Among the dozens of bills it’s passed on Tuesday, senators approved a measure that would restrict people from serving as county executive and state legislator at the same time.
The bill could have implications for Winnebago County Executive Mark Harris, who’s running as a Democrat for the state Senate seat being vacated by outgoing Republican Sen. Rick Gudex of Fond du Lac.
Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said holding both offices created a conflict of interest, but Middleton Democratic Sen. Jon Erpenbach asserted that there were ulterior motives at play.
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“This isn’t about the conflict of being a county executive and being a state legislator,” said Erpenbach. “This is about Mark Harris and nobody else.”
Fitzgerald shot back that it was “wrong” and even “immoral” for one person to hold both jobs in Winnebago County.
“It’s just mind-boggling to me that they wouldn’t have two individuals with the skills and the ability to do that,” Fitzgerald said.
The plan was amended to allow for a 60-day transition period should Harris or any other county executive be elected to the Legislature. It has yet to pass the Assembly.
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