Highway 15 |
I’ve been working hard to secure funding for
safety improvements to Highway 15, meeting with both Governors
Walker and Evers on this issue to push the project forward.
Following yesterday’s tragic accident, I
met with members of the governor’s office and the Department of
Transportation to reaffirm my support for moving this project
along in an expedient way. I appreciate that the governor has
included dollars in his budget to move the project forward and
plan to continue working to persuade my legislative colleagues
that this vital project needs additional support.
|
Eliminating Evers' Excesses |
After any governor introduces their version
of the budget, it moves next to the legislature (specifically
the Joint Finance Committee), where the people of Wisconsin have
the opportunity for their local representatives to weigh in on
what to keep, what to remove, and what to add. No governor’s
proposed budget, Republican or Democratic, has moved through
this process without significant changes from the legislature.
This important check on executive power ensures that everyone
gets a say in the budget process, and not just the majority of
the people who live in Madison and Milwaukee.
The Joint Finance Committee began the
process of legislative review by removing non-fiscal policy
proposals from the governor’s budget bill. The full list of
items removed can be
read online here. Any of these non-budget proposals can be
brought forward in a separate bill; however, since they aren’t
related to the financial position of our state, they don’t
belong in the biennial budget bill. The committee also took
the prudent action of removing certain fiscal items that would
move the state backward, such as acceptance of federal medicaid
expansion funding (with all the strings attached that will hurt
patients, doctors, and our health care infrastructure).
There’s still time to take my spring
survey. Click on the button below to fill it out online now.
|
Protecting the Most
Vulnerable |
This week the Assembly Committee on Health
debated and recommended bills related to preserving the lives
of the most vulnerable, specifically directed at prohibiting
abortions in order to weed out characteristics of a child, such
as sexual orientation or gender. I was appalled at the
Democratic opposition to such a common sense proposal.
Click on the image above to see my
impassioned plea to my Democratic colleagues to stand up for
what’s right and push back against the most extreme members of
their party, who wish to see “choice,” extended until after a
child is already born.
|
Holding Higher Ed
Accountable |
Thursday, as chair of the Assembly
Committee on Colleges and Universities, I called an
informational hearing on the state budget as it relates to the
University of Wisconsin System, the Wisconsin Technical Colleges
System, and the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges
and Universities. Presidents Ray Cross (UWS), Morna Foy (WTCS),
and Rolf Wegenke (WAICU) had the opportunity to present their budget
proposals to the committee and answer questions from committee
members. Despite excesses in many areas, I was disappointed to
see a lack of funding in the governor’s budget for workforce
development in higher education and no additional performance
based funding.
This week the non-partisan
Legislative
Audit Bureau also issued a report that demonstrates UW System is
a mixed bag in which some campuses are clearly applying the best
financial practices, while others still have a long way to go.
The report raises important questions about
implementation of previous audit recommendations, particularly
those related to UW institutions’ relationships with outside
organizations, which were brought to light by
illegal activity at UW-Oshkosh involving their foundation.
I’m looking forward to hearing more from
the auditors and UW leaders about progress being made to
responsibly manage funds collected from students and taxpayers.
Above all, my hope is to restore the
public’s faith in how money is being spent by our universities.
|
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 200 Sales and use tax exemptions for
precious metals and cryptocurrency.
Assembly Joint Resolution 39 Proclaiming May 2019
as Paper and Forestry Products Month in Wisconsin.
Assembly Joint Resolution 35 Proclaiming May 2019
as Lyme Disease Awareness Month.
|
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 have a Facebook page so I can continually engage with you on
important topics facing the state. Please like it by
clicking here! 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.
|
"Like" Representative Murphy's
Official Facebook Page
|
Welcome!
I live in Greenville, but have an
office at the State Capitol in Madison. If you are in
downtown Madison, please feel free to stop by and say
hello! Just go to the information desk in the rotunda,
and they can direct you on how to find my office, 318
North. At the bottom of each e-update, you'll see my
office contact information.
If your school or group plans to tour the Capitol
building, please let me know in advance. I'd
love to visit with you for a few minutes and take a
group photo.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.
|
|
To unsubscribe from this newsletter, reply with
"unsubscribe" in the subject line. |