MADISON, Wis. -- Three new laws authored by Representative Terry Katsma are now in the books after a signing by Governor Walker this week.
One of the bills will allow the state to use the funds inside of old, unclaimed savings bonds. "So what this bill will do, will allow with a court order the liquidation of those savings bonds with the proceeds to go into the common school fund." Katsma says the state is currently sitting on hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of very old bonds that are unclaimed. He says that funding could be put to better use.
Katsma says that if the owners of the bonds do come forward they'll still be able to claim those funds. "If the rightful owner does come forward, there is a provision then that they can recover that cost."
Another bill will allow state officials to charge the cost of consumer protection investigations to people who are convicted in the crimes. Katsma says the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection does a good job prosecuting those cases, and shouldn't have to foot the bill. "The agency was unable to recover that cost, and what this bill will do is allow the judge to order that cost be recovered from those violators rather than have those costs absorbed by the taxpayers of the State of Wisconsin."
The third bill will add two more accreditation services to the list of approved schools under the state's voucher program.
by Raymond Neupert, WHBL
