Hello and welcome back to the newest edition of my E-Update!  A lot has happened here at the Capitol since my last E-update that I would like to share with you. 

Utility Aid Bill Signed

In my last E-update I talked about the Utility Aid Bill, or Senate Bill 252, which passed the Assembly with a tremendous amount of bi-partisan support. Soon after that, we received news that the Governor would be signing SB 252 into law. This week, I attended the bill signing along with my colleagues and local community officials from our districts. All who attended put a considerable amount of time and effort into making sure this bill passed. I would specifically like to thank Supervisor John Mastalir of Kewaunee County for taking the time to drive all the way to Madison and represent his county at the signing.

I am very pleased that the Governor chose to sign this bill. Kewaunee County and the town of Carlton are facing a difficult period due to the loss of the Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant. The closure of the plant meant they were no longer eligible to receive utility aid, a substantial portion of their budget. Before SB 252 was passed and signed, Kewaunee County and Carlton would have lost all utility aid in 2016 with little time to make the necessary preparations and adjustments. Now, they will continue to receive utility aid payments for the next 5 years with a gradual step-down of 20% each year. The extra benefit of SB 252 is the extension of the 5-year utility aid step-down to coal and bio-mass powered plants across the state that are now closing and facing similar problems due to new EPA standards.

Pictured Above: Supervisor John Mastalir and
Governor Scott Walker after the bill signing.

Kewaunee Seawall

In case you missed the news about the Kewaunee Seawall, here is a short video summarizing the project and plans for the future.

Help Stop Human Trafficking

Blue Books Available

If you would like a complimentary copy of the 2015-2016 Wisconsin State Blue Book, please follow the proved link:

          http://legis.wisconsin.gov/assembly/01/kitchens/constituent-services/ 

The 2015-2016 Blue Book is also available online:

          http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lrb/publications/wisconsin-blue-book/

In Closing...

Thank you for taking the time to read over my E-Update. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact my office.

Representative Joel Kitchens