February 16, 2018

 

Foster Forward Legislative Package Passes Assembly

 

 

Earlier this week, the entire Foster Forward legislative package put out by the Speaker's Task Force on Foster Care passed the floor of the Assembly. All of these bills will help foster families and foster children in our state. I am especially proud of my bills AB 775 and AB 777. AB 775 eliminates the look-ahead period for TPR (termination of parental rights) and AB 777 provides tuition remission for foster youths.

These bills addressed some of the biggest concerns that we heard time and again as we traveled the state for our public hearings. I found it incredibly valuable to hear from the people who work in the child welfare system every single day. As Chair of the Assembly Committee on Children and Families, I’ve gained a new appreciation for the work these individuals do and the tremendous value they provide to our state’s children. I was honored to serve on the Speaker’s Task Force on Foster Care and be able to engage with the social workers, case managers, foster parents and volunteers who spend their time working to improve the lives of children in the system.

One of the aspects I appreciated most about the task force was its bipartisan nature. The children of our state are best served when we all work together and co-chairs Representative Snyder (R-Schofield) and Representative Doyle (D- Onalaska) did a wonderful job in leading a joint effort to improve our child welfare system and the lives of Wisconsin's foster children.


 

Door County Senate Scholar

 

 

This week was also exciting because I had the chance to welcome Sturgeon Bay High School student Emily Pinkert to Madison as part of the Wisconsin Senate Scholar program. Her selection for admittance to this intensive week-long crash course on our legislative system is an honor reserved for only 33 of the highest performing high school students throughout Wisconsin. I was fortunate enough to be able to step in and spend time with Emily and share in a part of her legislative experience.

 

I firmly believe in the importance of fostering a sense of civic engagement in our youth and I am delighted to see that Emily’s hard work and dedication to her studies have given her the opportunity to immerse herself in the legislative process. While attending this program, Emily has received invaluable insight into policy development and constituent relations from legislative members and people who work in our political system.

 

The skills and professionalism Emily has acquired throughout this week will serve her well as she progresses through school and chooses a career path.  I wish her the best of luck in her future academic endeavors and look forward to greeting even more Senate Scholars in the future!

 


Sparsity Aid Legislation Moves Forward

 

This week the Assembly passed AB 835, which I co-authored, and I was proud to see it pass in a bipartisan fashion, with a 91-2 vote. This bill will increase the maximum that qualifying low spending districts can spend on a combination of local property taxes and state aid from $9,100 to $9,400 per student for the 2018-19 school year. This amount would continue to increase by $100 each year until the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, the bill will also increase Sparsity Aid funding to provide an additional $6,454,600 for the 2018-19 school year.

 

Nearly 150 school districts all across our state will be affected by this legislation, including all school districts in the 1st Assembly District. All students in our state, regardless of their zip code, deserve to have access to the best possible education we can provide for them. This bill does that by further building on the historic investment we made in K-12 education in the biennial budget.

 

I would like to note that the amendment that we adopted will address the issues of Southern Door School District, as well as the other schools who were affected by the referendum provision. I do feel that this bill will have long term benefits to both Southern Door and all of Wisconsin, making this legislation an important step forward.  I appreciate the support and renewed efforts on this issue and look forward to seeing this bill move forward in the Senate.

 


UW-Green Bay Engineering School Gets Green Light

 

Earlier this week, the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents voted to approve UW-Green Bay’s request to add a Bachelor’s degree program in Mechanical Engineering. This new program will attract bright, young students to Northeast Wisconsin and transform them into individuals ready to enter the workforce and begin their careers in our state. The graduates of this program will aid us in addressing our workforce shortage issue in the region.

 

In related progress for the university, the STEM Innovation Center was funded in this biennial budget. Marrying entrepreneurship with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics will propel UW-Green Bay into its rightful place as one of the foundations of our region’s revitalization.

 

As a supporter of this proposal when it was in the legislature, it is great to see it moving forward. Representatives John Macco (R-Ledgeview) and John Nygren (R- Marinette) have done an incredible job ushering this idea into a reality, and this is a great step for UW- Green Bay and our entire region.

 


 

DNR Regional Roundtable

 

Earlier today, I attended a roundtable discussion hosted by the DNR in Green Bay. This was a wonderful opportunity to hear about the great work the DNR is doing throughout the region and in the 1st Assembly District. Our area of the state is blessed with breathtaking natural resources that need to be cherished and protected. I appreciate all of the efforts of the DNR to engage with the community and gather local input as they care for our rivers, our trees, our wildlife and all of the resources that make the 1st Assembly District the best place for outdoors recreation in the state!

 


Upcoming District Events!

What: Pavilion Open House
Where: Donald and Carol Kress Pavilion, 7845 Church St, Egg Harbor, WI
When: February 17, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Details: "Enjoy a flurry of activities at the new location for the Egg Harbor Library. Featuring art activities, displays by the Egg Harbor Historical Society, live music and more!"

What: Sick of Winter
Where: Prince of Peace Lutheran Church Coffee House, 1756 Michigan St, Sturgeon Bay, WI
When: February 17, 11:00am - 1:30pm
Details: "Sample a variety of soups, chili, breads and cider. Featuring booths for local organizations and businesses that promote health and well-being. $5/adults. $2/10 & under."

What: Door County Short Film Festival
Where: Sister Bay Village Hall, 10693 Hwy 42, Sister Bay, WI
When: February 17, 2:00pm - 8:00pm
Details: "
20-plus short films from around the world being screened. Including short presentations and Q&A with the filmmakers. Featuring a selection of food and drink from local restaurants!"


In Closing...

Thank you for taking the time to read my E-Update. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact my office. Joe and Stamena look forward to working with you. Also, if you would like a State of Wisconsin 2017-2018 Blue Book or 2017 State Highway map free of charge, just send us an email!

                                Have a great weekend,                   

             Representative Joel Kitchens

 

 

      

As always, if you have any comments or thoughts regarding the subject of this
E-Update, please feel free to contact me.

If you would like to be removed from future mailings, email me and ask to unsubscribe.

State Capitol Room 10 West - PO Box 8952, Madison, WI 53708
(608) 266-5350
Email: Rep.Kitchens@legis.wi.gov