On Wednesday, Governor Evers delivered his State of the State Address. I was glad to see him use the opportunity to talk about bipartisanship, something that I have prioritized since I began serving the 85th Assembly District three years ago. Despite what you might see on the news, on Facebook, or hear on the radio, we are much more united than divided. I am hopeful that the Governor will follow through on these statements to work across the aisle in the coming year.
Governor Evers also talked about issues facing rural Wisconsin, which is critically important. Governor Evers' first year in office was marked by prioritizing Madison and Milwaukee, but his speech indicated that may change in his second year. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that northern Wisconsin is not overlooked.
Breaking Barriers to Re-entry
Individuals that have been convicted of certain crimes may be at a disadvantage when applying for certain types of employment. Legislators across the country have attempted various methods of combating this issue, such as "ban the box". However, research shows that "ban the box" policies can actually harm those that it intends to help. That is why I was proud to join my colleagues this week in supporting a new, innovative solution to this problem.
The Committee on Corrections met Wednesday to vote on legislation that I believe will have a big impact on individuals with a criminal record. Assembly Bill 30, which I co-authored, creates a Council on Offender Employment, which can issue certificates of qualification for employment (CQE). These certificates indicate to an employer that the individual is not deemed as a public safety hazard and provides some (limited) liability exemptions. The council may take into account any education, treatment, risk assessments, behavior, etc. of the individual before issuing the certificate.
While there is no silver bullet for solving the issues around reentry, this legislation will begin breaking down barriers to reentry for those that have been incarcerated. The legislation now goes before the full Assembly for consideration.
Upcoming Events!
This weekend is Winter Fest on the 400 Block! From 10AM-3PM on Saturday there will be horse-drawn carriages, ice sculptures, art projects, ice skating, a mac-n-cheese contest, and more!
The Neighbors' Place is also hosting the 2020 Ice Tee Classic, beginning this weekend! Located in the Wausau Center Mall, there will be an 18 hole miniature golf course for all ages to enjoy. Click here for details!
Saturday, January 25th from 10AM-3PM the Central Wisconsin Chinese New Year Festival will take place at the Marathon Park East Gate Hall. There will be live entertainment; food vendors; Mandarin language lessons; crafts and more!
We received good news this week: due to responsible budgeting, Wisconsin is projected to have $818M in additional revenue over what was previously projected. When Wisconsin runs a surplus, a portion of that money is automatically put into the Rainy Day Fund. Along with the good fiscal projection, we received the newest Rainy Day Fund numbers. By the end of this budget, it is expected that Wisconsin will have over $1B in reserves for the next time we face an economic downturn.
If you have any comments regarding the subject of this E-Update, please feel free to contact me.
Rep. Pat Snyder State Capitol, Room 307 North PO Box 8953 Madison, WI 53708 Toll-Free (888) 534-0085 or (608) 266-0654 Rep.Snyder@legis.wi.gov| |
