Duty Death Bill

Back in the late 2000s, former Gov. Jim Doyle signed a bill into law that required municipalities to provide health insurance coverage to the surviving spouses and children of firefighters killed while on the job.

Unfortunately, law enforcement personnel and emergency medical technicians were left out of the legislation. I strongly believe that needs to be changed.

That is why I am proud to be a co-author of the Duty Death Bill, which expands existing law to allow the immediate family members of law enforcement and EMTs killed in the line of duty to keep their health insurance coverage.

Under the bill, the required health insurance would be covered for the spouse until they remarry or reach the age of 65. Children would be able to keep the same insurance until they turn 26 years old or can get coverage by their own employer.

To help pay for the continued health insurance plans, local governments would be able to file a request for reimbursement through the state Department of Revenue. Those reimbursements would be funded by county and municipal aid shared revenue.

Every day our first responders go to work, they do so knowing they may never make it back home. Because of their selfless sacrifices, I believe it is our duty to provide their families with peace of mind in the event of an unfortunate tragedy. We owe that to them.

If you would like to view some media coverage of the bill, please click here, here and here.

PFAS Tour

I was honored to participate in a tour this week of the Wisconsin Air Nation Guard's 115th Fighter Wing to learn more about the impacts that polyfluoroalkyl substances have on our environment.

Polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly known as PFAS, are a group of man-made "forever chemicals" that can accumulate over time in both the human body and our natural resources. Health experts say exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse health outcomes, including low infant birth weight, thyroid hormone disruption and cancer.

I joined Senate President Roger Roth and Sen. Rob Cowles for the tour in Madison because we wanted more information on how the 115th Fighter Wing uses firefighting foams containing PFAS in their training exercises and fire services at the Dane County Regional Airport. 

 While PFAS can cause negative health effects, we were told these firefighting foams are the only substances that can adequately extinguish fires involving aircraft or petroleum. In most of these fires, a few seconds can make the difference between life or death.

One of the most significant challenges we are facing with these firefighting foams is coming up with an acceptable balance of giving our emergency personnel the tools they need to keep our residents safe and reducing the negative environmental impacts of these chemicals.

It was reassuring to see, however, the strict clean-up procedures the 115th Fighter Wing follows in their training exercises. 

While there is no adequate alternative to these firefighting foams at this point in time, I am encouraged by the progress being made. Right now, companies are working on alternative foams that will still be able to sufficiently extinguish fires without having such a large negative impact on our environment.

 As chairman of the Assembly Environment Committee, I am glad I took part in the tour because this is a topic we are going to be addressing both this legislative session and in the future. I believe the insight we gained during this experience will help us as we continue deliberations on this very important issue.

Advancing in Contest 

I would like to congratulate Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay for advancing to the top 16 in the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest.

The product the local company entered into the contest is the Madonna, a 124-foot ferry that will service the Washington Island area. The vessel is currently under construction and should be completed by the spring of 2020. It will have enough space to carry 28 vehicles and 150 passengers. 

 This round of the contest mimics the style of a March Madness bracket where the top 16 products will square off against each other in head-to-head match-ups. Following the opening round, the Madonna received enough votes to come in as the seventh seed. The ferry is competing against the tenth seed, Oh SNAP! Dilly Bites, fresh dill pickle snacking cuts produced by GLK Foods in Bear Creek.

Please consider helping Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding move to the next round by voting for the Madonna. You can cast your vote by clicking here. Voting for this round ends at 10 p.m. on Sunday. It is so important that we help support our local businesses.

The annual contest, which is sponsored by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce and Johnson Financial Group, received more than 150 entries this year.

 Other local companies that made it into the first round include Woodrow Engineering Co. of Sister Bay for their RITZ Stick, Kick Ash Products of Ellison Bay for their Door County Love Artisan Granola, RENEW Plastics of Luxemburg for their wood-alternative deck board known as REVOLVE and Parallel 44 Vineyard and Winery of Kewaunee for their Frozen Tundra Red wine.

Although these businesses did not advance past the first round, they should all be commended for their efforts. I am extremely thankful for everything they do to benefit our communities. 

Upcoming District Events

What: Harvest Fest, Car Show & Street Art Auction
Where: Throughout Sturgeon Bay
When: Saturday, Sept. 21, starting at 9 a.m.
Details: "Usher in the spirit of autumn with a bountiful day on Third Avenue. Features include a classic car show, craft show, food booths, in-store specials, children's activities, and live entertainment. Visit sturgeonbay.net for more information"

What: Washington Island Literary Festival
Where: Trueblood Performing Arts Center, 870 Main Road, Washington Island
When: Saturday, Sept. 21, and Sunday, Sept. 22
Details: "2019 Theme: Generational. Wisconsin author Jane Hamilton is the keynote speaker. Other featured writers include Rebecca Makai, Bao Phi, Scott Russell Sanders and Luis Alberto Urrea. For more information visit washingtonislandliteraryfestival.org."

What: Organ Concert
Where: Shepherd of the Bay Lutheran Church, 11836 Hwy 42, Ellison Bay
When: Saturday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m.
Details: "Featuring Dr. Steven Wente of Concordia University Chicago. Free and open to the public. Goodwill offering will be collected."