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Greetings and all my best to you. As of April 15, state legislators are prohibited from sending out E-Updates and state publications due to elections board regulations and state statute 11.33. As such, I thought it would be appropriate to include some reflections and information related to this legislative session. The video featured at the top of this message shares some of those reflections.

This term, I have continued to focus on developing a legislative strategy on which our district and the state of Wisconsin can grow in the areas of healthcare, workforce development, technology, education, and protecting our most vulnerable citizens. There were a number of wins in the state budget which I fought for that are already having a positive impact on the 70^th. For example, this session’s budget includes:

The largest investment ever in K-12 Education with increases in state aid to school districts of $639 million dollars over the biennium while still protecting taxpayer’s investment by directing additional money to the classroom.
Two new programs related to student mental health:

1) School Mental Health Aid to reimburse schools for costs related to providing mental health services to students, and
2) Community and School Mental Health Collaboration Grants to help schools connect with area health providers to meet student needs

Provisions for the Department of Health Services to help educate and train allied health professionals and advanced practice clinicians in rural parts of our state. This means an increased opportunity to educate, train, and keep nurses, physician assistants, anesthesiologists, dieticians, and occupational therapists at our local hospitals and healthcare facilities.
Increases in funding for the disproportionate share hospitals (DSH) and critical access care facilities we have in our communities.
Small Business Protection. Requiring the Department of Revenue to use statistical sampling when auditing small businesses, ensuring the Department of Revenue is able to conduct an adequate audit while protecting small businesses from onerous, costly audits.
The restoration of funds for the Wisconsin Institute of Sustainable Technology (WIST). The Wisconsin Institute of Sustainable Technology is the economic development and entrepreneurial arm of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. WIST is a public-private partnership between UW-Stevens Point and private industry. They support Wisconsin's agriculture, paper, food processing, and food packaging industries, among others, through collaborative research and innovation partnerships.
A modernized fee and license structure for pesticides, fertilizers, soil or plant additives, and inspections while ensuring funding to protect our environment and reducing the bureaucratic burden on our farmers and the agricultural community.

In addition to that, Rural Access to Healthcare has continued to be an area of focus for me legislatively. I authored, and the Assembly passed Assembly Bill 305, which creates a new grant program for language interpretation services provided in medical clinics and hospitals that are located in rural areas or that serve medically underserved populations in the state.

I also authored Assembly Bill 500, the enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact, which was passed by both houses of the Legislature and signed by the Governor at the end of last year. The Compact provides an opportunity for nurses in Wisconsin to receive a multi-state nursing license and allows nurses from other states to quickly fill vacancies in Wisconsin without having to obtain a duplicative single-state license. Nearly all Wisconsin nurses currently enjoy the benefits of an interstate license authorized by the existing compact and will continue to have the benefit of an interstate license under the new compact. The bill allows Wisconsin to continue offering a voluntary, alternative process to expedite multi-state nurse licensure and will not interfere with Wisconsin’s ability to hold any nurse practicing in Wisconsin accountable for meeting all Wisconsin nurse practice laws. These were two pieces of legislation that passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.

Last but surely not least, my office and I were able to assist numerous individuals and organizations in the district resolve various constituent inquiries, ranging from helping someone receive a new BadgerCare card for his daughter, to helping get the Tomah Boy Scout Cabin on the State of Wisconsin and National Register of Historic Places, to helping the Little Falls Railroad Museum in Sparta get connected with some state Department of Tourism resources, and much more.

Helping individuals and organizations work efficiently and effectively with state agencies is an important part of my role as a legislator and I’m more than happy to do it! I’ve included a short video below which highlights some work I was able to do with Tomah Memorial Hospital and their expansion project.

It remains an honor and a privilege to serve the outstanding citizens of the 70^th District. There are a number of accomplishments to be proud of, but there’s still more work to do. I look forward to continuing the progress we’ve made together.

Please continue to utilize my legislative website, legis.wisconsin.gov/
assembly/70/vandermeer, and follow Rep. Nancy VanderMeer on Facebook to communicate with me and receive up to date information and communication.

Sincerely,

Nancy VanderMeer
70th Assembly District Representative

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