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Contents

January 15, 2021

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I would like to thank all of you for taking the time to read through my newsletter. Each week, I'll include information to keep you up to date with what's happening in Madison and the 1st Assembly District.

Introducing Legislation

I am proud to inform all of you that I partnered with Sen. Robert Cowles (R-Green Bay) this week to introduce two legislative proposals.

The first revises current state law to give smaller community newspapers – including the Peninsula Pulse – more opportunities to receive compensation for printing legal notices.

By law, all local units of government must publish the agendas and minutes of their meetings. By providing more options in who can print those notices, we will grant governmental bodies more flexibility in determining which newspaper will better reach their constituents. We also expect the legislation to increase competition between those publications.

Furthermore, the bill takes advantage of modern technology by requiring all newspapers to publish their legal notices on their websites. The legal notices section must be available to the public at no cost.

Because of the internet, people’s reading habits have changed over the past several decades, with most readers now going online to get their news. With this transformation, we must also adapt to ensure the public can better follow along with what their local elected officials are doing. We believe a more transparent government is a better government.

The legislation was drafted in consultation with, and is supported by, the Wisconsin Newspaper Association.

Our second bill expands the purposes for which proceeds from the sale of state-owned property controlled by the Department of Natural Resources may be spent.

Under current state law, all earnings generated from the sale of state-owned land must be used to purchase other parcels that will be utilized as public hunting and fishing grounds, wildlife and fish refuges or additions to state parks.

Our legislation allows this revenue to also go toward acquiring or developing any land or easement, with no restrictions or limitations on use or location.

Since 2013, the state has made about $417,200 through the sale of properties under the jurisdiction of the DNR, which doesn't get us very far in purchasing other parcels. However, this money can still be put to good use.

For example, our DNR-managed lands, including the state parks system, have a deluge of backlogged infrastructure projects that need immediate attention.

By providing the DNR with the opportunity to also use these proceeds to enhance existing properties – like Peninsula State Park – we believe the funds can be better utilized. In the end, that will benefit everyone who frequents our public lands.

Save the Bay Meeting

I had the pleasure this week of participating in a virtual Save the Bay meeting with our Congressman Mike Gallagher and a number of stakeholders from across the region.

Save the Bay is an initiative initially created by former U.S. Rep. Reid Ribble – and carried on by Rep. Gallagher – that looks to reduce the amount of phosphorus, nitrogen and sediment that flows into the waters of Green Bay and Lake Michigan.

For my part, I provided an update to the group on what I am doing in the new legislative session to help the Legislature address water contamination issues.

Late last session, the state Assembly passed a number of bills that were drafted by the Speaker's Task Force on Water Quality, of which I was a member. However, those legislative proposals died when the Senate did not meet for its final floor session due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Because the pandemic is causing our state's finances to be in flux, it's going to be rather difficult to garner support to pass anything this session that has a fiscal impact, including my legislation that would create a nitrogen optimization pilot program.

Nevertheless, I will continue to fight for increased funding for county conservation staff and producer-led watershed protection grants. These two programs are extremely important because they have proven to give us the most bang for our buck.

I will also be reintroducing my bill that prohibits the sale and use of sealant products made with coal tar or high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are known to cause cancer.

Studies have shown there are numerous alternatives to PAH tar-based sealants that are both safer and similar in price. Modern asphalt-based pavement sealants contain up to 1,000 times lower PAH levels while also having similar life expectancies. 

Finally, I also updated my Save the Bay colleagues on my bill passed last session that aims to reduce the amount of contaminants in state waterways by creating a system for buying and selling pollution credits through a third-party central clearinghouse. 

According to the Department of Administration's schedule, the state should be in the process of soliciting bids to select the third-party clearinghouse. Once the clearinghouse is chosen, I will be sure to let all of you know.

DHS Vaccine Response

In an effort to remain transparent on the state’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan, I wanted to let all of you know that I received a response from the Department of Health Services on the letter I sent them last week asking why we are lagging behind so many other states.

Unfortunately, the letter DHS submitted to my office only includes information that has already been released to the public and does not address the concerns raised in my inquiry.

As of today, Wisconsin is ranked as the slowest state in the Midwest in getting vaccine doses to its residents. We deserve to know why and what DHS is doing to rectify the situation. Because of this, I will continue to seek answers.

If you would like to obtain an electronic copy of the department's response letter, please contact my office and we will be happy to provide you with one.

While some are blaming the federal government for our delay, that still doesn’t explain why so many other states across the country are performing much better than Wisconsin. All of the states have received relatively equal amounts of the vaccine, according to their populations.

For example, Indiana is already moving forward on a plan that prioritizes its oldest residents. Arizona, New Jersey, New Mexico and Oklahoma also have instituted a “pre-registration list” that allows people to get in line for the vaccine. Why are we not seeing these things widespread in Wisconsin?

To help get a better understanding of Wisconsin's distribution plan, the Assembly Committee on Health held a public hearing this week where DHS staff members were invited to speak on the matter.

A lot of important details came from the hearing and I recommend that all of you watch the proceedings so you can absorb the information firsthand without any outside spin from one side or the other. You can view the hearing in full by clicking on this link.

Although the governor’s administration has complete control over our state's vaccine rollout plan, members of the Legislature will continue to suggest ideas as we come across them. I am happy to pass along your concerns to the governor, and I also encourage you to contact his office directly so he better understands the severity of this issue. The governor's office can be reached by clicking here.

In the meantime, some of my colleagues and I are sending a letter to Gov. Evers suggesting that he consider including small town pharmacies in the distribution process.

This would allow for residents in rural areas to get vaccinated without having to take longer trips to find an approved pharmacy. It will also ensure that everyone can receive the vaccine from a local pharmacist they know and trust.

It is absolutely vital that all of us work together toward our common goal of protecting the health and safety of all Wisconsinites.

As more information reaches my office, I will continue to update all of you on our state’s vaccination program.