State Senate committee cancels vote on civil service changes

MADISON — A Wisconsin state Senate committee vote on a bill making it easier to hire and fire state workers has been canceled.

The bill opposed by unions representing state workers and Democrats had been scheduled for a committee vote on Tuesday. But the Senate Labor and Government Reform Committee canceled the vote Monday afternoon.

Mike Mikalsen, spokesman for committee chairman Sen. Steve Nass, says he needs more time to review an amendment that makes several changes to the bill.

Mikalsen says a vote will be rescheduled either for Thursday or early next week.

The bill would overhaul the state's 110-year-old civil service system, speeding up the hiring process and make it easier to discipline and remove workers. Opponents say it will increase the changes of political patronage.