April 6, 2017


Legislative session

The Wisconsin State Assembly, this week, passed, unanimously via voice vote, Senate Bill 12 relating to multi-jurisdictional health department consolidation, that I coauthored with Senator Duey Stroebel.  This legislation will now be sent to Governor Scott Walker for his signature.

Senate Bill 12 allows counties and municipalities to consolidate health departments and affords counties with greater flexibility in financing these entities.  Initially, county-county and city-county consolidation were included in the bill language, but an amendment was offered and passed to include city-city and multiple municipal local health departments.  Governing bodies for consolidated health departments were required to use either equalized valuation or a per capita determination to prepare their budget for the following year.

Ozaukee and Washington counties, Shawano and Menominee counties, and several northern Milwaukee suburbs, chiefly, Bayside, Fox Point, and Whitefish Bay have already merged and are operating successfully without employing either of the previously mentioned budget methodologies.  As a result, I authored Assembly Bill 27 (Senate Bill 12), which permits entities interested in consolidating health departments to formulate a budget using their method of choice.  Furthermore, Senate Bill 12 allows more local control for those governing bodies that seek to consolidate health departments.  So long as these entities can agree on a budgetary method, they should be allowed to use the process of their choosing.

Participating in a media availability regarding Senate Bill 12.

HOPE Agenda bills

This week, I joined my colleagues in supporting legislation that brings more tools to Wisconsin in the fight against drug abuse and addiction.  The State Assembly overwhelmingly approved nine bills to expand treatment options and prevention programs to help attack the opioid epidemic that has become ubiquitous in recent years. 

I am confident that these bills will profoundly impact Wisconsin, as we continue to fight the opioid epidemic.  We have focused our efforts on expanding Treatment and Diversion (TAD) programs, improving access to wide-ranging addiction medicine opportunities, and partnering with law enforcement to fight drug trafficking. 

These nine bills are part of the Special Session on Opioid Abuse called by Governor Walker.  The legislation also continues the Assembly Republican efforts on the Heroin, Opioid, Prevention and Education--or HOPE--Agenda.  The legislature overwhelmingly approved seventeen HOPE Agenda bills that became law during the past two sessions.

While this legislative package will go a long way towards combating this epidemic, there is still more work to be done.  I look forward to continuing a strong partnership with the medical community, law enforcement, my fellow elected officials, and recovery advocates as we continue fighting this epidemic.

Waste Heat Bill

This month, Senator Roger Roth (R-Appleton) and I introduced Senate Bill 144, relating to resources eligible for for renewable resource credits.  On Wednesday, April 5, 2017, a public hearing was held in the Senate Committee on Elections and Utilities. 

In foundries, mills, and factories throughout Wisconsin, heat is created as a byproduct from all industrial processes that involve combining raw materials into a useable product.  Too often, heat energy is inadvertently vented through smokestacks and wasted.  Senate Bill 144 designates heat energy as a renewable resource as defined under Wisconsin's Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS).  Including this new collection technology under RPS, will encourage more industries and manufacturers to promote heat-waste collection procedures to lessen utility expenses and potentially use the recovered heat for future energy generation.  I look forward to discussing and debating this legislation with my Assembly colleagues.

Testifying before the Senate Elections and Utilities Committee on behalf of Senate Bill 144.


Town Hall meetings and Spring Survey


Thank you to all of the 60th Assembly District constituents who attended the town hall meeting I participated in with United States Representative, Jim Sensenbrenner, at the Newburg Village Hall on Friday, March 31, 2017.  These events allow me to listen to your concerns and better ascertain which issues are of greatest importance to my constituents.

Participating in a town hall meeting with United States Representative Jim Sensenbrenner

I will be holding listening sessions with Senator Duey Stroebel to obtain feedback from residents of Wisconsin's Sixtieth Assembly District on Governor Scott Walker's biennial budget.  These listening sessions will be held on Tuesday, April 18, 2017 and Wednesday, April 19, 2017.  Members of the public are welcome to attend any of the following listening sessions:

  • Tuesday, April 18, 2017--Port Washington (5:30-6:30 p.m.). W.J. Niederkorn Library, 316 West Grand Avenue, Port Washington.

  • Tuesday, April 18, 2017--Cedarburg (7:00-8:00 p.m.). Cedarburg Police Department Community Room, W75MN444 Wauwatosa Road, Cedarburg.

  • Wednesday, April 19, 2017--Jackson (7:00-8:00 p.m.). Jackson Village Hall, N186W20733 Main Street, Jackson.

Now that the state budget has been introduced, it is imperative for me to obtain feedback from my constituents on this proposal.  This feedback will allow me to better advocate for the priorities of the Sixtieth Assembly District, as the budget moves through the legislative process. 

Participating in a listening session with Senator Duey Stroebel.

My 2017 spring survey hit mailboxes this week.  The spring survey is a great way for me to better ascertain the issues of greatest concern to you.  If you did not receive a paper copy of my survey, you can take the survey online.

2017 Spring Survey


Stay up to date


One of the best ways to stay up to date with what is happening in Madison is to sign up for the legislature's notification tracking service. This service affords you with the opportunity to track legislative activities in Madison.  Upon creation of a free account, you can sign up to receive notifications about specific bills or committees as well as legislative activity pertaining to a subject area (i.e. real estate, education, health).  You can sign up for this service at any time. 

You can also follow me on Facebook to see what I have been doing in Madison and around the 60th Assembly District. Please recommend the page to your friends and family members.

 

 

 


As always, if you have any comments or thoughts regarding the subject of this E-update, please feel free to contact me.

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State Capitol Room 309 North-PO Box 8952, Madison, WI 53708

(608) 267-2369

Email: Rep. Rob.Brooks@legis.Wisconsin.gov