April 6, 2018

Working for you!

Murphy Bill Puts Podiatry on Better Footing

On Tuesday, Governor Walker signed the Delegation of Podiatry Act, 2017 Act 227, which I authored with Senator Jerry Petrowski.

This law is a win for anyone seeking access to quality, affordable podiatric care. Patients will see decreased wait times, decreased medical costs, and better access to the quality health care they deserve. Improving access to critical foot care is something that every senior citizen understands the need for. When the podiatrists approached me with the idea for this bill, I immediately recognized how my own mother, who passed away in 2015, would have benefited from this improvement in our laws.

The new law allows podiatrists to delegate non-surgical medical services to physician assistants and advanced nurse practitioners. Previously, only podiatrists were permitted to perform these services. The bill was advanced by the Wisconsin Podiatric Medical Association and passed both the Senate and Assembly with bipartisan support.

The addition of medical professionals who may partner with podiatrists will result in faster, more efficient, and more affordable care for all of our citizens, but especially our senior citizens who need to use these services more often as they age.

To keep up with the need for specialized health care, physician assistants and advanced nurse practitioners have begun playing a more prominent role in patient care. Both professions require years of specialized education and national certifications that allow them to work alongside physicians.

Pictured left to right: Rep. Dave Murphy, Amanda Soelle, Michael Moscicke, Dr. Robert Rawski, Diane Handrick, Governor Scott Walker, Dr. Jason Boudrreau, Steve Conway, Sen. Jerry Petrowski, and Kelsey Kleist.

Winneconne Businesses Are Still Open

Road construction season may have begun, but Winneconne is still open for business! Don't let the detours scare you away from downtown, where the businesses need your support more than ever.

You can find a list of impacted businesses by visiting the Village of Winneconne Facebook page here:  https://www.facebook.com/Winneconne/posts/1870342333000296

Tornado Awareness Week

April 9-13 is Wisconsin’s Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week. Wisconsin Emergency Management, the National Weather Service (NWS) and the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association (WBA) have once again teamed up to sponsor the statewide tornado drills scheduled for Thursday, April 12.

Schools, businesses, families, and individuals have two opportunities to test their emergency plans during the April 12 statewide tornado drills. The drills are part of the annual spring severe weather campaign to encourage everyone in Wisconsin to be ready for possible tornadoes and severe weather.

According to the NWS, Wisconsin averages 23 tornadoes annually. Last year, there were 23 tornado touchdowns in the state. While most were either EF0 or EF1, the state did record an EF3 on May 16, 2017. The tornado followed an 83-mile path across Polk, Barron, Rusk, and Price counties, killing one person and causing widespread damage. The state also experienced an outbreak of 10 tornadoes on June 14, 2017, across Shawano, Winnebago, Outagamie, Brown, and Waushara counties.

A mock tornado watch will be issued April 12 at 1 p.m., followed by a statewide mock tornado warning at 1:45 p.m. Many radio and TV stations across the state will issue the test tornado warnings. In addition, mock alerts will be issued on NOAA Weather Radios and many communities will sound their tornado sirens to test their emergency severe weather plans. Later, a mock tornado warning will be issued at 6:45 p.m. to give families and second-shift workers a chance to practice their emergency plans.

The tornado drill will take place even if the sky is cloudy, dark or rainy. If actual severe storms are expected in the state on Thursday, April 12, the tornado drills will be postponed until Friday, April 13 with the same times. If severe storms are possible Friday, the drills will be cancelled.

Any changes will be issued to local media as well as posted on the ReadyWisconsin website at http://readywisconsin.wi.gov.  Updates will also be posted on Facebook www.facebook.com/ReadyWisconsin, Twitter www.twitter.com/ReadyWisconsin, and Instagram www.instagram.com/ReadyWisconsin.

Farmers Targeted in Grant Scam

Wisconsin farmers are receiving telephone calls about supposed grants from the "Federal Crop Registry." Call recipients are left a message with a phone number to call and are told they have three days to respond to the offer. If you receive this message, take no further action.

• This operation appears to be a scam.

• There is no "Federal Crop Registry" program.

• The number listed in the message is no longer in service.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will not call you and offer grant money. While the USDA does provide grants, you must apply for them in writing (typically online).

Government grant scams are common, with scammers calling consumers and offering free money through federal programs. Grant scammers generally follow a script: they congratulate you on your eligibility, then ask for your checking account information so they can "deposit your grant directly into your account" or cover a one-time "processing fee." The caller may even reassure you that you can get a refund if you are not satisfied. You will never see the grant they promise; they will disappear with your money.

For more information on grant scams, review DATCP's Government Grant Scams fact sheet.

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

Murphy Newsletter in Your Mailbox

My spring newsletter summarizing this legislative session should have arrived in your mailbox recently. If you'd like an electronic version, just let me know by emailing me at Rep.Murphy@legis.wi.gov 

Upcoming Events

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.