Door County Law Enforcement Roundtable with AG Schimel

I would like to thank Attorney General Brad Schimel for taking the time this week to sit down with our local law enforcement officers in Door County.  It was wonderful to take part in a discussion on the issues our communities are facing and what we can do to improve the lives of those in the 1st Assembly District. Our local law enforcement agencies go above and beyond in protecting all of us and do an incredible job with with reaching out to their communities.

WDOR Interview

It is always such a pleasure to have the opportunity to go on the air and discuss current and upcoming legislation with all of you on WDOR.  I really enjoy my time on the radio as it gives me a chance to receive direct feedback and insight about the issues that affect all of us living in the 1st district.

This month, the discussion touched on everything from the Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding to the progress of my Watershed Protection Grant Bill.  I look forward to bringing everyone's ideas and concerns back to Madison so that I can continue to be a strong voice for our district.

End of This Session

This week was the last scheduled week that the Assembly will be in session until 2019. We've been on the floor for three days, and debated and voted on legislation early into the morning hours yesterday. Several bills I authored were voted through and passed with overwhelming bipartisan support!

Perhaps the most monumental was my Producer-Led Watershed Grants Bill, AB 946, which increases the funding available for DATCP’s Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grant Program. The farmers are the ideal group to take the lead on this issue. Their success is tied to the quality of their soil and water. Grants such as these allow them to innovatively collaborate and explore new technologies and tools available for land and water conservation that they otherwise would not be able to access. I am proud that so many of the farmers in the 1^st Assembly District are taking their role as stewards of the land so seriously.  Peninsula Pride Farms is a shining example of the potential of a producer-led group to have a positive impact on our water quality.

Another great win for our district was the passage of my bill, AB 731, which will allow free newspapers to receive compensation for publishing legal notices and serve as the paper of record for certain municipalities. This bill will provide opportunities to rural newspapers to better serve the public and especially rural constituencies.

I was also incredibly pleased, both as one of the bill authors and a veterinarian and pet lover, by the passage of AB 522.  This bill will allow first responders to administer first aid to animals. Under current state law, EMS personnel are unable to provide first aid to injured animals on the scene. This causes great distress to the families who are watching a beloved pet lay in pain after a fire or household accident and disturbs first responders who are forced to sit idly by without being able to offer any help they could easily administer.

We've made it to the end of another great Assembly session and I couldn't be more proud of all the bills I have introduced, pushed for, and witnessed being signed into law. I have advocated strongly for the 1st Assembly District's interests in Madison and I firmly believe that we will all benefit from these great bills.  Be sure to check out the video of my reflections on this session!