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Several controversial bills passed the Wisconsin State Assembly this week, including three pieces of legislation that call for a constitutional conventional under Article V of the U.S. Constitution for the purposes of proposing amendments. One of the these bills - AJR 21 - specifically called for a balanced budget amendment to be introduced via constitutional convention.

I voted against all three of these bills due to concerns that a constitutional conventions runs the risk of becoming uncontrollable and makes the Constitution vulnerable to major changes to our most fundamental rights. As for the balanced budget amendment, I certainly believe we should strive for a balanced budget, but do not think it is prudent to actively deny ourselves flexibility and access to additional funds should an unexpected situation come up that needs to be immediately addressed. Click here to read my full statement on this legislation.

Following the weekend, I headed back to Madison for several important votes including a committee vote on the passage AB 299 relating to limiting freedom of speech on UW campuses. Please continue reading for my statement on this legislation.

The Assembly will also convene next Wednesday, June 21, when we will take up AB 299, the bill seeking to sanction free speech on our UW campuses.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns regarding pending legislation, the state budget, or any other issue, feel free to contact my office by calling (608) 266-5780 or emailing me at Rep.Billings@legis.wi.gov.

Please continue reading for more detailed 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: March for Music: Fun 5K Run Saturday, June 17 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. Myrick Park (MAP) Juneteenth Citywide Celebration Sunday, June 18 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. Southside Neighborhood Center & Poage Park (MAP) Artspire 2017 Friday, June 9 - Saturday, June 10 All day Pump House Regional Arts Center (MAP) La Crosse Symphony Orchestra: From Paris to New York Saturday, June 10 7:30 p.m. Viterbo University Fine Arts Center (MAP) Digital Cameras with Jack Socha Tuesday, June 13 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. La Crosse Public Library Auditorium (MAP) 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, Several controversial bills passed the Wisconsin State Assembly this week, including three pieces of legislation that call for a constitutional conventional under Article V of the U.S. Constitution for the purposes of proposing amendments. One of the these bills - AJR 21 - specifically called for a balanced budget amendment to be introduced via constitutional convention. I voted against all three of these bills due to concerns that a constitutional conventions runs the risk of becoming uncontrollable and makes the Constitution vulnerable to major changes to our most fundamental rights. As for the balanced budget amendment, I certainly believe we should strive for a balanced budget, but do not think it is prudent to actively deny ourselves flexibility and access to additional funds should an unexpected situation come up that needs to be immediately addressed. Click here to read my full statement on this legislation. Following the weekend, I headed back to Madison for several important votes including a committee vote on the passage AB 299 relating to limiting freedom of speech on UW campuses. Please continue reading for my statement on this legislation. The Assembly will also convene next Wednesday, June 21, when we will take up AB 299, the bill seeking to sanction free speech on our UW campuses. As always, if you have any questions or concerns regarding pending legislation, the state budget, or any other issue, feel free to contact my office by calling (608) 266-5780 or emailing me at Rep.Billings@legis.wi.gov. Please continue reading for more detailed information on the happenings both in La Crosse and statewide. Best Wishes, Jill Billings State Representative 95th Assembly District

Committee Meetings This Week This Wednesday, the Committee on Children and Families met to vote on two bills, AB 290 and AB 208. On the same day, the Committee on Transportation voted on AB 162 and AB 272. Please read below for a summary of this legislation. Committee on Children and Families AB 290 relates to county performance of child protective services. The bill allows county departments to enter into agreements with other counties or the State Department of Children and Families to perform those functions on behalf of another department. The bill passed along party lines. Democrats offered an amendment that failed along party lines. AB 208 relates to a deduction of adjusted gross income for state income tax calculations related to adoption expenses. The bill expands the currently available adoption expenses deduction to include expenses related to all adoptions for which a final order has been entered, regardless of the issuing court. The bill passed 10 to 1. Committee on Transportation AB 162 relates to the fees collected from special Brewers license plates. The bill states that after a professional baseball park district retires all of its bonds, then the district must certify to the Department of Transportation that their bonds are retired, and from then on the additional annual fees are distributed to a local appropriation account. This bill passed unanimously. AB 272 relates to weight limit exceptions for vehicles equipped with idle reduction technology or natural gas fuel systems. The bill increases the amount that such equipped vehicles may exceed statutory weight limits. This bill passed unanimously.

Budget Update The Joint Committee on Finance met yesterday, June 15, with the big agenda items being the budgets for the Group Insurance Board (GIB) and the Department of Corrections (DOC). Below are highlights from this meeting: JFC members unanimously voted to reject the governor's proposal to move to self-insurance model for state employees. I have heard from a number of constituents who were against this proposal on the grounds. I share these concerns and am relieved to see a proposal that threatened access and quality of care be removed from the state budget. In the same motion, the JFC also voted to add four legislative appointees to the GIB; all current members are appointed by the governor. Moreover, the motion requires any health insurance changes to be approved by JFC. As for the Department of Corrections, JFC members voted to recalculate prison populations (?) and expand mental health services in prison facilities. Additionally, the JFC approved a provision for guards in restrictive housing facilities to wear body cameras to increase accountability. The JFC also voted to increase the daily rate DOC charges counties to fund Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls, a high security juvenile correctional facility in Irma, Wisconsin. Republican members of the JFC also voted to prohibit anyone from entering into a domestic partnership that was previously only available to same-sex couples. This type of partnership -- which offered hospital visitation rights, power of attorney and access to health records for same-sex partners -- was established by former Democratic Governor Jim Doyle when same-sex marriages were still illegal. Democrats opposed this motion. Upcoming JFC meetings have yet to be scheduled, but the committee's co-chairs told reporters they hope to reconvene next week. As expected, they also said they predict the transportation budget will be the most contentious budget item. On the other hand, the co-chairs said they are much closer to working out the education budget. You can always watch live streams of all the hearings by tuning in to Wisconsin Eye.