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The Assembly convened Tuesday to vote on a package of nine bills related to Wisconsin's opioid abuse epidemic. All bills -- which came out of a Special Session called in January -- passed, as did an amendment I brought forth that would extend immunity from civil liability to university hall directors who administer the opioid antagonist naloxone in the case of a student overdose. I proposed the amendment on the recommendation of our county's heroin task force members, whose input I value.

Ultimately, we all share the common goal of saving lives and building strong, healthy communities. Tackling the opioid epidemic as a bipartisan issue and passing these bills is a step in the right direction, and I am looking forward to continuing to expand prevention and access to treatment through my work on the Governor's Task Force on Opioid Abuse.

I have also had the opportunity to meet with a number of constituents in La Crosse over the past couple of weeks. Sen. Jennifer Shilling and I attended a UW-L legislative forum, where we discussed various provisions in the state budget proposal as they relate to UW-L, the UW System and our community at large. Sen. Shilling and I were also glad to see a good turnout at our joint budget listening session this Monday. Some of the issues brought up by attendees included transportation, clean water and care for the elderly in nursing homes.

I have really appreciated all the contacts I have received regarding constituents' legislative and budgetary priorities. I encourage anyone who has questions or concerns to contact my office by calling (608) 266-5780 or e-mailing me at Rep.Billings@legis.wi.gov.

Please continue reading for more information on the happenings both in La Crosse and statewide.

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(608)266-5780 \| State Capitol, Room 307 West, P.O. Box 8953, Madison, WI 53708 \| rep.billings@legis.wi.gov
COMMUNITY EVENTS: Human Trafficking in the Midwest Saturday, April 8 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. UW-L Student Union, Rm 3314-3200 (MAP) La Crosse County Conservation Congress Spring Fish and Wildlife Hearings Monday, April 10 7 p.m. Onalaska High School Performing Arts Center (MAP) Viterbo University Community Health Fair Tuesday, April 11 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. Mathy Center on Viterbo's Campus (MAP) Midwest Music Fest Friday, April 14 - Saturday, April 15 Downtown La Crosse, Various Venues CONTACT ME: State Capitol Room 307 West P.O. Box 8953 Madison, WI 53708 Phone: (608) 266-5780 Toll Free: (888) 534-0095 rep.billings@legis.wi.gov	Friends and Neighbors, The Assembly convened Tuesday to vote on a package of nine bills related to Wisconsin's opioid abuse epidemic. All bills -- which came out of a Special Session called in January -- passed, as did an amendment I brought forth that would extend immunity from civil liability to university hall directors who administer the opioid antagonist naloxone in the case of a student overdose. I proposed the amendment on the recommendation of our county's heroin task force members, whose input I value. Ultimately, we all share the common goal of saving lives and building strong, healthy communities. Tackling the opioid epidemic as a bipartisan issue and passing these bills is a step in the right direction, and I am looking forward to continuing to expand prevention and access to treatment through my work on the Governor's Task Force on Opioid Abuse. I have also had the opportunity to meet with a number of constituents in La Crosse over the past couple of weeks. Sen. Jennifer Shilling and I attended a UW-L legislative forum, where we discussed various provisions in the state budget proposal as they relate to UW-L, the UW System and our community at large. Sen. Shilling and I were also glad to see a good turnout at our joint budget listening session this Monday. Some of the issues brought up by attendees included transportation, clean water and care for the elderly in nursing homes. I have really appreciated all the contacts I have received regarding constituents' legislative and budgetary priorities. I encourage anyone who has questions or concerns to contact my office by calling (608) 266-5780 or e-mailing me at Rep.Billings@legis.wi.gov. Please continue reading for more information on the happenings both in La Crosse and statewide. Best Wishes, Jill Billings State Representative 95th Assembly District

Water Listening Session I will be holding a listening session to address La Crosse area constituents' concerns regarding water and environmental issues. This event -- which is co-hosted by UW-L's Students for Sustainability group -- will provide a great opportunity for community members to speak about ways to ensure access to healthy drinking water in our community and across the state. Topics likely to be discussed include the spreading of liquid manure by concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), increased groundwater pollution and the presence of lead in drinking water. I will be there to listen to your environmental priorities so I can best represent La Crosse in the Capitol. I will be joined by Dr. Kelvin Rodolfo, professor emeritus from the University of Chicago, who studies karst geology in the driftless region and will give a short presentation. Rep. Steve Doyle from Onalaska will also be joining us to listen and answer questions. The event will be held Wednesday, April 19 from 4-6 p.m. in Room 3110 of UW-L's new Student Union. The session is free and open to the public, and is an excellent opportunity to make your voices heard. In addition, please note that there are three remaining budget listening sessions put on by the Joint Committee on Finance: Spooner (Spooner High School) -- Tuesday, April 18th from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Ellsworth (Ellsworth High School) -- Wednesday, April 19th from 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Marinette (Marinette High School) -- Friday, April 21st from 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Additionally, please consider attending one of the supplemental budget hearings hosted by Assembly and Senate Democrats throughout the state. Below are the scheduled dates and times: Green Bay (UW-Green Bay) -- Saturday, April 8th from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Eau Claire (UW-Eau Claire) -- Saturday, April 8th from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. (I will be in attendance) Dodgeville (Dodgeville City Hall) -- Saturday, April 22nd from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Wausau (UW-Marathon County) -- Saturday, April 29th from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

April is Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month April is Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month. As a member of the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board, I authored a joint resolution recognizing it as such in the Wisconsin State Legislature. Children are the foundation of our state's future, and it is essential that they are surrounded by stable and nurturing relationships during their most critical stages of development. By increasing awareness about this issue, and supporting advocacy efforts to protect children and strengthen families we foster healthy communities. Last Friday, March 31st, I was fortunate enough to attend the Annual Blue Ribbon Breakfast to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Coulee Region Child Abuse Prevention Task Force in La Crosse. Since 1997, the Task Force has catalyzed advocacy efforts by bringing together organizations and individuals throughout the community. In order to address this widespread issue, all relevant parties must collaborate on the expansion of resources and programs to aid children and families. Organizations like the Coulee Task Force make me hopeful that our communities can promote positive change to support our children and prevent child maltreatment.

Equal Pay Day Tuesday, April 4 was Equal Pay Day, and it was recognized as the day in the year when women's earning would finally "catch up" to what men were paid during the previous year. The fact that it takes women who work full-time, year-round jobs, on average, four more months to make what men make in a year points to a serious inequity in our society. Unfortunately, the statistics among working women of color are even more disparate; in Wisconsin, of the women who hold full-time, year-round jobs, Asian women make 65 cents on the dollar of white, non-Hispanic men. African American women make 61 cents on the dollar and Latina women are only paid 53 cents for every dollar white, non-Hispanic men make. To learn more about the wage gap, click here. I am a strong supporter of working women across Wisconsin and will continue to fight for gender equality for all across our state because affording everyone equal opportunities builds stronger, healthier communities.