Legislature Hears Testimony On State Agency Merger Plan

Wisconsin Lawmakers held a public hearing this week on a proposal that would combine two state agencies.

The measure merges the departments of Financial Institutions, and Safety and Professional Services to create a new agency. Banking and credit union organizations oppose the idea.

Tom Liebe with the Wisconsin Credit Union League said the current system works and the change isn’t something the private sector requested.

“Just to be clear, we’re not mad. The sky’s not falling. We support a search for efficiencies, but the status quo is working for us and that’s why we want to protect it,” he said.

Liebe also said that no problems have been identified at this point that the merger is going to fix.

Supporters of the proposal say the merger will make state government more efficient.