From last year's Women's Suffrage Centennial Celebration — pictured are legislators, constitutional officers, tribal leaders, State Supreme Court justices, community advocates, and Wisconsin's First Lady! 

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This Week

What are we working on?

We have been working behind the scenes on a number of things we will be rolling out soon, including the once-a-session newsletter that will soon be mailed to your home. We’ve also got some town halls coming up, more door knocking, office hours, and hundreds of constituent emails we are working on returning.

Spring Newsletter

Every legislative office has the same budget, and I have prioritized using ours on direct communication with constituents. For the past few weeks, we have been working on our spring newsletter that will arrive in the mailboxes of nearly every house in our district. It will include legislative updates, contact information, and a returnable survey (with an online version too). It is set to go out next month, so watch your mailboxes!

Constituent Meetings

This week, I met with constituents from the Wisconsin Nurses Association to discuss their legislative priorities for this year and next session. They all work for various health and hospital systems, and many are also faculty or PHD candidates at area schools. I enjoyed discussing with them how to address the nurse faculty shortage, improve vaccination rates for children, and protect patients.  

DHS Coronavirus Briefing

On Wednesday, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services gave a briefing to legislators and staff about COVID-19, or coronavirus. There has been one confirmed case in Wisconsin and the patient has since recovered.

DHS reminds everyone to wash your hands, cover your coughs and sneezes, and please stay home if you are sick, if possible. We are still in the midst of flu season and these preventive measures help protect against other respiratory illnesses.

For more information, visit the DHS website here. 

Diversity & Inclusion Training

This week, the Assembly Democratic Caucus had diversity and inclusion training at the Capitol. It is important to continue educating ourselves on how to embrace diversity and promote inclusion in our personal and professional lives—there is always more to learn.

Bill Signings

This week, Governor Evers signed over 60 bills into law including many that I co-sponsored or voted for:

• Assembly Bill 531, now 2019 Wisconsin Act 116:

  • Requires newly issued student identification cards to include the contact information for local and national suicide prevention hotlines. 

  Assembly Bill 644, now 2019 Wisconsin Act 117:

  • Creates a school-based mental health consultation pilot program in Outagamie county to be administered by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. 

• Assembly Bill 532, now 2019 Wisconsin Act 136:

  • Provides an additional permanent capital gains exclusion for investments in Wisconsin opportunity zone funds equal to 10 percent of the reinvested deferred gains, if the investment is held for at least five years and equal to 15 percent, if the investment is held for at least seven years.

• Assembly Bill 731, now 2019 Wisconsin Act 143:

  • Expands the circumstances that military spouses may obtain professional credentials based on reciprocity.

• Senate Bill 205, now 2019 Wisconsin Act 147:

  • Provides flexibility to veterans in determining whether they would like their credits transferred from military transcripts to the University of Wisconsin System or technical colleges.

  Senate Bill 514, now 2019 Wisconsin Act 148:

  • Allows physician assistants, registered nurses, and nurse anesthetists performing official duties of the armed services or federal health services to practice during their medical training rotation in Wisconsin without being licensed by the state.

• Senate Bill 217, now 2019 Wisconsin Act 154:

  • Requires the Department of Health Services to develop and implement a diabetes care and prevention plan
  • Requires the Department to submit reports to the Legislature on a biennial basis.

• Senate Bill 252, now 2019 Wisconsin Act 157:

  • Appropriates $150,000 to the Department of Natural Resources for the purpose of enabling Ashland County to test natural flood risk reduction practices in the county.
•  Senate Bill 298, now 2019 Wisconsin Act 158:
  • Requires the Department of Natural Resources to create a Lyme disease awareness campaign.

Read about more of the bills here & here.  

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 Looking Forward

Congressman Sensenbrenner Town Hall

U.S. Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (5th Congressional District) will be hosting a town hall this Saturday, March 7th at 1:30PM at the Wauwatosa Public Library in the Firefly Room. 

Women's Suffrage Event

The Next Town Hall

Because February was suddenly determined to be the early end to the 2019-2020 session, we have experienced a significant uptick in committee hearings and floor session dates. This has required us to reschedule the February town hall.

Thank you for your understanding, and we will touch base with further information. 

In-District Office Hours 

We look forward to hosting more in-district office hours with constituents! Let us know if you want to schedule an appointment for our next office hours- date and location TBD. 

April 15th - 50 Piece Rule

Starting on April 15th, we are unable to send out 50 or more pieces of identical materials from our office, which would include this e-update. After April 15th, our weekly e-update will be posted on our legislative website, Facebook, and Twitter every Friday, but will not be sent directly to your inbox.

If you have any questions regarding this rule, please let us know!

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