The Assembly was in session on Tuesday and Thursday of this week, holding its last floor session for this legislative session. We took up a wide variety of issues from oral chemotherapy parity to parental choice accreditation to standardized polling rules. Governor Walker’s Blueprint for Prosperity received final passage and will now go to the Governor for his signature.

Assembly Bill (AB) 388, a bill I cosponsored which was originally introduced last September, also passed the Assembly last night. AB 388 increases penalties and requires driver education course instruction for traffic violations resulting in harm to vulnerable highway users such as pedestrians and cyclists. In our rural areas, these vulnerable users often share the road where speed limits reach 55 miles per hour, further increasing the risk of serious injury. When an inattentive or reckless driver causes bodily harm or death, serious penalties should apply.

For some years now, Governor Walker and State Superintendent Tony Evers have been working with a school accountability task force to develop an accountability system here in Wisconsin that is fair to all schools. Initially, Senate Bill (SB) 286, a bill authored by the Senate and Assembly education chairs this session, would have revised and expanded the School Report Card System to include choice schools in the 2015-2016 academic year. Assembly leaders wanted to include sanctions on failing schools, but no deal could be reached with the Senate. Ultimately, the Assembly concurred in a more limited version of the bill that the Senate passed in February.

I support accountability for our schools that receive public funding from the taxpayers. If those schools – public or private – are failing to live up to students’ and parents’ expectations, there should be consequences. Along with improving the school state aid formula, I hope that next session both houses can come to an agreement on a much more comprehensive school accountability bill.

The Senate will hold its final floor session on April 1. Although the Legislature may not be in session after that date, you may still share your thoughts and comments on state issues with me. My staff and I are still, as always, ready to help.

On Wednesday, Governor Walker signed Assembly Bill 683, a bill I authored that establishes standards for licensing electricians here in Wisconsin. I sought input from a wide range of stakeholders on this bill, and I am truly grateful for all of the feedback I received. Act 143 increases training and experience requirements for electricians and allows Wisconsin to enter into reciprocity agreements with other states so that Wisconsin electricians can work in other states without having to navigate unnecessary red tape and retake redundant tests. 

We had a lot of visitors here at the Capitol during our last few weeks of session.

On Wednesday, 4-H groups from all over the state came to the Capitol to celebrate 100 years of Wisconsin 4-H Youth Development. 4-H students, parents, and leaders from our area visited my office to talk about the influence 4-H has had in their lives. As a former 4-H member myself, it is great to hear how so many different people find value in this great organization. Thanks for taking the time to visit me!

Former State Senator Dave Zien and several fellow veterans traveled to Madison earlier this month to testify on a veterans-related bill before the Assembly transportation committee.