State Budget

The Joint Committee on Finance took its first actions on the 2021-23 state budget this week by removing nearly 300 provisions that were proposed by Gov. Tony Evers.

This should not come as a surprise to anyone since JFC has made it a common practice over the years to strip all policy items and unrealistic tax increases from the biennial budget. The budget is where we plan our spending for the next two years. It is not the proper venue for policy decisions.

Some of the provisions that were taken out of the governor's budget include the legalization of marijuana, a rollback of Act 10, automatic voter registration, gun control measures and redistricting.

That is not to say we won't be revisiting any of these proposals during our current legislative session. Most members of JFC believe that policy items should go through the normal legislative process rather than being placed in the budget. I wholeheartedly agree.

When we forgo our standard legislative procedures, there are no specific public hearings and residents do not get ample opportunities to provide their input. Public hearings also give lawmakers a chance to hear from experts on a given subject, which helps us become more knowledgeable before we must take a vote.

Plus, I think it is important that we have a transparent government. When you shut the public out of the conversation, it doesn't really do any of us any good. I know that if we work together and reach compromises, we can come up with a budget that will benefit all of our communities.

Environment Committee

Earlier this week, the Assembly Environment Committee that I chair held a public hearing on one bill and an executive session on four others.

As part of the public hearing, we heard detailed testimony on AB 254, bipartisan legislation that impacts the state's electronic waste recycling program.

AB 254 implements changes to E-Cycle Wisconsin that are designed to make the initiative function better, provide stakeholders with more clarity and help the Department of Natural Resources with collecting information that will improve the program's future without adding regulatory burdens.

Over the past decade, E-Cycle Wisconsin has resulted in the recovery of an estimated 47 million pounds of steel, 8 million pounds of aluminum and 16 million pounds of copper.

In other action, the Assembly Environment Committee recommended the passage of four bills:

• AB 85: relating to a general permit for hydrologic restoration projects 
  
  
• AB 129: relating to the environmental compliance audit program
  
  
• AB 140: relating to expanding the clean sweep program to include the collection of certain firefighting foams and making an appropriation
  
  
• AB 209: relating to biomanipulations to improve the water quality of lakes and impoundments and making an appropriation

All four of these bills are now eligible to be considered by the full Assembly.

State Park Upgrades

The next time you go to Peninsula State Park, you will likely notice a number of new facilities and property upgrades.

I am proud that my work in the Legislature has led to some of these improvements. I understand the importance of state parks and the critical role they play in our economy and quality of life. I will always be a strong advocate for our state park system.

To learn more about the recent changes to Peninsula State Park, please check out this news release from the Department of Natural Resources.

When you have some free time, I encourage you to visit our state parks to see all the great things they have to offer.