January 28, 2013

Working for you!

Capitol Update

My priority is serving my constituents, and I want to be of help to you and your family. If you have a problem involving a state agency, please let me know and I will do what I can to get you a clear answer. I hope you'll feel free to contact me with questions or comments on state issues that matter to you. I truly hope you'll call on me when you read news stories or talk with friends about an issue and want further information to help you make your own decisions on policy. You'll find my office contact information at the bottom of this e-news.

Inauguration 2013

Inauguration for the 2013-2014 legislative session was held on Monday, January 7th. I was honored and humbled as I took the oath of office to uphold the Wisconsin and U.S. Constitutions as your voice in state government. My wonderful children, wife, mom and brother joined me for this special occasion.

Assembly Committee Assignments

This session, my committee assignments are as follows:

• Colleges and Universities, Vice Chair

• Constitution and Ethics

• Insurance

• Housing and Real Estate

• Urban and Local Affairs

In addition to researching all proposed legislation, I will be especially involved with any introduced bills that come to my committees. Assembly standing committees have also been assigned a section of the Administrative Code to comb through in an effort to weed out old our outdated code and clean up that portion of our state law. More on this effort, called Right the Rules, in my next update.

Priority #1: Regulation of Iron Mining in Wisconsin

Assembly Bill 1/Senate Bill 1 are identical proposals to regulate iron mining (ferrous mining) for the first time in the history of Wisconsin.

Iron mining differs from sulfide or non-ferrous mining in one significant way; iron mining uses water and magnets to separate the iron ore, not chemicals. I usually don't like more regulation, but in this case I think it makes good sense. We need to make sure our environment is protected, maintained and reclaimed, and we also should consider the future of mining and how those 100 years worth of jobs can stabilize our Wisconsin families, especially those in the economically depressed north. Even if this bill becomes law, a prospective company needs to satisfy state and federal requirements and decide if it's cost effective to proceed.

On February 2nd, I am joining several other legislators on a tour of the proposed mine site so many are talking about, near Hurley. I want to see the area firsthand, and learn about the vision of what a ferrous mine might look like if one eventually is built in that area.

You can read the bill here and I recommend you look at the plain language explanation of the bill which was written by the non-partisan Legislative Council.

For further information, the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey provides objective, scientific informational maps and reports about the geology and mineral resources of Wisconsin.

The Survey has a website, http://wisconsingeologicalsurvey.org/iron-mining-in-wisconsin.htm, that contains downloadable publications, fact sheets and links on mining.

Anyone can express their views on this proposal by attending hearings, emailing any member of the legislature, calling a legislative office, or by sending a letter. Communicating in any of these ways holds the same weight...you don't have to be at a hearing to have your voice heard.

My Madison Office