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House OKs revision of Governor’s Commission for Women and Families; members debate gender focus and sunset date
Summary
The House passed a substitute to Senate Bill 134, renaming and narrowing the Governor’s Commission for Women and Families with an emphasis on literacy, administrative support from the governor's office, a reduced membership and a shortened sunset date after floor amendment. Debate included criticism that the commission focused on women to the exclusion of men.
The House adopted a first-substitute to Senate Bill 134 to revise the Governor’s Commission for Women and Families, change its mission toward literacy and ethnic-community conferences, reduce its size, and shift administrative support to the governor’s office. Representative Wallace, sponsor, outlined the commission’s prior projects (domestic-violence study, a women-in-law update, Women’s Achievement Awards) and said the governor requested the mission change to focus on literacy and targeted outreach.
Representative Dayton said she opposed the bill because the commission’s title and purpose focus on women and families and she questioned whether there is parity with men and families; she said she would vote against the bill on those grounds. Representative Farren moved to amend the sunset date in the Senate amendment (changing the repeal from 2006 to 2005 and later modifying the date and debating whether March 1, 2005 would be more appropriate); the amendment to change the date passed. Representative Philpot noted that aligning the sunset with the incoming governor’s term would allow a new administration to act in the 2005 session.
Representative Wallace said the revised commission will emphasize literacy throughout Governor Walker’s term and encouraged passage; the House passed the substitute 71-1 and will forward the bill to the Senate.
Quote: "I have some serious issues with a Commission for Women and Families," Representative Dayton said. "Am I correct in understanding that we have a tax supported commission for women and families that focuses on one gender only?"
