doesn't indicate clearly the risks:
Metallic sulfide mining (aka hard rock mining) is the practice of extracting metals such as nickel, gold and copper from a sulfide-rich ore body. Sulfides are a geologic byproduct of mining in this area, and by exposing sulfides to the air and water in our atmosphere, sulfuric acid can be created — threatening to poison the nearby water, environment, and communities."]And here's the bigger picture:
------------------------Walker's office had indicated he'd sign the bill that lifts a moratorium on sulfide mining in Wisconsin - -
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| Land along the Menominee River sacred to the Menominee tribe along the WI-MI border is targeted for mining by a Canadian firm |
I did some research on your question regarding why recent bills did not automatically become law after six days of being passed. According to information from the Wisconsin Legislature’s “How a Bill Becomes Law” guide, the six day window applies to the date the Governor receives the bill, and not when the bill passes the legislature. Here’s the relevant passage from the guide:
“The Legislature informally furnishes the Governor’s staff with copies of the enrolled bill for analysis. When the research is completed, the Chief Clerk’s office delivers an official copy of the bill. If the Governor does not request a bill, the session schedule joint resolution sets a deadline when all bills must be sent to the Governor.”
This final deadline for the Governor receiving bills is December 7, meaning all bills must be signed/vetoed by December 13 or else they become law. However, the Governor can request bills individually and sign them earlier.
So, essentially, the bills haven’t automatically become law because the Governor has not received them yet, and he can specifically request ones he plans to sign.
Thank you so much, James Rowen, for checking this out. It still seems that he / his staff have been delaying the arrival of the Bill to him. Got to believe our governor is beginning to see how unpopular metallic mining is. Sulfide or metallic mining is the most toxic of all industries according to the EPA. It results in sulfuric acid and cyanide getting into our environment. It is short-lived in its job development, but long-lived in its pollution. No metallic mine has yet been operated that has not caused pollution.
ReplyDeleteActually he is just waiting for campaign contributions from a list of interested mining companies. When they all give him enough money, he will sign the bill. Never think that Walker is about anything but running for office.
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