May 17, 2019

Working for you!

Highway 15 Progress

In light of recent fatalities on Highway 15, and after meeting with our local state representatives last week, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced safety improvements it plans to implement soon. My colleagues and I are also pushing to include funding for completion of the Hortonville bypass in the next state budget, on which DOT is developing a construction schedule.

Born Alive Bill Passes Assembly

On Wednesday, the State Assembly adopted a package of bills to protect the rights of unborn children. One bill protects the life of a child who is born alive after a failed abortion attempt, recognizing actions taken against that child’s survival for what they are: murder. Some people claim this bill is unnecessary, since it pertains to something which is already illegal; however, many very good bills do just this. For example, we have passed bills that prohibit the use of cell phones while driving, even though inattentive driving is already illegal, in order to provide the public with clarity about what is and isn’t lawful.

You can watch my floor speech on the bill by clicking on the picture below:

GOP Budget Still Paying Dividends

The current state budget we are operating under, adopted by the Republican legislature and signed by former Governor Walker, paired with the robust Trump economy, is continuing to earn dividends for the people of Wisconsin.

This week, the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau announced an increase of $753 million in state tax revenue above projections used in calculating the current state budget three years ago. Assembly Republicans have announced a proposal to invest the funds in the state’s rainy day fund, debt repayment, or tax relief.

Investment in the rainy day fund protects critical state programs in the case of a recession and ensures that tax increases during the hardest of times won’t be necessary. Using these funds in this manner is far better than expanding the scope of government beyond what we can afford now or in the future.

My Republican colleagues and I are committed to responsible budgeting on behalf of all Wisconsinites. This is an investment in our future. The right thing to do is to save this money in the rainy day fund and dedicate some of it toward tax relief, allowing hard working folks across Wisconsin to keep more of the money they earned fair and square.

The Joint Finance Committee continued to vote on recommedations for the governor's budget this week. Here are some highlights:

• Expanding the clean water fund and safe drinking water loan programs to provide communities across the state with the necessary infrastructure to provide clean water.

• Re-estimating the Lottery Fund to lower property taxes for Wisconsin home owners.

There’s still time to take my spring survey. Click on the button below to fill it out online now.

Hmong Students at the Capitol

Hmong students, many of them from the Appleton area, participated in a government learning experience this week in the Capitol. I had the opportunity to say a few words after the students heard from Lt. Governor Barnes and Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley. I hope you enjoyed your visit!

Attracting Skilled Employees to Wisconsin

I recently had the opportunity to discuss on Wisconsin Public Radio my bill to keep skilled out-of-state University of Wisconsin and Technical College students here once they graduate. Keeping highly educated graduates here in our state, especially when they already know how great Wisconsin is, will go a long way to reduce our shortage of skilled workers.

You can listen to my interview online here:

https://www.wpr.org/grants-seek-retain-out-state-wisconsin-students

New Legislation

Here is the legislation I've authored or co-sponsored since my last update. Click on the links to learn more about each bill or resolution:

Assembly Bill 214
Storage and processing of sexual assault kits and requiring the exercise of rule-making authority.

Assembly Bill 207
Creating and funding a University of Wisconsin Dairy Innovation Hub and making an appropriation.

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.