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The ever-changing landscape of state government requires businesses across all industries to stay informed on the happenings in Madison. Welcome to the November 2024 issue of the Capitol Connection.

In this issue:

Election 2024: State Legislature

After the implementation of new legislative maps, months of campaigning, heated rhetoric, a barrage of unsolicited text messages, and lots of junk mail, the 2024 election has concluded.

After the votes were tallied:

  • Democrats gained 10 seats in the Wisconsin Assembly
  • Republicans maintain

…
Continue Reading Capitol Connection, November 2024

Disclaimer: I am writing this blog under my capacity as a board member of the State Bar of Wisconsin Public Interest Law Section. This blog and the views within are my own. It no way reflects the view of the Department of Defense, Defense Logistics Agency, or the U.S. Federal Government. I am not receiving any compensation for writing this blog. My Background Before I get into the benefits of working for the government, I first want to explain…
Continue Reading Benefits of Working for the Federal Government

close-up view of water flowing from tap into glass

On October 8, the Biden Administration issued its long-awaited final rule, the “Lead and Copper Rule Improvements” (the “LCRI”), requiring drinking water systems across the country identify and replace all lead water pipes within a 10-year period.[1] The LCRI also includes requirements for more rigorous testing of drinking water for lead levels, lower thresholds requiring communities to take action to protect residents from lead exposure, and more consistent communication with communities regarding the schedules for pipe replacement and…
Continue Reading EPA Issues Final Lead & Copper Rule Improvements with $2.6 Billion Allocated to Support Replacement of All Lead Drinking Water Pipes in the US

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Employers, safety first for your employees in extreme weather circumstances.
The tragic stories that we all saw in the path of destruction left by recent hurricanes is a good reminder that no community is safe from the damages of climate change and extreme weather. Out of many tragic stories, one that received a great deal of attention—and has already generated at least one lawsuit—is the story of Impact Plastics, a company in a small town in rural Tennessee.
Continue Reading Bosses Beware: Safety Comes First in the Face of Extreme Weather

Attorneys Larry Konopacki and Derek Punches present at Wisconsin Towns Association’s Town Law Conference
Stafford Rosenbaum LLP is proud to sponsor the 2024 Town Law Conference, hosted by the Wisconsin Towns Association and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Local Government Education Program. Topics of the virtual conference, taking place on October 25, 2024, include town regulation of ATVs and UTVs, local authority over wind and solar energy systems, legal perspectives on town board meeting disruptions, effective project management…
Continue Reading Stafford Rosenbaum Attorneys Present at and Sponsor Wisconsin Towns Association Conference

United States federal law still does not address use of Generative AI, though lawmakers have proposed legislation addressing various issues.
In our previous Generative Artificial Intelligence 101 blog post, we discussed intellectual property infringement as a legal risk of using Generative AI. Today, we jump into a discussion of the various other legal liabilities associated with Generative AI.

Not only is there no case law yet addressing the allegedly unlawful activity associated with Generative AI, but also the United…
Continue Reading Generative Artificial Intelligence 101: Federal Law Still Does Not Address Use of Generative AI

Minnesota is one of 13 states with a mandatory paid leave program for employees within its borders. Though the program is officially scheduled to roll out in 2026, there is a pressing deadline coming up at the end of the month. If you are a Minnesota employer, a fellow geek of the law, or just casually interested, read on.

On May 24, 2023, Governor Walz signed HF2, known as the “Paid Leave Law.” The law directs the Minnesota…
Continue Reading Minnesota Paid Leave Law: Deadline Approaching

In my work representing tenants, my highest priority is eviction defense. Evictions are often, but not always, the culmination of a dispute regarding the tenant’s obligations under the rental agreement.

It is the obvious solution for landlords who believe that the agreement has been terminally breached. But what if a landlord fails to keep their side of the bargain? What are the tenants’ remedies? The answer is less obvious.
Repairs and Maintenance
The primary responsibility of a landlord is…
Continue Reading Tenant Rent Abatement: When Landlords Refuse to Make Necessary Repairs

Attorney David P. Hollander has been featured for the second time on the cover of Wisconsin Lawyer magazine. The State Bar of Wisconsin published “The Return of Dicta Under Wisconsin Law?” by Atty. Hollander and co-author, the Hon. Michael R. Fitzpatrick (Ret.), for the October issue of Wisconsin Lawyer magazine:

“In a 2010 opinion, the Wisconsin Supreme Court unanimously concluded that lower courts may not dismiss prior published authority as dicta. The court’s reasoning was that by dismissing a…
Continue Reading Attorney David Hollander’s ‘Return of Dicta’ Article Featured on Wisconsin Lawyer Cover

Attorney Seep Paliwal presents during State Bar business law CLE seminar series
Attorney Seep Paliwal will discuss the basics of commercial contracts with a panel of other experts over the noon hour on Thursday, October 10, during the State Bar of Wisconsin’s “Business Lawyer Starter Kit Series: Commercial Contracts,” available to watch as a webcast. The webinar will address best practices for drafting commercial contracts and working with your client and will define the key terms involved…
Continue Reading Attorney Seep Paliwal Presents on Commercial Contracts for State Bar of Wisconsin

Federally funded grant programs create meaningful impacts in the lives of individuals and communities. Many programs address acute local, national, or global concerns. Annually, the U.S. government funds thousands of programs with taxpayer funds.

Grant funds have historically been awarded to governmental entities, institutions of higher education, health care and research institutions, and other charitable nonprofits.

In recent years, a growing number of for-profit entities have become eligible to receive federal grant awards. For example, eligible agricultural employers were…
Continue Reading Revised Uniform Guidance Expands Access to Federal Grants

When my child, born female, entered the ninth grade in 2015, he began to experience profound feelings of gender dysphoria. This condition arises when there is a significant incongruence between an individual’s gender identity and their assigned sex at birth, resulting in substantial discomfort or distress. In less than a year, he was certain he was meant to be male. Many people have asked me if I saw this coming, and the truth is, I did not. My child…
Continue Reading What Parenting a Transgender Child Taught This Lawyer

Attorney Clementine Uwabera speaks in Dane County Circuit Court and during ALFA International seminar in the coming week
Attorney Clementine Uwabera will speak on Friday, September 6, at the Dane County Courthouse, moving the court to swear in Judge Payal Khandhar, who was recently appointed a Dane County Circuit Court Branch 2 Judge by Governor Tony Evers. Clementine will also speak on non-competes, trade secrets, and confidentiality with a panel of ALFA International attorneys during the organization’s annual…
Continue Reading Attorney Clementine Uwabera to Speak to Local and National Audiences during Upcoming Engagements

In 1962, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued a decision in
Holytz v. City of Milwaukee.1 The case, a watershed decision for Wisconsin’s highest court, held that cities and other governmental arms and agencies can be sued for damages in court pursuant to the respondeat superior doctrine.2 Shortly after the decision was issued, the Wisconsin Legislature responded in kind with the passage of Wis. Stat. section 893.80.3 Section 893.80’s most important function from the municipal perspective is…
Continue Reading Statutory Notice Requirements for Claims against Wisconsin Governmental Bodies and Employees

Attorney Pahoua Thao Presents on AI & Data Privacy Policies for Association of Corporate Counsel – Wisconsin
On Wednesday, July 31, Attorney Pahoua Thao will give a CLE presentation to an audience of corporate counsel on artificial intelligence and data privacy best practices for businesses. Sponsored entirely by Stafford Rosenbaum LLP, the presentation will take place at the Madison Concourse Hotel. Read more and register for the Association of Corporate Counsel – Wisconsin’s (ACC-WI) summer CLE, presented by Atty. …
Continue Reading Attorney Pahoua Thao Presents on AI & Data Privacy Policies for Corporate Counsel

Statewide ballot referenda are not new to voters in the Badger State. There are four scenarios in which a question may be directly asked of voters: whether to amend the state’s constitution; ratification of a law extending the right of suffrage; nonbinding advisory question to measure public sentiment; and, ratifying a law that was passed by the legislature, contingent on voter approval. Wisconsin does not have a direct ballot initiative process. In November 1914, 64 percent of voters rejected…
Continue Reading August Constitutional Referenda to Decide Who Spends Federal Funds