Elections Updates

Since my last update, I’ve been hard at work on election-related issues. My office is still hearing from dozens of people every week regarding their concerns about Wisconsin election security and our ongoing investigations and audits. Here is a summary of some of the items I’ve been focused on:

Governor Vetoes Election Security Improvements: On August 10, the Governor vetoed six bills: Senate Bills 203, 204, 205, 210, 212, and 292, after having vetoed Assembly Bill 173 earlier this summer. The election security improvements advanced by these bills are widely supported by Wisconsinites and would preempt the need for future investigations like those currently necessary to restore public faith in our elections process. I will continue to push for these election reforms until we have a governor wise enough to sign them into law.

Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections Subpoena:

Recently, the chair of the elections committee I serve on issued a subpoena to Milwaukee and Brown Counties for election-related materials. While neither county has complied based on the grounds that the subpoena has not been signed by the legislature’s leadership, I firmly believe that the requested materials and testimony should be handed over.

Due to public records sunshine laws, my office is required to hand over similar materials all the time and we do so without any issue. It should not be this difficult for the State Legislature to obtain these requested materials. When city and election officials are this resistant to legitimate scrutiny of the role they play in managing our elections, it only creates more public distrust in our election systems. Our investigations are aimed at improving public confidence in elections. Unfortunately, public officials in Milwaukee and Brown County seem to want to do the opposite. 

Investing in Investigations

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has increased the budget for the investigation into the election to $680,000. While it is critical to scrutinize every tax dollar the state spends, I firmly believe that any funding we dedicate to restoring faith in our elections and improving elections security is money well spent.

Future Options for More Secure Ballots

On August 12, The Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections held a hearing on ballot encryption and security paper that Wisconsin could utilize in future elections.

Federal Vaccine/Testing Mandate

I’ve already heard concerns from many constituents about the federal COVID-19 vaccine or weekly testing mandate being advanced by the Biden administration for employers with over 100 employees.

While this rule is still being developed by OSHA, I am adamantly opposed to any vaccine mandate. I have made a personal choice to be vaccinated and I believe that no one should be forced or coerced into getting a vaccine.

As I learn more about this particular mandate, I will share it with you. In the meantime, I’ll point out that both state and federal law protect an employee from discrimination based on the employee’s disability, religion, or other protected characteristic. An employer must attempt to make reasonable accommodations for a person who declines a COVID-19 vaccination for reasons of disability or religious beliefs. Based on the phrasing in the President’s announcement, it appears that a weekly COVID-19 test will be considered and accepted as a reasonable accommodation; however, I’m sure this and other actions being taken by the administration will be challenged and clarified in the near future.

People who are not already vaccinated by this point likely have strong convictions and reasons for not doing so. True leadership would be finding out what those reasons are and addressing them. Americans have never responded well to coercion and big government mandates, and I see this action as a clear failure of leadership. 

Remembering September 11, 2001

UW System President Search Listening Sessions

UW System is beginning the search process for replacing interim President Tommy Thompson. As part of the search, public listening sessions are being held at all four-year campuses around the state. The nearest public sessions to our district are listed below. Click on the image above for more information.

• Friday, September 17 at UW–Green Bay, 9:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.
• Monday, September 27 at UW–Oshkosh, 2:30 P.M. – 4:30 P.M.

Workforce Innovation Grants

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and the Department of Workforce Development launched the Workforce Innovation Grant Program yesterday. The goal of the Workforce Innovation Grant Program is to help regions of Wisconsin solve their most pressing workforce challenges by providing up to $10 million in grant funding to collaborative, sustainable, and innovative pandemic-recovery plans developed by regional organizations. The program encourages the development of leading-edge, long-term solutions that enable businesses to more easily find workers and empower those workers to more successfully prepare for and connect to the family-supporting careers in their regions.

More information, including the application link and supporting materials (grant application guide, application checklist, how-to-apply webinar, and FAQ), can be found here:

https://wedc.org/programs-and-resources/workforce-innovation-grant/

Applications for Round 1 are due no later than 5:00 p.m. on October 25, 2021.

Your Redistricting Input

After unprecedented delays, 2020 Census data has finally been released by the Biden Administration and state legislatures may begin the redistricting process that is constitutionally required every ten years.

The legislature has developed a website for the public to actively participate in the map-drawing process. Any Wisconsin resident can submit a statewide map, regional plan, or community of interest to the legislature.

Submission dates are September 1, 2021 to October 15, 2021.

Visit drawyourdistrictwisconsin.com