Another election has passed, but not much has changed in the statehouse. Moving crews won’t be a hot commodity this year, as Republicans made modest gains in both chambers of the legislature. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Burlington) has already began discussing what will be on the agenda for the next biennium.

Vos stated that revising state laws on “John Doe” investigations will be a top priority, and after the poorly executed, seemingly politically motivated John Doe investigation by Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm of Scott Walker and his staff, some reform appears needed.

Additionally, Vos wants to reform the Government Accountability Board, a group of non-partisan judges that sets regulations on elections and lobbying. It is unfortunate to see the good work that the GAB has done in the crosshairs, good work that is nationally recognized as a role model for non-partisan oversight of elections and ethics. The GAB needs more authority, not less.

While on the topic of the Government Accountability Board, the legislature should give the agency the authority to redraw legislative districts in the state. District boundaries are often a parody unto themselves, surgically created to include or excise voters to benefit the party that finds themselves in charge at the start of the decade. Gerrymandering has created districts that are no longer competitive, allowing those that hold them to drift to the ideological extremes of their party and shun compromise. Let judges, without partisan motivations, decide what is most fair for the Wisconsin voter.

Another topic of focus should be higher education. Representative John Nygren (R-Marinette), who served as co-chair of the Joint Finance Committee last biennium and will likely reprise the role, stated that the $95.2 million in additional funding being asked for the UW by President Ray Cross would be a “tough sell.”

In an attempt to court students after nearly being abandoned by them in the midterms (Burke won by only one point among students statewide last Tuesday), Democrats are pushing for the “Higher Ed, Lower Debt” bill, which would allow students to refinance student loan interest rates and to discharge student loan debt in bankruptcy. While certainly positive actions, the bill doesn’t address the root cause of student loan debt: the high cost of attending a university, which is in turn driven by UW System funding decisions in the legislature.

But the legislature needs to force the hand of universities to find ways to cut costs as well, according to James Dirth, who, in his role as Student Association Legislative Issues Director, serves as the chief student lobbyist for the campus.

“They need to consider other ways to reduce the cost of higher education. It really fits with the conservative ideology of reducing spending, and I think reducing the cost of higher education would fit into the Republican agenda well,” he said.

During my time as Student Association President, the prospect of reducing general education requirements won acclaim among students, and legislators frequently look at general education requirements as a target. Perhaps reducing those requirements could be packaged into a deal that includes more money for the System.

Students need to be involved in the legislative process. The work doesn’t end at the election. Call your legislator and let them know what you think needs to be on the agenda for the upcoming biennium.