To amend section 25 of article IV of the constitution; Relating to: state contracts for stationery and printing (first consideration).
Summary
Senate Joint Resolution 145 proposes a constitutional amendment to change how Wisconsin awards state contracts for stationery and printing. Under current law, these contracts must generally go to the lowest bidder, regardless of where the bidder is located. The resolution would require that, if there is a bidder operating in Wisconsin, the contract must be awarded to the lowest bidder operating in Wisconsin, unless federal law, a treaty, or another international agreement prevents that result.
Because this is a proposed constitutional amendment, it would not take effect immediately. It would need to be approved by two successive legislatures and then ratified by the voters before becoming part of the Wisconsin Constitution. The resolution also preserves the existing prohibition on legislators and other state officers having a direct or indirect interest in these contracts.
Impact
If adopted, the resolution would alter Article IV, Section 25 of the Wisconsin Constitution to create a Wisconsin-first preference for state stationery and printing contracts. It would affect state procurement rules by limiting eligibility for these contracts to in-state bidders when one is available, potentially changing who can compete for and win state printing and stationery work. The measure would also continue to allow a maximum price to be set by law and would retain existing ethics restrictions on state officials’ involvement in such contracts.
Sentiment
The available record shows limited public or committee debate, as no committee transcripts or vote details are provided. The bill was introduced with a group of Senate and Assembly cosponsors, suggesting some legislative support for the proposal. However, the resolution ultimately failed to adopt pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1, indicating it did not advance through the required legislative process.
Contention
The main point of contention is the shift from a general lowest-bidder standard to a lowest-bidder-in-Wisconsin preference. Supporters are likely to view the change as a way to favor Wisconsin businesses and keep state contract dollars in-state, while opponents may see it as reducing competition, potentially increasing costs, or conflicting with broader procurement principles. The text also acknowledges a possible legal limitation: the preference would not apply if federal law or an international agreement prohibits it.
Reserving to the people the power of referendum to reject acts of the legislature and the power of initiative to propose and approve at an election laws and constitutional amendments (first consideration).
A concurrent resolution to amend and reenact section 9 of article III and section 16 of article IV of the Constitution of North Dakota, relating to the threshold for approving a constitutional amendment.