The Latest: Prison chief defends Walker's lack of visits

Rep. Gordon Hintz, an Oshkosh Democrat, asked Litscher during a briefing Tuesday in front of the Legislature's budget committee if Litscher is having any luck convincing the governor to visit a prison.

The Legislature's budget committee is questioning whether the state prison system can handle an expected influx of drunken drivers.

The Department of Corrections has requested about $40 million for 3,686 contract beds based on expectations hundreds of repeated drunken drivers will enter prison as a result of a new law that made fourth-offense a felony and increased sentences for subsequent offenses.

Litscher says expanded alcohol treatment for inmates will help prisoners earn early release and the agency hopes drunken drivers won't enter the system as quickly as officials initially estimated.

The leader of Wisconsin's prison system is telling the Legislature's budget committee that he supports having one person decide who gets out on parole rather than a commission.

The Joint Finance Committee questioned Department of Corrections Secretary Jon Litscher on Tuesday about changes Gov. Scott Walker wants to make to the agency through the 2017-19 state budget.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Pat Roggensack is asking the Legislature's budget-writing committee to reject Gov. Scott Walker's proposal to put the independent Judicial Commission under control of the court, saying that "creates the potential for conflicts of interest."

Haas argues that 22 positions are needed to fulfill the commission's core responsibilities under state and federal law, including providing training and support to local election officials, maintaining and improving the voter registration system, educating the public and assisting candidates.

Under self-insurance, the state would manage health insurance for about 250,000 workers rather than having employees purchase it through HMOs.

A Republican state senator is questioning why Gov. Scott Walker tied an increase in K-12 education funding to compliance with the law known as Act 10.

Under the move, the state would pay, and assume the risk, of providing health insurance to about 250,000 state workers and family members.

Department of Administration Secretary Scott Neitzel (NIGHT-soul) said Tuesday that the budget invests in the state's priorities by sending more money to K-12 schools, cuts tuition at the University of Wisconsin and addresses the most pressing road and building maintenance needs.

[...] Republican Joint Finance Committee co-chair Rep. John Nygren is questioning whether Walker's proposal to move to a self-insurance model for state employees makes sense.