Dear Friends and Neighbors,
L'shana tovah to all who celebrate the Jewish New Year!
In this newsletter, you will find information about the state budget and
Foxconn legislation being signed into law, an update on the Equifax data
breach, and an announcement of the Edible Startup Summit happening in
Madison.
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
A
Rigged Budget and Foxconn Boondoggle Become Law
The budget passed by Republicans and signed into law by the Governor is
rigged against working families, putting the interests of a wealthy few
over the needs of ordinary Wisconsinites. This budget is rigged against
working people, small business owners, seniors and individuals with
disabilities, and against our schoolchildren and our most vulnerable
neighbors. Rather than passing a budget that provides opportunities for
hardworking Wisconsinites to get family-supporting jobs, the budget
contains provisions that are purposefully intended to lower the incomes
of working families.
People throughout Wisconsin need to have family supporting jobs that pay
a fair wage. In order to provide those sort of jobs and have steady
economic growth over the long term, I believe that we must strongly
support public education, as well as the University of Wisconsin and the
Wisconsin Technical College System, have laws in place that protect the
ability of people to organize in the work place, and to receive a fair,
prevailing wage for their efforts. This budget falls short and continues
to rig the system in favor of a privileged few.
Despite my opposition, the Foxconn bill is now law. I opposed the bill
because it is an exceptionally bad deal for Wisconsin taxpayers and a
textbook example of a boondoggle. Wisconsin taxpayers will pay Foxconn
over $200 million per year in tax credits ($3 billion in total) and not
see any return, if any, until 2042. Given the changes in technology that
can occur over 25 years, there are no guarantees that the flat screens
Foxconn produces will still be at the heart of technology 10 or 15 years
from now.
When voting on the Foxconn bill, I also questioned the constitutionality
of provisions in the bill that automatically suspend lower court rulings
and require the Supreme Court to give preference to Foxconn-related
cases. Analysis of the bill, prepared by attorneys for the nonpartisan
Wisconsin Legislative Council, confirms my concerns regarding
constitutionality and makes it clear the expedited appeals process is
wrong.
The Foxconn Boondoggle diverts $3 billion we could invest in our
neighborhood schools, higher education, vital infrastructure, or health
care for our most vulnerable residents. Governor Walker and Republicans
are selling out Wisconsin’s future, our environment, and now our justice
system to one big foreign corporation.
Untested
Rape Kits at DOJ
In Wisconsin, there has been little appreciable progress made in testing
approximately 6,000 rape kits. The kits consist of clothing, DNA samples
and other items collected as evidence after sexual assault allegations.
According to recent news reports, at least one in every three kits came
from children, and at least one in every seven kits came from children
under the age of 10. As of August, the tally of kits involving child
sexual assault allegations was at least 2,441.
The backlog in kits has been known about since at least 2014, the
Department of Justice has received millions of dollars in grant money to
test kits and address the backlog, and claims were even made by the
Attorney General that hundreds of kits had been tested – only to learn
the actual number at the time was nine. We can no longer afford to have
these kits gathering dust on evidence room shelves. Crime lab analysts
should be testing these kits and using the information to help resolve
crimes and get criminals off of the streets.
This session I have co-sponsored three pieces of legislation in an
effort to address the problems and improve the system in the future:
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Assembly Bill 404, which directs the Legislative Audit Bureau to
inventory untested rape kits, assess how the number of untested kits
has changed over time, and review the rape kit testing policies and
procedures of the DOJ.
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Assembly Bill 405, which requires law enforcement agencies to
report annually regarding the number of kits collected, submitted
for testing, and not submitted; the dates of collection, submission,
and testing of these kits; and the reasons for which kits were not
submitted or not tested. These data must be reported to the DOJ,
which will compile and issue an annual statewide audit report to the
legislature.
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Assembly Bill 408, which requires law enforcement agencies to
submit all rape kits to the lab within 30 days for storage, testing,
or both. The bill also grants survivors of sexual assault the right
to have their kits stored for 15 years or the duration of the
sentence of the convicted perpetrator of the crime; the right to
have their kits transported to the lab within 30 days of collection;
and the right to receive oral and written notice of all of their
rights at the hospital.
Irresponsible
Concealed Carry Bill Passed in Senate Committee
This week the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety voted to
pass Senate Bill 169. This bill will eliminate current licensing,
background check and training requirements for individuals to carry
concealed weapons. In addition, the bill will lower the concealed carry
age from 21 to 18 years old and allow some individuals to carry
concealed handguns on school grounds.
I strongly oppose this legislation.
Under current law, a person wishing to carry a concealed firearm needs
to apply for a permit. In order to qualify, the person has to pass a
simple background check and have taken a concealed carry class or hunter
safety course. It is already far too easy to obtain a permit under
current law and Senate Bill 169 will put the public at risk by allowing
anyone to carry concealed without training or a background check.
Senate Bill 169 has not yet been scheduled for a vote on the Senate
floor. Should the bill pass the Senate and then be passed in the
Assembly, it remains to be seen if Governor Walker will follow through
on statements he made earlier this year in favor of maintaining current
law by using his veto to oppose this dangerous expansion, or if he will
succumb to pressure from the gun lobby.
Equifax
Data Breach: Phone Scams are the Next Risk
In the aftermath of the recent Equifax data breach, the Wisconsin
Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) asks
Wisconsin residents to be on the lookout for unsolicited calls
requesting sensitive personal or financial information.
An event of this scale is sure to bring scammers out of the woodwork,
and one of the potential risks at this point is con artists preying on
consumers through misinformation. Neither Equifax nor any bank will call
you and request your Social Security number or other sensitive details.
If you receive an unsolicited call from someone who claims that they can
verify whether your information was affected in the breach or that they
provide services to affected consumers, hang up the phone. Do not engage
with the caller and do not provide any information.
Be wary of a call from someone claiming to be from your lending
institution. Hang up and call the institution back at a number listed in
the phone book, in one of your statements, or on the business’s website.
Never return a call on the number provided to you in an unsolicited
call, and do not trust that the information on your caller ID is
accurate.
If you wish to find out if your information was affected in the data
breach, visit www.equifaxsecurity2017.com. Equifax has also set up a
call center to address consumer questions. The call center can be
reached at 866-447-7559 from 6:00 a.m. to midnight, Central Time, seven
days a week. Due to high call volumes, Equifax suggests trying to call
after 4:00 p.m.
If your information was impacted, download a copy of DATCP's "Data
Breach: What to do if it happens to you" fact sheet, pull a free copy of
your credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com and place a fraud alert
on your credit record. More information about the situation is available
on our data breach page or in our recent Consumer Alert.
For additional information, visit the Consumer Protection Bureau at
http://datcp.wisconsin.gov, send an e-mail to datcphotline@wisconsin.gov
or call the Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-422-7128.
Gynecologic
Cancer Awareness Month
September is National Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month. According to
the Centers for Disease Control, every year approximately 72,000 women
in the U.S. are diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer.
Each cancer has different symptoms, many of which can be mistaken for
other conditions. It's critical to know the signs and symptoms because
early detection can save lives.
Ellen M. Hartenbach, MD, associate professor of Obstetrics and
Gynecology and head of the Gynecologic Oncology Research Program at the
UW Carbone Cancer Center has listed the top five things parents need to
make sure their daughters know about gynecologic cancers. It is great
advice for all women.
1. Getting regular PAP smears can save your life even if you have had
the cervix cancer vaccine.
2. Diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices play a significant role in the
prevention of cancer.
3. It is important to tell your doctor if you have a close relative with
ovarian cancer since ovarian and breast cancer runs in families.
4. Report any unusual vaginal bleeding to your doctor because it could
be a sign of cancer.
5. You know your body "down there". If your bowel, bladder or monthly
periods are odd, tell your doctor not your friend.
Click here to learn more
about the signs and symptoms of specific types of gynecologic cancers.
2017
Edible Startup Summit Nov. 17-18 in Madison
If you’re considering starting a local food business or already in the
early stages of development, then make plans to attend the Edible
Startup Summit scheduled Nov. 17-18 at the American Family Center in
Madison.
Co-hosted by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer
Protection's Ag and Food Center and Dane County UW-Extension, the
two-day summit offers a comprehensive and interactive education on what
it takes to develop a local food business.
Local and regional experts will provide information on a wide range of
topics, including: how to raise money to start or grow a food business;
how to create a unique brand; current market trends; food safety
requirements; how to get a product onto the grocery shelf; how to do a
demo; how to work with a distributor; and business concept planning.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with
industry veterans, network with other entrepreneurs, and attend a field
trip to food business incubators.
Click here for more information on 2017 registration an agenda or
the summit.
For more information, contact DATCP's Kietra Olson at 608-224-5112 or
kietra.olson@wisconsin.gov, or Becky Paris at 608-224-5051 or
Rebecca.Paris@Wisconsin.gov
Building
Your Emergency Kit and Plan
None of us know exactly when a disaster will strike. As September is
Preparedness Month, ReadyWisconsin is providing information on building
a simple, inexpensive emergency kit and plan for you and your family.
What you can do now to help later:
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Put together an emergency kit
focusing on specific needs in your household such as prescription
medications, pet needs, and items for your children.
-
Keep an emergency kit in your
car especially during the winter months when you could become
stranded in a storm.
-
Consider saving money in an
emergency savings account that could be used in any crisis.
-
Review existing insurance
policies.
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Save copies of important
documents such as birth certificates, social security cards, and tax
statements in a safety deposit box or secure digital storage.
Click here for more
information.
Meet
Our New Intern, Tia
I am excited to introduce Tia, the newest addition to our office. She is
a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying International
Studies and Political Science. Tia is originally from Fort Atkinson. Her
mother, a county social worker, emphasized the importance of compassion
and justice, which she says fostered her political ideals. This past
spring, Tia interned with Family Health Options- Kenya, a women’s health
clinic in rural Kenya, learning about different health systems.
Post-graduation, Tia hopes to attend law school to continue her
education.
Fun
Wisconsin Fact
In the late 1870s, newspaper editor and printer, Christopher Latham Sholes, came up with the Q-W-E-R-T-Y keyboard layout. Sholes placed the
letters in such a way that our fingers could alternate, jams could be
prevented and there was more room to help you type faster. They called
their first commercial typewriter 'Sholes and Glidden Type-Writer'
adding the term ‘typewriter’ to English vocabulary.