Representative Lisa Subeck's E-Newsletter


February 23, 2018

 

Contact Me

 

418 North, State Capitol

P.O. Box 8953

Madison, WI 53708

 

PH: (608) 266-7521

TF: (888) 534-0078

FAX: (608) 282-3690

 

rep.subeck@legis.wi.gov

Website

 

Things happening in the district & around Madison


Ecological Restoration Work Party
Arboretum Core Area & Curtis Prairie
Saturday, February 24
9:00am – 12:00pm

UW Madison Arboretum
1207 Seminole Highway

Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training provided. Groups welcome with advance notice. Meet at the Visitor Center.

 


Signs of Spring Walk
Sunday, February 25
1:00pm – 2:30pm

UW Madison Arboretum
1207 Seminole Highway

Even in the February cold, plants have buds and birds and mammals prepare for a warmer season. Free, no registration required. Meet at the Visitor Center.

 


Sunday Cinematheque at the Chazen- The Guilt of Janet Ames
Sunday, February 25
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Chazen Museum of Art- Auditorium
750 University Avenue

The widowed and guilt-ridden Janet (Russell) sets out to meet the fellow platoon members of her late husband, who threw himself on a grenade to save his comrades’ lives. Struck by a car and overcome with hysterical paralysis, Janet is visited in the hospital by one of the men (Douglas) who tells her about his fellow soldiers through a series of “vivid word pictures”. Dream therapy, shared visions, and Caesar’s spoof of Freudian analysis are just a few of the many wacky ingredients in this fascinating melodrama/love story, the sort of which “typify an era that encourage risky storytelling choices” (David Bordwell).

 


Preschool Storytime
Monday, February 26
10:30am- 11:15 am

Meadowridge Library
5726 Raymond Rd

A happy blend of stories, fingerplays and songs that help preschool children develop print and phonologic awareness, vocabulary, letter knowledge and narrative skills. Registration not required.
 


A to Z: Intro to Machine Shorthand Program
Tuesday, February 27
5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Alicia Ashman Library
733 N High Point Rd

This 8-week course, sponsored by the NCRA (National Court Reporters' Association) and the WCRA (Wisconsin Court Reporters' Association) serves as an introduction to court reporting. Instructions and materials for participants will be provided free of charge. Participants must register with WCRA for the full 8-week series (January 16-March 6).
 


West Madison Senior Coalition Free Lunches
Tuesday-Thursday,
February 27, 28, & March 1
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Meadowridge Library
5726 Raymond Rd.

Nutritious meals are offered to those 60 and older. The meal is served at noon and participants must arrive on time. The suggested minimum donation is $4.00 but participants are encouraged to pay what they can afford. Transportation to the meal is available with an additional $1.00 donation. Meal and bus reservations or cancellations should be made by noon the preceding day by calling 238-0196.

 


Chess Club
Wednesday, February 28
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Meadowridge Library
5726 Raymond Rd


Learn how to play chess and play against others with varied levels of experience. Children under 7 must be accompanied by an adult.
 


Anji Play Date
Wednesday, February 28
10:30 am - 12:30 pm

Lussier Community Center
55 S Gammon

The library will provide play and art materials especially chosen to encourage highly engaged, self-determined play. When kids are done, they'll create a Play Story depicting their play that day. Messy clothes recommended. Open to all ages.

 


WMSC Movie Day- Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down The White House
Wednesday, February 28
1:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Alicia Ashman Library
733 N High Point Rd

West Madison Senior Center Programs are designated to provide opportunities for learning, socializing and community involvement.
 


Knitting at the Library
Thursday, March 1
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Meadowridge Library
5726 Raymond Rd

Learn to knit or bring your current project. Supplies provided. Children under 8 must have an adult present.
 


Drop in Preschool Storytime
Thursday, March 1
9:30 am - 10:15 am

Alicia Ashman Library
733 N High Point Rd

A happy blend of stories, fingerplays and songs that help preschool children develop print ans phonologic awareness, vocabulary, letter knowledge and narrative skills. Groups welcome. Siblings welcome. No registration required.
 


Minecraft Club
Thursday, March 1
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm

Meadowridge Library
5726 Raymond Rd

Bring your own device, or play with friends on our server. No account necessary, ages 17 and under.Sign up for 30 minute turns based on attendance. Funded in part by a gift from the Irwin A. & Robert D. Goodman Foundation.
 


Storytime for the very young
Friday, March 2
10:30 am - 11:15 am

Meadowridge Library
5726 Raymond Rd

Enjoy stories, songs and rhymes. No registration required.
 


Visiting the Capitol
Whether you are planning a visit to the state Capitol as part of a large group, small gathering, or just by yourself, our office can assist you in scheduling a free guided tour of the Capitol building during normal business hours.

Free tours are offered daily, year round. Tours depart from the ground floor Information Desk Monday through Saturday at 9:00, 10:00, 11:00 am and 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 pm; and Sundays at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 pm. A 4:00 pm tour is offered Memorial Day through Labor Day. The sixth floor museum and observation deck are also open during the summer months.

 

 
 

 

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

 

Yesterday, the Assembly adjourned for what Republicans are saying they hope will be our last session day of the year. During this session, Republicans have refused to even consider proposals to address our crumbling roads and bridges, raise stagnant wages, and increase access to health care, education, and family supporting jobs.

In this week’s newsletter, you will find information about a bill I introduced to combat Medicaid fraud, news from the Assembly Floor this week, and an update on a few of my bills that are on track to become law.


If you have any questions or need assistance with any matter, please feel free to contact my office.

Sincerely,

Lisa Subeck
State Representative
78th Assembly District

 


Combatting Medicaid Fraud
Yesterday, I introduced a bill to reinstate the False Claims Act. This bill restores the ability of a private individual, or whistleblower, to bring a qui tam claim against a person or entity who makes a false claim for Medicaid. A qui tam claim, as it relates to the Medical Assistance program under the bill, is a claim initiated by a private individual on his or her own behalf and on the behalf of the state against a person or entity who makes a fraudulent claim for Medical Assistance. The bill provides, as did the law before its 2015 repeal, that of moneys recovered as a result of a qui tam claim, a private individual may be awarded up to 30% of the amount recovered, depending upon the extent the individual’s contribution to the prosecution of the action.

As a result of the False Claims Act between 2012 and 2014 alone, Wisconsin recovered $28 million from companies who were caught defrauding the state’s Medicaid program. Republicans, under Governor Walker’s leadership, repealed Wisconsin’s False Claims Act in the 2015 state budget bill.

Under federal law, states are allowed to enact a False Claims Act enabling them to collect triple damages in these Medicaid fraud cases. Since the Wisconsin law was repealed, it is estimated that the state has lost over $11 million in settlement money from companies caught defrauding the Medicaid program. Most notably, as a direct result of repealing the False Claims Act, Wisconsin collected $695,430 less than it should have in the national settlement against drug manufacturer, Mylan, for underpaying Medicaid rebates.

Republicans should never had repealed the False Claims Act. It is time to get serious about ending fraud in Medicaid and holding those who take advantage of taxpayers for their own financial gain accountable for their actions.
 


Republicans Refuse to Close Background Check Loophole
On Tuesday, Democrats moved to consider AB 65, which would require universal background checks for all firearm sales. Republicans voted down the measure that would have required background checks, amending the bill in a classic bait and switch to remove any background check requirement.

Less than one week ago, a 19-year-old entered a Florida high school with a semiautomatic AR-15 rifle and killed seventeen people, many of them students. The school shooting last week was the eighth school shooting to have resulted in death or injury during the first seven weeks of 2018.

We have all heard the voices of young people, standing up and speaking out since the school shooting in Parkland. As elected officials, we have a responsibility to heed their call to action. We can end the epidemic of gun violence so no family must fear for their children’s safety whether at home, at school, or out in the community.

In Wisconsin, federally licensed dealers are required to perform a background check on all firearm sales, but private sellers are not. AB 65, as it was originally introduced, would have closed this loophole in Wisconsin law and ensure that a background check is performed before any gun purchase, whether done through a licensed dealer, at a gun show, online, or anywhere else.

Republicans spent hours Tuesday doing everything they could procedurally to avoid a vote on requiring background checks for all gun purchases, making me wonder why they are so afraid. Unfortunately, Republicans and the NRA have blocked even the most common sense measures, like requiring background checks for all gun purchases, at every turn. Our children and our families cannot wait another day, another year, or for the next legislative session. The time to prevent gun violence is now.

 


This Week on the Assembly Floor


Tuesday
Assembly Republicans passed Assembly Bill 759 which will exempt the rent-to-own industry from the Wisconsin Consumer Act and eliminate interest rate disclosure requirements for rent-to-own transactions. For years, Wisconsin residents have benefited from protection against the predatory tactics and questionable practices of the rent-to-own industry through the Wisconsin Consumer Act and interest rate disclosure requirements. With passage of this bill, Republicans have again put moneyed special interests ahead of the people of Wisconsin by giving these companies carte blanche to take advantage of vulnerable consumers with impunity. Republicans have sold out to the predatory rent-to-own industry, leaving Wisconsin consumers to literally pay the price.

Wednesday
Assembly Bill 953 passed the Assembly on a unanimous vote. Under the bill, Lincoln Hills, Wisconsin’s troubled youth corrections facility which has been under investigation throughout much of Governor Walker’s time in office, will close at the beginning of 2021 and the Department of Corrections could then decide whether to turn it into an adult prison.

The bill will make $25 million available for the state to open one or more new prisons for the most serious juvenile offenders, including those convicted of homicide, armed robbery and sexual assault. Under the bill, there will be $15 million for the Mendota Juvenile Treatment Center to expand to accommodate at least 29 new offenders. The state would also make $40 million available in grants for counties to help pay for costs to house the less serious offenders.

Since entering office in 2011, the Walker Administration has been well aware of the problems that have existed at Lincoln Hills. It has taken far too long for the problems with Lincoln Hills to be addressed.

Thursday
On the last day of the Assembly floor session, I had hoped we would pass more bills that would make a positive difference in the lives of Wisconsin residents, but Republicans have continually refused to address the issues that matter most to ordinary Wisconsinites.

You might have heard that Wisconsin has a budget surplus, but that is only true if you cook the books and use accounting tricks. If you examine the state budget like any family, small business, or local government budget, then the state presently has a $1.6 billion budget deficit. Nevertheless, Assembly Republicans moved ahead with an election year gimmick to create a one-time $100 sales tax rebate per child and create a sales tax holiday over the first weekend in August.

Assembly Republicans also passed Assembly Bill 748, a bill which takes away the ability of local communities to set fair employment standards based on their own needs and values. While the state has an important role in protecting our workforce and enforcing workplace standards, we should set the floor, not the ceiling on things like fair employment standards and living wages. Democrats continue standing up for the regular folks in our local communities, even as Republicans engage in a race to the bottom on behalf of big money special interests.

 


State Assembly Proclaims March 19 as Wisconsin Celebrating Women in Public Office Day
Yesterday, the State Assembly passed Assembly Joint Resolution 105, which I author, that proclaims March 19 to be “Celebrating Women in Public Office Day” in Wisconsin. While the twentieth century was a pivotal time of growth for women entering politics, women remain underrepresented. In Wisconsin, only 25% of the state legislative seats are represented by women. On March 19, during Women’s History Month, municipalities and states across the nation will unite to support the success of women in public office. Additionally, there are activities, events, and programs scheduled which will recognize the importance of women in public office throughout the country. Now more than ever we need more strong women serving in elected positions at all levels of government.
 


Good News: Three Authored Bills Advance
Two bills I authored passed the State Senate this week and now head to the Governor’s desk. The first of these bills (AB 85) will allow municipal officials to serve as election officials. Prior to 2016, it was not unusual for members of City Councils and Village or Town Boards to serve as poll workers on Election Day. The practice was discontinued after an attorney from the League of Wisconsin Municipalities provided a legal opinion that the practice is actually prohibited under state statute. The City of Madison alone lost four highly experienced chief polling inspectors due to the new interpretation of current law. This bill will provide a common sense fix to state law by once again allowing local elected officials to serve as election officials, as had previously been the widely accepted practice.

Another bill headed to the governor’s desk is AB 787, which would create a grant program for counties, non-profits, and tribes to fund initiatives that support foster families as they strive to provide normalcy for Wisconsin’s foster care population. This legislation will help us retain foster families and support foster children by providing flexible funding that may be used for necessary resources, specialized training to meet individual needs, and to cover expenses that help foster children achieve normalcy.

This bill was a part of the Foster Forward package of bills that came out of the Foster Care Task Force I served on last year. These bills are important first steps in improving the lives of children and families in our foster care system. The Foster Forward bills now await votes in both the full Senate and Assembly.

Another bipartisan bill I authored, AB 836, passed the State Assembly and now moves on to the State Senate. AB 836 ensures that as Dane County grows, laws designed specifically for Milwaukee County will not be arbitrarily applied to our county as well.
 


Notice: 2018 Wisconsin Conservation Congress Spring Meeting
The 2018 Wisconsin Conservation Congress Spring Hearing questionnaire is now available online. You can access that by clicking here. Each county will host a public hearing on Monday, April 9th where individuals interested in natural resources management will have an opportunity to provide input on local and statewide conservation issues.

Here in Dane County, the meeting will take places at Monona Grove High School in the auditorium (4400 Monona Drive, Monona, WI 53716).
 


Reminder: Tax Scams Around Every Corner
This year’s tax season is a particularly active time for criminals who are targeting taxpayers. It is important to remember that if the Wisconsin Department of Revenue or Internal Revenue Service need to reach you, they will send you a letter in the US Mail. Neither of these agencies will send you emails or call you. If you receive a threatening phone call from someone claiming to be with one of these agencies – simply hang up.

Some tax scams involve stealing your identity and filing fraudulent returns. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is advising taxpayers of some things that are indications that someone may have misused your identity to file a fraudulent return:
-multiple returns were filed under your Social Security number,
-you receive a letter or refund check regarding a return you did not file, or
-you owe additional taxes or are facing collection actions for a year you did not file a return.

The risk of tax identity theft is very real in Wisconsin. In 2016 alone, tax identity theft was a factor in 75% of the identity theft complaints filed.

Before you file, you can check whether a 2017 Wisconsin income tax return has been filed in your name by visiting the Wisconsin Department of Revenue website (https://revenue.wi.gov; click on the “Online Services” link at the top of the homepage).

If you believe that you may be the victim of tax identity theft, report the suspected fraud by phone to the IRS(1-800-829-0433) and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (1-608-266-2486). DATCP’s Consumer Protection Bureau offers a Tax ID Theft packet online (https://datcp.wi.gov) to assist consumers with next steps to protect against additional harm, and callers to the agency’s Consumer Protection Hotline (1-800-422-7128) can inquire about ways to further protect their identities.

 


Wisconsin Fun Fact: Black History Month
In recognition of Black History Month, February’s fun facts will highlight pioneering achievements and contributions of African Americans with a connection to Madison. Black History Month gives us all an opportunity to recognize the significant contributions people of African heritage have made and continue to make today.

Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun was the first play written by an African American woman to be produced on Broadway. Hansberry attended the University of Wisconsin in the late 1940s. When she wrote A Raisin in the Sun, she used the perspective of her own family’s harsh experiences as Africans Americans moved into an all-white Chicago neighborhood.

Hansberry died of cancer at the very young age of 34.

 

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