The 2016 legislative session has wrapped up and the following is a list of bills that I have been working on this past session. I’m always happy to obtain feedback from you on issues concerning the 72nd Assembly district.

YELLOW ALERT: Yesterday, Wednesday 30th, Governor Walker signed Assembly Bill 35, the Yellow Alert Bill into law. The Yellow Alert legislation creates an alert system, similar to the Amber Alert. It will work to spread information about hit and run incidents in order to increase the likelihood of making an arrest. A yellow alert would be sent in the most severe cases in which additional information is available about the incident that could identify the person or vehicle involved, and sending an alert could help avert further harm or aid in apprehending the person involved. Using technology already available to us, alert systems like this have been implemented in other states and have been very successful,


(Honored to have been joined by the Week family, whose daughter Deidre Weeks’ tragic death inspired this bill.)

Just over twenty years ago, a small community in Wood County was shocked by the hit and run death of a young girl simply riding her bike near her home. The cowardly perpetrator in that crime was never caught. With the Yellow Alert system now in place, we can help protect innocent victims from similar cowardly acts in the future.

U.S. FOREIGN SERVICE: Assembly Bill 370 that I authored was signed into law by Governor Walker on Wednesday. Assembly Bill 370, now referred to as 2015 Wisconsin Act 323 passed through both houses of the legislature with unanimous bipartisan committee votes and with broad bipartisan votes on the Assembly and Senate floor.


(With Governor Walker, fellow legislator and staff for the Foreign Service bill signing.)

Under current law, persons on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces are accorded certain privileges related to vehicle registration and motor vehicle operator licensing. Under 2015 Act 323, each of the privileges is also accorded to persons on active duty in the U.S. Foreign Service.

Members of the U. S. Foreign Service Are deployed worldwide, often in dangerous conditions. They are assigned to our embassies and other overseas missions and represent the United States at 270 Embassies and Consulates in 170 countries. As of May 2015, the Foreign Service has lost 247 men and women serving our country overseas. Wisconsin is home to approximately 50 individuals on active duty with the U. S. Foreign Service that we be able to enjoy the same benefits accorded to their brothers and sisters in the armed services deployed overseas on active duty.

COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY LEGISLATION:

On Monday March 28th Governor Walker signed the College Affordability legislative bill package into law. The following bills, Assembly Bill 740, Assembly Bill 741, and Assembly Bill 744 will create better more affordable opportunities for students across Wisconsin.


(Governor Walker signs several of the college affordability bills at Mid-State Technical College in Wisconsin Rapids)

Assembly Bill 740 will provide need-based grants to technical college students who are enrolled at least half-time in school. Eligible students may receive anywhere from $500-$1,084 to assist with tuition costs. Before AB740 was amended, the amount of funding for grant program was not enough to meet the demand of all eligible students and some were placed on a waiting list and didn’t receive aid. The amendment to AB740 allows for additional funding so that all eligible students are receiving aid.

Assembly Bill 741 creates a small emergency grant program to cover any unplanned financial emergencies that college students may have. The bill is only applicable to 2-year colleges and technical schools and will not apply to 4-year universities. There will be a brief application process and eligible students must have an Expected Family Contributed (EFC) under $5,000, as calculated by the FASFA.

Assembly Bill 744 which I coauthored with fellow Representative Dave Murphy requires all higher education institutions in Wisconsin to provide a financial literacy letter to students at the beginning of every academic year and during a student’s first semester. This financial literacy letter, which has no state fiscal effect, will contain important information regarding the student’s loan to date, such as loan amounts, interest amounts, and projected monthly payments, etc. so that students are more informed about their financial status and can make better financial decisions in their future.

On Friday, April 1st I will be on WFHR 1320 AM’s The Morning Magazine with Carl Hilke at 10am to give a legislative update, discuss local issues and other topics that concern the 72nd Assembly District and surrounding areas. If you have questions of your own, the telephone lines should be open, so feel free to call the station at #715-424-2600 and #1320 on US Cellular phones or listen online at www.wfhr.com.

Starting the first week of May I will be holding public listening sessions to answer questions and gain feedback on local issues pertaining to this past legislative session. The following are the dates, times and locations of the public listening sessions:

MONDAY MAY 2
5:00pm-7:00pm: Almond Village Hall 122 Main St. Almond, WI 54909

TUESDAY MAY 3
4:00pm-6:00pm: Village of Coloma Town Hall 155 North Front St. Coloma, WI 54930

THURSDAY MAY 5
5:00pm-7:00: Adams County Community Center Room 145B 569 North Cedar St. Adams, WI 53910

FRIDAY MAY 6
5:00pm-7:00pm: McMillan Memorial Library: Fine Arts Center: 490 E. Grand Ave. Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494

On Saturday, July 23, 2016, Adams County will be sponsoring an Ag and Household Hazardous Waste Clean Sweep where citizens of Adams County will have the opportunity to properly and safely dispose of unwanted and hazardous materials. Also at the event they will be offering discounted appliance and tire disposal and free pharmaceutical disposal. For anyone who is interested in volunteering for the event for all or part of the day, please contact Brenda Quinnell at 608-339-9178 or brenda.quinnell@co.adams.wi.us.

 National Retirement Planning Week 2016, which will take place on April 11-15, is an effort to promote the importance of retirement planning and demonstrate that Americans can retire on their own terms if retirement plans are properly developed and managed. One way you can get involved is by visiting the National Retirement Planning Coalition’s consumer website, RetireOnYourOwnTerms.org, which offers retirement planning tools and important resources for attaining a financially secure retirement.