February 2, 2018

Working for you!

The Future of Kimberly-Clark

I was disappointed to hear the announcement that Kimberly-Clark will be closing its Neenah and Fox Crossing plants over the next 18 months.

I spent this week discussing the situation with the offices of Rep. Rohrkaste and Rep. Steineke, Senator Roth, and the Department of Workforce Development. In addition to the work that we’ve done to boost the economy across the state and bring unemployment to the lowest ever recorded, it’s critical that we take action to stabilize the paper jobs that are still here in the Fox Valley, with the understanding that it is an evolving and consolidating industry.

While stabilization of the paper industry is important, we also need to tap into growth industries in order to provide good careers for current and future generations. The number of companies in Northeastern Wisconsin that have signed up as potential Foxconn suppliers on http://www.wisupplychainmarketplace.com/ has already reached 125. New and existing companies in the Fox Valley are also growing every day, and the state is taking action to support that growth well into the future.

The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) announced the following steps to assist workers at the plants:

• DWD is working with its regional workforce partners to mobilize a Rapid Response Team to reach out to the employer and meet with affected workers. The team will schedule orientation sessions to provide workers with information about reemployment services, Unemployment Insurance, and pre-layoff workshops on a variety of topics such as resume writing and interviewing, job search strategies, and budgeting.

• DWD will work with regional partners to identify employers across the region who are seeking talent with the skills that affected workers have, and help facilitate connections to fill job openings with qualified applicants.

• DWD encourages affected workers to contact their local Job Center to inquire about services by visiting www.JobCenterofWisconsin.com/directory or calling 1-888-258-9966.

Rapid Response services are part of the DWD-administered Dislocated Worker Program, which serves workers who become dislocated when a business cuts positions or ceases operations entirely. The goal is to support affected workers and their families, and help workers find work at new jobs that pay as well or better than their previous employment.

For more information about the Dislocated Worker Program, visit: https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dislocatedworker/

Veteran Service Provider Grant Recipients

On Wednesday, the Governor announced that two local non-profit organizations will be receiving grants to advance their work in supporting Wisconsin veterans and families. The two local organizations are:

Artists for the Humanities, Appleton: $25,000 to continue providing a cost-free environment for military veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and trauma. The grant will assist in expanding the organization’s group sessions, allowing it to reach more veterans who can benefit from the program in its numerous locations across Wisconsin.

Fox Valley Veterans Council, Inc., Appleton: $25,000 to support programs for veteran students such as a unique book and tool loan program. The organization ensures Wisconsin veterans receive temporary financial assistance for their basic needs amid any setbacks.

From left to right: Rep. Murphy, Rep. Stuck, Sen. Roth, Gov. Walker, and Tim Mayer of Artists for the Humanities.

From left to right: Rep. Murphy, Gov. Walker, Michael Price (president) and Jody Wormley (board member) of Fox Valley Veterans Council, Inc.

Medical Records Modernization

This week, I introduced the “Patient Records Modernization Act,” to improve the way our state handles medical records. The bill:

1. Modernizes statutes related to requests for electronic health records.

2. Brings Wisconsin Statutes into line with federal HIPAA regulations.

3. Updates Wisconsin Workers Compensation medical record fees.

4. Clarifies statutes related to access and release of patient health care records, as called for in a recent Supreme Court dissent authored by Justice Ziegler.

Doctor Day

I had the pleasure of meeting with local doctors on Tuesday, which was “Doctor Day” at the State Capitol. Drs. Ben Beduhn of Larsen and Beth Menzel, M.D. of Grand Chute spent time discussing issues important to physicians around the state. One topic we discussed was a bill I recently introduced that will lower the cost of doctors to provide quality health care and allow them to spend more time with their patients.

You're Keeping More of Your Money Now

Be sure to check your paychecks because you may be seeing an increase in your take home pay now that the new federal tax reforms have gone into effect. Just a few of the folks I know are taking home $70-100 more per month than they were before this historic tax cut.

WisConnect Enhancements for Wisconsin Internships

The InternshipWisconsin.com website currently lists over 1,000 internship opportunities and hundreds of potential interns. The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) launched WisConnect last summer to create a central hub for Wisconsin-based internship opportunities. The site has undergone several updates to make it easier for college students to build profiles and look for internships, and to help employers find the brightest student talent for internship openings.

The newest WisConnect updates improve the user experience and add resources for college students and employers to help maximize the positive impact of internships on the state's talent pipeline. Highlights include:

·         Support for additional file types so students can add more robust background files to their "My Portfolio" section

·         The option for students to indicate that they are a veteran and functionality to allow employers to locate profiles of students who have indicated their veteran status

·         Additional options to enhance matching between students and employers based skills

·         Numerous improvements to fine-tune the site's stability, style and quality

With studies showing the value of internships in attracting, training and retaining college students during and after graduation, WisConnect serves as an important tool to support a robust talent pipeline in Wisconsin.

To get started on WisConnect, visit InternshipWisconsin.com.

Heart Month

February is Heart Month, which we kicked off at the Capitol with a photo and American Heart Association reception to discuss the importance of heart health.

Nominate a Woman Making a Difference in State Government

Nominations are being sought for the prestigious Virginia Hart Special Recognition Award that recognizes the contributions and achievements of women in Wisconsin state government.

Now is the time to nominate women who are making a difference in state government. Nominations may be made by anyone, and are accepted through March 30, 2018. Nominees can be in classified or unclassified service, and from any part of the state. Limited-term employees and employees of the Legislature and university are not eligible.

The winner of this year's award receives $250 and will be honored at the annual Virginia Hart Award Event in Madison in May.

Virginia Hart was Wisconsin's first woman cabinet secretary. Friends and colleagues established a fund after her retirement in 1983 to annually recognize the contributions of a woman in state government.

To obtain a nomination form, visit: http://dpm.wi.gov. For more information, contact Dee Surillo in the Division of Personnel Management at (608) 266-9820 or dominga.surillo@wisconson.gov.

Be Aware of Tax ID Theft

The tax season is an exciting time for taxpayers and criminals alike. While the vast majority of consumers will file their taxes and receive any refunds due without incident, an unlucky few will learn during the process that returns have already been filed in their names by scammers.

If you run into problems when you file, you may be a victim of tax identity theft. The following are indications that someone may have misused your identity to file a fraudulent return:

• multiple returns were filed under your Social Security number,

• you receive a letter or refund check regarding a return you did not file, or

• you owe additional taxes or are facing collection actions for a year you did not file a return.

The risk of tax identity theft is very real in Wisconsin. In recent years, tax identity theft has been a key element of identity theft complaints received by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Notably, tax identity theft was a factor in 75% of the identity theft complaints filed in 2016.

Before you file, you can check whether a 2017 Wisconsin income tax return has been filed in your name by visiting the Wisconsin Department of Revenue website (https://revenue.wi.gov; click on the "Online Services" link at the top of the homepage).

If you believe that you may be the victim of tax identity theft, report the suspected fraud by phone to the IRS (1-800-829-0433) and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (1-608-266-2486). DATCP's Consumer Protection Bureau offers a Tax ID Theft packet online (https://datcp.wi.gov) to assist consumers with next steps to protect against additional harm, and callers to the agency's Consumer Protection Hotline (1-800-422-7128) can inquire about ways to further protect their identities.

NOTE: The IRS advises taxpayers to continue paying their taxes and filing their returns even if they suspect that they may be victims of identity theft.

Protect yourself when you file your taxes:

• If filing your return online, make sure your operating system and antivirus software are up to date and set up strong passwords for your tax software login.

• If you are working with a tax preparation service and see any questionable practices, report the suspicious behavior to DATCP.

  • Questionable practices might include tax returns being filed on your behalf without your consent, not receiving copies of documents that you signed, or not receiving copies of documents that identify the terms of a transition.

• During the year, follow these simple tips to protect your personally identifiable information:

• Limit the personal details you share online.

• Avoid giving out sensitive information in response to unsolicited calls, emails or text messages.

• Shred unnecessary documents that contain personal information.

• Don't carry cards containing sensitive details like your Social Security or Medicare numbers unless you specifically need them (for an appointment, for example).

• The IRS, United States Treasury and Wisconsin Department of Revenue will NEVER call and threaten you with arrest or legal action about back taxes. Any phone calls of this nature are scams.

• Use online security best practices:

  • Learn how to recognize phishing emails and text messages.

  • Never click on links that could redirect you to imposter websites that appear legitimate.

  • Never download attachments in emails from unknown senders or in emails that seem suspicious.

For additional information or to file a complaint, visit the Consumer Protection Bureau at https://datcp.wi.gov, call the Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-422-7128 or send an e-mail to datcphotline@wisconsin.gov.

Be Prepared to Vote

Do you have the ID you need to vote? Check. If not, start the process for free ID to vote now

The Wisconsin 2018 spring primary election is weeks away and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) wants to be sure people know how to obtain identification, free of charge, which is valid for voting.

Most people already have valid identification for voting purposes (driver license, identification card, military or student ID card, etc.). There is no separate “voter ID.” Anyone unsure if their identification meets the requirements should visit the Wisconsin Elections Commission website to check.

For anyone who need identification to show at the polls for voting, the DMV offers free Wisconsin IDs and has a process, called Voter ID Petition Process, if the required documents needed for an ID are not readily available. This process, available free of charge, can be used to quickly obtain a receipt valid to take to the polls for voting while the remaining documents or verifications are obtained. A list of the required documents, such as a birth certificate, are available at wisconsindmv.gov.

Anyone with questions related to obtaining an ID to vote should call the DMV’s Voter ID hotline at (844) 588-1069. However, DMV does not have information regarding voter eligibility, poll locations, voter registration information or other election information. The Wisconsin Elections Commission has the details.

Start now at http://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/online-srvcs/external/dmv.aspx or at a local DMV Customer Service Center. To find a DMV, check hours, services and wait times, visit wisconsindmv.gov\centers.

Ski or Hike by Candlelight

More than 20 candlelight events (skiing and hiking) are scheduled at state park, forest and other DNR properties across Wisconsin over the next three weekends.

Check out upcoming events near us by visiting the Wisconsin Tourism website or  https://appletondowntown.org/upcoming-events/ and if you run into me while you’re out and about be sure to stop and say hi!

"Like" Representative Murphy's Facebook Page

I use Facebook to update constituents more frequently on my work in Madison and the 56th Assembly District. I look forward to using this as another way to connect with constituents and encourage you to follow it and watch for regular updates.