Dear Friends and Neighbors,
It has been a busy week in the Capitol and out. The Foster Care Task
Force met in Milwaukee earlier in the week, where we heard from local
programs that serve children and youth, foster parents, and youth who
have aged out of foster care. Over the last few days, committees have
been active holding hearings on all sorts of bills, including two
particularly controversial bills: one is an anti-immigrant bill that
would interfere with the relationship between local law enforcement and
our communities’ future and aspiring citizens, and the other puts clean
air and water in harm’s way by loosening standards for approval of
mines.
In this newsletter, you will find an update on my bill to allow elected
officials to serve as poll workers, information about bills introduced
this week to address prescription drug pricing, and the latest news
about the dangerous mining legislation.
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
Office
Hours in October
Next week, I will be hosting office hours throughout the
district. I hope you’ll consider joining me at one of the following
locations:
Alicia Ashman Library
Tues., Oct. 17, 4:30–5:30 p.m.
Community Room
733 N. High Point Road
Madison, WI 53717
Oakwood Village
Wed., Oct. 18, 2:00–3:00 p.m.
The Oaks Community Room
6205 Mineral Point Road
Madison, WI 53705
Meadowridge Library
Wed., Oct. 18, 5:00–6:00 p.m.
Community Room
5726 Raymond Road
Madison, WI 53711
Hearing
Held on Fear-Mongering, Anti-Immigrant Senate Bill 275
Yesterday, the Senate Committee on Labor and Regulatory Reform held a
public hearing on Senate Bill 275, which is the latest mean spirited
attack by Republicans on our immigrant communities, inciting fear among
Wisconsinites who are already most likely not to trust law enforcement.
Since last year’s election anti-immigrant rhetoric, hate, and
fear-mongering have been on the rise, and this bill only adds fuel to
the fire. The bill would undermine local authority to pass and implement
ordinances, resolutions, or policies that define when and if law
enforcement officers may inquire about an individual’s immigration
status. With this bill, Republicans would undo years of work by local
law enforcement to build the trust that ensures future and aspiring
citizens who are victims or witnesses can report crimes without fear.
Interpreters
Not Provided at SB 275 Hearing; Democrats Call for Change
For many of those present to testify at yesterday’s hearing on SB 275,
English was not their primary language, but no plan was put in place to
provide interpreters. These residents were only heard at the hearing due
to other members of the public stepping in to help translate. The same
problem occurred when a hearing on a similar bill was held in an
Assembly Committee last year, prompting me to author AB 344/SB 256 to
establish a process for individuals with special needs, including
non-English speakers, those in need of sign language interpreters, and
those who need materials in alternate formats to access the resources
necessary to participate in public hearings and other meetings.
When members of the public make the effort to show up to a hearing to
share their opinions with us, the least we can do is ensure they are
able to do so, but that is not what happened at yesterday’s hearing.
Fortunately, there were others in attendance who stepped up to help, but
it is incumbent on us to have a clear procedure in place for the public
to request interpreters or accommodations so that everyone can
participate in our legislative process.
In response to the lack of interpreters available for yesterday’s
hearing, Representative JoCasta Zamarripa (D-Milwaukee), Senator LaTonya
Johnson (D-Milwaukee), and I called for hearings on these bills so that
we can move forward and ensure all members of the public can participate
in the legislative process without barriers.
Leading
on Bi-Partisan Poll Worker Legislation
Yesterday, I testified before the Senate Committee on Elections and
Utilities in support of Senate Bill 66, a bill I authored to allow
elected municipal officials to serve as election officials in their
municipalities. You may recall from past newsletters that the practice
of allowing City Council and Village or Town Board members had been a
common practice until a recent legal opinion determined it was not
allowed under state law. Upon learning this, I worked with
Representative Ed Brooks (R-Reedsburg) and Senator Janet Bewley
(D-Ashland) to find a solution.
I am pleased that our bi-partisan bill received a public hearing in the
Senate. The bill has already been passed unanimously by the Assembly
Committee on Campaigns and Elections and must now pass the full State
Assembly.
Democrats
Seek Transparency in Prescription Drug Pricing
I joined Representative Deb Kolste (D-Janesville) and Senator Jon
Erpenbach (D-Middleton) to introduce a package of bills focused on
reforming the pharmaceutical industry, including legislation to increase
transparency in how prescription drug manufacturers set their prices.
With Representative Kolste, I authored LRB 3119 which will prevent
insurance companies from removing prescription drugs from their
formularies while a contract with a consumer is in place. All too often
insurers change what drugs they cover midstream, leaving patients with
big bills or having to switch drugs. Switching drugs can be risky and
results in additional visits to the doctor, ER, or hospital.
The second bill, LRB 3681, would require drug manufacturers of name
brand and generic prescription drugs to notify the state prior to price
increases of more than 25%. They would also be required to include a
justification for the price hike and detail the amount of rebates
provided to Wisconsin residents. Finally, LRB 3682 would require
Pharmacy Benefit Managers, who act as middlemen between you and your
insurance company, to register with the state’s Office of Commissioner
of Insurance before operating in our state.
Republicans
Won’t Let Wisconsin Vote on Big Money in Politics
Earlier this week the Assembly Committee on Constitution and Ethics held
its first meeting of the 2017-18 legislative session. Senator Dave
Hansen (D-Green Bay) and I requested that Committee Chairperson, Rep
Scott Allen (R-Waukesha), include our resolution to place a statewide
advisory referendum question on the ballot asking voters whether they
support a constitutional amendment overturning Citizens United on the
public hearing agenda. The resolution, AJR 53, was referred to the
Committee on Constitution and Ethics 145 days ago, yet Rep. Allen
refused our request for a hearing. In his response, he called the
advisory referendum, a democratic process defined and allowed under
Wisconsin law, “politics at its worst.”
It is stunning that Republican Representative Scott Allen considers
giving the average Wisconsinite the opportunity to have their say at the
ballot box to be ‘politics at its worst.’ Wisconsinites are fed up with
the massive corporate and special interest spending Citizens United has
ushered into our elections, and it is time to give the people their
opportunity to be heard.
Hearing
Held on Dangerous Mining Legislation
Today, the Assembly Committee on Labor is holding a public hearing on
Assembly Bill 499, the legislation that would repeal Wisconsin’s
Prove-It First sulfide ore mining law. A Senate version of the bill is
presently waiting to be scheduled for a vote on the Senate floor.
The idea behind Wisconsin’s Prove-It First mining law was simple: If you
want to mine a sulfide ore body in Wisconsin, simply show us that the
method you will use has worked safely elsewhere. It is simple; it was
passed with bi-partisan support; and it was rooted in common sense.
Unfortunately, it has become a target of Republicans in the current
Legislature.
October
is National Cyber Security Awareness Month
Recent data breaches and widespread breakouts of malicious software have
gained the attention of the nation. According to recent studies, 96
percent of Americans feel a personal responsibility to be safer and more
secure online and 90 percent said they want to learn more about safe
internet usage. The message is clear: cyber threats affect everyone, and
everyone has to take action to protect themselves and their families.
October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, and consumers are
advised to “Stop. Think. Connect.” when using computers and web-enabled
devices:
Stop
Think
-
before you click. Is this a trusted source?
-
about what you post or share. What’s online, stays online…maybe
indefinitely.
Connect
-
over secure networks. Wi-Fi hotspots may not offer the same
protection.
-
wisely. Trust your gut. If it doesn’t seem right, then close out or
delete the email.
For more cyber safety information, visit the DATCP website at
datcp.wi.gov, call the Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-422-7128 or
send an e-mail to datcphotline@wisconsin.gov.
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
George Post was the architect of the Wisconsin State Capitol. Born on
December 15, 1837 in New York City, Post became a skilled architect
trained in the Beaux-Arts tradition. He mainly built commercial
buildings in New York that pushed the traditional boundaries of design.
Click here to see some of George Post’s most famous buildings.