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A new bill in the state Legislature would give Gov. Scott Walker the power to appoint the state’s veterans’ secretary. It would also remake the state Board of Veterans Affairs, enlarging it while creating residency requirements for its members.

ken black

Under current law, the secretary, head of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, is appointed by the board, a panel of seven veterans appointed by the governor.

The bill, sponsored by State Rep. Kevin Petersen (R-Waupaca) and other Republicans in the state Assembly and senate, would increase the number of board members to nine, reduce their terms from six years to three and require that at least one member be appointed from each of the state’s eight congressional districts.

Thomas Lemmer, commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Wisconsin, released a statement earlier this week backing the bill: “For too long (the board) has been dominated by members who reside in Dane County, which has led to a disconnect from the rest of the state’s veterans.”

The legislation echoes proposals made by Walker during his campaign last fall. “Under Gov. Doyle,” his campaign website said, “the board membership has become too centralized in southern Wisconsin.” While the website proposed increasing the size of the board and the congressional district requirement, it didn’t propose giving the governor the authority to appoint the state veterans’ secretary.

But Lemmer says the secretary must be elevated “to a cabinet level position … to assure public accountability.” Under the bill, the governor would be required to “personally consult with the presiding officers of at least six Wisconsin veterans organizations” before making an appointment, which would then go before the state senate for confirmation. (The bill doesn’t specify which organizations the governor would have to consult.)

The bill would also remove the current requirement that any rules proposed by the Department of Veterans Affairs must be approved by the veterans’ board. The department would only serve as an advisory panel, reviewing proposed rules, which would still be subject to oversight by the state Legislature.

The bill, introduced earlier this month, was referred to the Assembly Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, chaired by State Rep. Richard Spanbauer (R-Oshkosh), one of its co-sponsors.

The legislation is timely: Former veterans’ secretary Ken Black resigned on April 1 after serving in the post for about a year and a half. During that time, Black’s relations with veterans’ service groups, such as the VFW, and the Walker administration had become strained. The board has yet to appoint Black’s replacement.

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