As 2013 comes to a close I'm reflecting on my own personal values and priorities as well as those of the hard working people of our great state.

I have worked hard during my first year in in the Wisconsin State Assembly, however I know that we can and must do better.

In the state that I call home, we value:

1. A living wage for a hard days work
2. Affordable and quality healthcare for all
3. Top notch education at all levels without a lifetime of debt
4. A clean and healthy environment for generations
5. A community that honors that Love = Love with marriage equality
6. Women's rights to make their own personal choices
7. The power and value of the collective voice in the work place
8. Our Constitution from free speech to common sense gun control
9. A strong economy that is creating new and long term family sustaining jobs
10. Transparent and just government that involves and listens to it's people

My New Years Resolution for 2014 is a pledge to continue to listen to and work with the people of Wisconsin to rebuild a government that is reflective of the values of the state that we love. I know that 2014 in Wisconsin must focus on the the middle class and I pledge to work tirelessly, with each of you at my side, to rebuild Wisconsin's economy, to advocate for our hard-working families, and to bring decorum back to our statehouse.

It is my extreme honor to be a representative of the people for the people in the Wisconsin State Assembly.

As anyone who has stepped outside in the past 24 hours knows, Wisconsin must act accordingly with temperatures and wind chills at levels not seen since 1996, causing potentially life threatening conditions. Madison schools have been called off today, and all residents are encouraged to stay indoors.  Today, highs will reach only -5 to -15 with wind chills remaining in the -30 to -40 danger zone. Health Risks – With these bitter temperatures, beware of hypothermia and frostbite.

Frostbite can occur on exposed skin in less than 10 minutes. Symptoms include a loss of feeling and a white or pale appearance in fingers, toes, ear tips and tip of the nose. Limit your time outside. If you see these signs, seek medical care immediately!

Signs of hypothermia include shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech and drowsiness in adults and children. In infants, symptoms can include bright red or cold skin and very low energy. If you notice anyone exhibiting any of the symptoms of hypothermia, seek medical care immediately!

Pet Precautions - While our pets might seem to have built-in, warm winter coats, they too are sensitive to the elements. It is recommended to bring them indoors during this bitter weather. Dogs and cats can get frost bitten ears, nose and feet if left outside during bitter cold weather. Chemicals used to melt snow and ice can also irritate pets' paws - be sure to keep anti-freeze, salt and other poisons away from pets.

Cats sometimes crawl under cars and into the engine compartment, seeking shelter and warmth. Bang on the hood before starting the car on cold days to startle sleeping animals. And remember, just as cars heat to oven temperature in summer, they can be equally deadly in winter when they turn into freezers. Don’t leave your pet alone in a vehicle. It may freeze to death.

On the road - If you are traveling make sure you have a winter emergency kit in your vehicle. Items to include in the kit are candles and matches, a flashlight, pocket knife, snacks, a cell phone adapter, a blanket and extra clothing.


Cell Phone Tracking Bill Moves Forward

This bill creates a legal framework for law enforcement seeking to track a suspect’s movements electronically, putting in place uniform rules that would still allow officers to act quickly in an emergency.

The bill also ensures that if a person is found innocent, the data will be deleted; similar to the process of DNA collection in our criminal justice system.

Law enforcement would be unable to store cell phone user data after the legal process plays out. This is significant because it would mean that law enforcement could not legally build a database of mobile tracking records.

As I’ve spoken with people in Wisconsin about this bill, it’s clear that the public doesn’t understand how intrusive and accessible our location data is.
Location privacy is collected without notice every day and is currently available to law enforcement without the necessity of a warrant.

So what is location privacy? It is the ability of an individual to move in public space with the expectation that under normal circumstances their location will not be systematically and secretly recorded for later use. Most people assume that their metadata is held private, but that is not always the case.
Metadata on communication devices leaves a trail of everything you do in your daily life.

Some examples of this:

• Cell phone use
• A laptop
• A tablet computer

These devices can tell a specific picture of your daily activities:

• Who’s house you visited
• Your place of worship
• A doctor’s office you went to
• A political meeting you attended and who else was there.
• Your child’s school that you stopped by

Because of this intimate portrait that metadata can create, this information should have a higher degree of protection under the law. Location data can be vital to law enforcement, especially in cases where someone’s life and safety may be threatened.

We have been careful to provide exceptions where law enforcement has access to that information under those circumstances. By providing parameters for the collection of this high personal data, we are providing clear guidelines, and less chance for data to be found inadmissible in court. No officer wants to collect information on a potential crime, then have it ruled inadmissible by a judge.

This is a win in many ways. It protects the citizens of Wisconsin, it shows that the legislature can work in a bi-partisan manner, and it keeps our laws up to date with ever evolving technology.

Good News from the Department of Transportation

State ends 2013 with lowest number of traffic deaths in nearly 70 years (From WisDOT) Wisconsin ended 2013 with 527 traffic fatalities, which is the lowest annual total since 1944 when 526 people died in crashes, according to preliminary statistics from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT). State traffic deaths in 2013 also were down 74—approximately a 12 percent reduction—from 2012 when 601 people died and 44 fewer than the five-year average of 571 deaths.

Traffic fatalities went down last year in every category, including motorcyclists and pedestrians as well as drivers and passengers. The single biggest reduction was the number of passengers killed in crashes. Passenger fatalities fell by 41, from 124 in 2012 to 83 in 2013.

David Pabst, director of the WisDOT Bureau of Transportation Safety, said, “The 33 percent reduction in passenger fatalities is primarily due to an increase in safety belt use. Multiple fatality crashes occur far more often when passengers are unbuckled. Safety belt use is at an all-time high in Wisconsin with approximately 82 percent of drivers and passengers buckling up. However, Wisconsin’s safety belt use rate still lags behind the national average of 86 percent and is far below neighboring states all of which have safety belt use rates of more than 90 percent.”

Another significant decrease was motorcyclists’ fatalities, which declined from 116 deaths in 2012 to 84 last year, which was a 28 percent reduction.

“The unseasonably cool and wet spring shortened the motorcycle riding season, which likely had a role in the decrease. However, we also had an extremely busy summer riding season that included the Harley-Davidson anniversary events in Milwaukee,” Pabst said. “We’re confident that our Wisconsin Motorcycle Safety Program helped reduce fatalities last year and will continue to have a positive effect on overall traffic safety. For example, our Transportable High End Rider Education Facility, known as THE REF, visited 50 events throughout the state last year to promote rider education and make motorists aware of the need to share the road with motorcycles.”

Although the figures for alcohol-related fatal crashes in 2013 won’t be available for a few months, Pabst predicts that far too many traffic deaths in Wisconsin last year were due to impaired driving. “From 2008 to 2012, approximately 42 percent of all traffic fatalities occurred in alcohol-related crashes,” he said.

To combat drunken driving, law enforcement agencies around the state teamed up for Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) Task Forces using federal funding administered by WisDOT. Last year, 10 high-visibility OWI task forces to deter drunken driving operated in the following counties: Milwaukee, Sheboygan, Outagamie, Dane, Marinette, Brown, Winnebago, Manitowoc, Eau Claire and Burnett.

Overall, there were approximately 19,000 fewer traffic crashes in 2013 than in 2012.

“In addition to preventing injuries and deaths, a reduction in traffic crashes also saves money for all of us,” Pabst said “Last year’s overall reduction in crashes saved about $237 million based on National Safety Council estimates for the economic impact of traffic crashes. This economic impact includes medical expenses, higher insurance premiums, lost wages, expenses for local government agencies, and other factors.”

This is great news, but we must not be complacent in avoiding further traffic deaths and injuries.




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January 6, 2014
Issue 25

State Capitol
P.O. Box 8953
Madison, WI 53708

Office: (608) 266-0960

Email:
Rep.Sargent@legis.wi.gov

On the Web: sargent.assembly.wi.gov