- We couldn't let the week pass without telling you
about a monumental shift at the state capitol
in a tradition that dates back to 1853.
That's when the first legislative Blue Book
was issued in Wisconsin.
It's a roadmap of information about every
state legislative district, lawmakers, state office holders
and a who's who and a what's what in Wisconsin politics.
The iconic blue-bound book takes on a different color
this year, however.
State law actually mandates that the spine be blue,
but the front and back cover this year are redesigned
with a granite pattern in celebration
of the state capitol's 100th anniversary.
Along with the redesign, the book itself is shortened,
shedding nearly 300 pages.
The chief of the Legislative Reference Bureau says
this is to make the book more accessible
to high school civics classes as well as reflecting
a citizenry more prone to looking things up online.