Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Earlier this week, a gunman opened fire on concert goers in Las Vegas,
Nevada, resulting in America's deadliest mass shooting yet. Fifty-nine
lives were lost, and more than five hundred people were injured. My
thoughts and prayers are with those impacted, but I know that thoughts
and prayers are not enough. It is time we pass common sense laws to
protect our communities by ending gun violence.
In this newsletter, you will find what Democrats are doing to end gun
violence, an update on Wisconsin's political gerrymandering case in the
Supreme Court, information about a bill to protect child victims of
human trafficking, and more.
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
Ending
Gun Violence
Together with some of my Democratic colleagues, I introduced a bill
yesterday to ban bump-fire stocks (pictured right) and similar devices.
These devices make a semi-automatic weapon capable of simulating
automatic firing and were used in the recent Las Vegas mass shooting. We
ban fully automatic weapons but allow semi-automatic weapons modified to
act like fully automatic weapons, and I find that nonsensical. If
someone needs access to a weapon that’s effectively fully automatic, we
should probably be asking why.
We are hopeful that Republicans in the Legislature will join us in
support of this common sense proposal. We welcome ongoing discussions
with Republican leadership on this issue and are diligently pursuing
bipartisan support to pass this bill.
In addition to introducing this bill, we have called for a hearing on
legislation that we introduced earlier this session to reinstate the 48
hour waiting period for handgun purchases and require background checks
for all firearm purchases.
Earlier this year, I again introduced the “Safe Storage for Gun Safety”
package of bills that would keep guns out of the hands of children and
individuals not allowed to possess firearms. This Safe Storage for Gun
Safety legislation would take common sense steps to keep our families
and our communities safe by ensuring that legally owned firearms are
stored safely and are less likely to fall into the hands of those who
should not have them.
We desperately need action on these and other common sense measures to
reduce gun violence and keep our communities safe.
Landmark
Redistricting Case Heard by US Supreme Court
Earlier this week, I was lucky enough to be in Washington DC for a
Women's Legislators Lobby (WiLL) conference when the Supreme Court heard
oral arguments in Gill v. Whitford, Wisconsin's political gerrymandering
case. It was an exciting day at the court, with rallies outside in
support of non-partisan redistricting and serious business inside as the
Supreme Court Justices heard the case. For 3 minutes, Representative
Pope and I were able to sit in the courtroom as part of a rotation of
visitors allowed in the court each day. It was a thrill just to be
inside for a few minutes, even if I was not able to hear the whole case
from the courtroom.
Unlike in other courts where there is a prosecution and defense or
defense and plaintiff, the Supreme Court has petitioners and
respondents. In this case, the petitioners lost the lower federal court
decision and filed an appeal to the Supreme Court in hopes of having
gerrymandered legislative districts remain unchanged. The respondents
prevailed in the lower court and want the Supreme Court to affirm the
decision so district maps are redrawn and not rigged to favor members of
one political party.
Prior the Court hearing oral arguments, many legal observers felt that
the outcome of the case would ultimately hinge on Justice Anthony
Kennedy. While it is likely the other eight members of the Court will be
evenly divided, it is Justice Kennedy who represents the swing vote.
While it cannot be said that Justice Kennedy tipped his hand during oral
arguments, the questions and comments he made could provide some
insight. Observers have noted that when Justices ask many questions of
one side, that is a sign of skepticism on the part of a Justice and
quite often a technique used to solicit information that may sway the
view of other Justices.
While Justice Kennedy did not ask questions or make comments when the
respondents made their arguments before the Court, he made five
statements and asked 5 questions when the petitioners made their
arguments. Justice Kennedy pressed Erin Murphy, a lawyer for Wisconsin’s
state Senate, on whether it would be unconstitutional for a state law to
contain explicit provisions favoring one party over another. Murphy
conceded it would be.
I left Washington with the feeling that there is a legitimate chance
that the Supreme Court will affirm the decision of the lower court and
that our maps will be redrawn. Although the ruling could be made as late
as June of next year, it is my hope that a decision to affirm is made
earlier and that the process of drawing new maps concludes with enough
time remaining for the federal courts to conduct any further review that
may be necessary.
Protecting
Child Victims of Human Trafficking
I am pleased to report that this week the Assembly Committee on Children
and Families conducted a public hearing on Assembly Bill 186. This is a
bill I co-authored to change our state statutes to recognize children
coerced into sex trafficking are victims — not criminals or child
prostitutes — and provide them necessary intervention and protective
services.
This bill will provide minor children who are victims of human
trafficking with immunity from prosecution for prostitution. Prosecution
causes further victimization of a child and creates a criminal record
that can be difficult, if not impossible, to overcome. Instead, under
this bill, children who are victims will receive the care, treatment and
support they need. This will not only benefit children, but it will help
efforts to prosecute people who coerce children into sex trafficking.
The bill has bipartisan support and the support of the law enforcement
community.
National
Child Health Day
Monday was National Child Health Day, so Representative Joan Ballweg
(R-Markesan), Senator LaTonya Johnson (D-Milwaukee), and I highlighted
our proposed Healthy Babies, Working Mothers Act (AB 193/SB 147). The
proposed Healthy Babies, Working Mothers Act would ensure new moms
returning to work have the accommodations they need to pump breast milk
during the work day and ensure they do not lose their health insurance
due to unpaid breaks taken to pump..
National Child Health Day is an annual observance, currently held on the
first Monday of October, established by Presidential Proclamation by
every United States President since 1928. This is a day to recognize all
of the ways children grow healthy and strong and that each child
deserves to be the healthiest she or he can be.
One of the healthiest things a mother can do for her baby is to
breastfeed and accommodations in the workplace make it possible for
working mothers to make that healthy choice.
Click here for a video featuring Wisconsin women who share their
stories of returning to work while breastfeeding.
Pacesetter
Award
On Monday, I received the Pacesetter Award from the Women Legislators’
Lobby (WiLL) at the national "Women at the Tables of Power" conference
in Washington D.C.. The Pacesetter Award recognizes legislators who
demonstrate a strong commitment to excellence in public service and
whose careers reflect the invaluable contributions made by elected women
in addressing today’s challenging and complex issues. I am honored to be
named by WiLL as a Pacesetter and to earn this recognition by my peers
as a public policy leader.
WiLL is a national non-partisan network of women state legislators who
work together to influence federal policy and budget priorities.
Important
Health Care News for Couples in Domestic Partnerships
If you are in a domestic partnership, you should be aware of changes in
state law put in place by Governor Walker and Republican legislators in
the budget bill. I opposed these changes.
Under the bill, the ability of people to enter into domestic
partnerships after April 1, 2018 is eliminated. While the ability to
enter into domestic partnerships will be lost, current law provisions
that apply to domestic partnerships will continue to apply to domestic
partnerships that have already been registered, with the exception of
current law related to public employee benefits.
If you have your primary health care and supplemental insurance through
a partner who is a public employee, you will no longer have coverage
after January 1, 2018. You will need to take steps to obtain health
insurance, supplemental insurance, and, if necessary, set-up an employee
reimbursement account for medical expenses.
Click here for a
summary of the changes prepared by the Department of Employee Trust
Funds:
If you have specific questions, please contact your human resources
office or the Department of Employee Trust Funds at 1-877-533-5020 or
608-266-3285.
2017-18
Blue Books Are Here
The newest edition of the Wisconsin Blue Book has arrived. If you would
like one, you may pick one up my at my Capitol office (418 North).
My office is open from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday. If you are
unable to come to the Capitol but would like a Blue Book, please email
Rep.Subeck@legis.wisconsin.gov or call my office at 608-266-7521.
Fun
Wisconsin Fact
Barbara Thompson was born in McFarland, Wisconsin and raised on a dairy
and tobacco farm. The University of Wisconsin-Platteville and University
of Wisconsin-Madison alumni ran for school superintendent in 1973 and
won, making her the first female to hold this position. Her most notable
achievement was requiring teachers to receive continuing education and
renew their teacher’s license every five years.