Assembly Session

It was a busy week in the State Capitol building with several days of floor session, meetings with constituents, and the State of the Tribes Address! Similar to the State of the State, the State of the Tribes is an opportunity for our tribal leaders to tell the Wisconsin government and citizens of our state what the condition of the tribal nations is and how we can better support our native communities. This year, the address was given by Forest County Potawatomi Chairman, Ned Daniels, Jr. 

In addition to the State of the Tribes Address, the Assembly debated and voted on several important pieces of legislation (and by several, I mean over 100 bills in just a few days). A few highlights were: 

• Assembly Bill 114, which requires Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) to be licensed with the state through the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI). The bill seeks to provide greater transparency to consumers, reduce drug costs, and puts safeguards in place to protect local pharmacies. 
• The Assembly Republican Tax Cut Package, which puts $250 million of the recently announced surplus toward reducing taxes for middle-class earners; $45 million toward decreasing personal property taxes; and $100 million toward paying off general fund supported borrowing. Additionally, millions will continue to go to the rainy day fund, which is already at a historic level and nearing the recommended level of savings. 
• A package of bills dedicated to supporting farmers and agriculture in our state. The legislation includes increases in dairy processing grants; resources for increasing export markets; and a property tax credit for agricultural buildings for farmers.  

The Department of Children and Families is coming to Wausau next week to host two listening sessions, listed below, about the Preschool Development Grant (PDG).  The PDG is a one-year federal grant which allows Wisconsin to complete a needs assessment and a strategic plan to improve our early care and education system. The Department has identified a few goals as they begin:

• Attracting and retaining early childhood education professionals
• Empowering families to make the best choices for their children
• Building regional networks of support
• Increasing the overall quality of early childhood programs

February 27 - Wausau Listening Sessions:

1 to 2:30pm AND 6:30 to 8pm

Jefferson Street Inn, 203 Jefferson St.

To register for the listening session please click here.

Legislative Roundup

Thanks for visiting!

The most important part of my job is listening to constituents, so it was great to hear from so many groups this week about their priorities for the remainder of the session, and putting ideas on our radar for next budget.

My staff and I had the opportunity to meet with bright young individuals from student governments at Northcentral Technical College and UW Stevens Point; advocates from Bridge Clinic; folks from Mid-State Living; and many others. Featured above is a group with AgCountry Farm Credit Services. 

While the legislative session is slowing down, I look forward to hearing more during meetings with citizens and organizations in our community in the coming months!