Spring Survey Available Online

I am happy to announce that my 2017 Spring Survey is now available online. The survey is a great way for me to take the 'pulse' of our district. Knowing where you stand on important issues is crucial for my decision making as we begin deliberations on the budget.

Please take the time to fill out the survey by clicking here.

Children and Families Committee Hearing

This week the committee that I am Chairman of, the Assembly Committee on Children and Families, met to vote on two bills and hold a public hearing on the Wisconsin Act 78 Public Disclosure Reports.

We voted in unanimous fashion to pass Assembly Bill 79 and Senate Bill 35 (the same bill). These bills require Wisconsin juvenile corrections officers to report child abuse. This bill would add juvenile corrections officers to the list of mandatory reporters of child abuse and neglect, which includes doctors, teachers and child care workers. I was happy to vote these great bills out of committee with ease and bipartisan support!

Immediately following the executive session on AB 79 and SB 35 we held a public hearing on the Wisconsin Act 78 Public Disclosure Reports. These reports are submitted to the Legislature by the Department of Children and Families and pertain to child death, serious injury, egregious abuse or neglect and sexual abuse.

Reading and listening to these reports can be disturbing but they serve as a grim reminder that these are real people in trying situations who count on us to do our jobs. Learning more about these cases is necessary in order for us to take effective steps to protect those who need it most.

Kewaunee County Farm Bureau Rural-Urban Banquet

Earlier this week, I attended the Kewaunee County Farm Bureau's Annual Rural-Urban Banquet. The banquet highlights the socioeconomic value of the farms in the county and celebrates the importance of the farming community's relationships with businesses in the area. Don Niles, President of the Peninsula Pride collective of farmers, spoke about the importance of the agriculture community taking responsibility for their role in ground and surface water contamination and working to improve the situation. Thank you to the Farm Bureau for hosting this wonderful event.

TMDL Sessions in the Area

Next Monday, there will be two additional sessions in our region to discuss the proposed Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Study of the rivers of Door, Kewaunee, Manitowoc and Sheboygan Counties. I believe this study would be a huge step forward in our effort to clean up the rivers of Northeast Wisconsin. The presentations will be identical to the one I hosted in Algoma last month. If anyone did not get a chance to attend last month's session, this is a wonderful opportunity to go and get your questions answered by the DNR experts on this matter. I am grateful to my colleagues in the legislature and the DNR for the continued support and dedication to this issue!

Manitowoc Informational Session
Where: Manitowoc County Office Complex 4319 Expo Drive, Manitowoc WI 54220
When: Monday, April 17, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Sheboygan Informational Session
Where: Mead Public Library, 710 N 8th St, Sheboygan WI 53081 Rocca Room

When: Monday April 17th, 2:30pm to 4:30pm