With new legislative maps in place in January, I will no longer be representing the cities of Milwaukee and Brookfield, and I will also no longer represent some of the people of western Wauwatosa. It has been an absolute honor to represent you, and to work hard on your behalf. Thank you for placing your trust in me these last four years. When I am asked my favorite part of this job I answer, “the people!” I love the people of our district, and I have taken seriously the issues that matter most to you– thank you for sharing your hearts with me. Although I will no longer represent you in Madison, your input, perspectives, hopes, and dreams for our state will remain with me as I continue to fight to move Wisconsin forward, together.
If you would like to find out who your new representative will be as of January 3rd, I encourage you to visit the legislature’s website at www.legis.wisconsin.gov and use the “find my legislator” feature. The 14th Assembly District has been redrawn to represent the people of Wauwatosa and West Allis. Moving forward into 2023, you are welcome to remain on our email list, even if you do not reside in the new 14th Assembly District.
Thank you for reaching out over the years to share your thoughts on legislative issues. And for those for whom I will no longer be your State Representative, I will continue to be your neighbor in the greater Milwaukee community. May we love each other well as we work for a better world, for all.
Below I have included a summary of the 2021-2022 legislative session. Please continue to reach out with your questions and concerns. I wish you all a meaningful and healthy holiday season. I know the holidays can be difficult, and in those days, I wish you peace.
Forward together,
Rep. Robyn Vining
Throughout this 2021-2022 legislativesession I have worked to write and support legislation that meets the needs of all Wisconsinites. I want to thank my staff for compiling the below legislative summary of some of my work this session.
This session I served on four Assembly Committees: Health, Small Business Development, Children and Families, and Mental Health. I was the Ranking Democrat on both the Assembly Committee on Small Business Development, and on the Committee on Mental Health. I was appointed to the Wisconsin State Fair Park Board, served as Vice-Chair of the Milwaukee Delegation, and served in various caucuses and workgroups, including Wisconsin Bicameral Legislative Children’s Caucus, Trails Caucus, Reproductive Rights Work Group, Labor Work Group, Climate Work Group, Wisconsin Coalition for Gun Safety, and the Healthy School Meals for All Coalition. I am also currently serving on the Special Committee on State-Tribal Relations, a committee commonly called a “Summer Study Committee”, although it meets primarily in the fall.
Below you will find a comprehensive summary of my legislative work this session, as well as some of the challenges we faced trying to pass legislation during a particularly obstructive and partisan time period of Republican leadership across the aisle. We worked hard to move the ball down the field, even if we saw blockades along the way. A tenacious spirit is key to legislative work in the partisan world of modern Wisconsin politics, and I am grateful for colleagues across the aisle who have refused to be absorbed by partisanship and were instead willing to both build relationships, and work on important legislation with their friends across the aisle.
I wrote and co-sponsored legislation protecting pregnant people and their babies, access to healthcare and mental healthcare (mental healthcare is healthcare!), safeguarding our communities from gun violence, uplifting small businesses, caring for our frontline healthcare workers, controlling prescription costs, protecting survivors of domestic violence, protecting kids from sex trafficking, supporting our teachers and our public schools, making the world more accessible for everyBODY, climate action, and more. I have held fast to the mission that we work hard for the people, and we move forward, together.
Small Business Revitalization
Main Street Recovery Package: This bill was included in an amended version of Assembly Bill 2, which was passed and signed into law in February to become 2021 Wisconsin Act 1. It was VERY EXCITING to have one of my bills included in the very first bill of the session signed into law!Assembly Bill 81/Senate Bill 97, part of the Main Street Recovery Package, excludes all income received from the federal coronavirus relief fund from income for state tax purposes. In addition, the bill provides that amounts otherwise deductible for state income tax purposes that are paid directly or indirectly with the grant money are also deductible.
Go Big For Small Business: Partnering with Senator Melissa Agard, and Rep. Francesca Hong, I reintroduced my bill to Go Big for Small Business! Assembly Bill 1053/Senate Bill 1005 establishes an online portal, or online clearinghouse of information for small businesses in Wisconsin. By integrating small businesses with the Department of Administration and one another online, I created opportunities for economic development for these businesses with networking and expansion with greater proximity to support from state and local government. This bill was referred to the Committee on Small Business Development. This bill did not receive a hearing.
Vaping Legislation: Partnering with Senator Kelda Roys, we re-introduced this bill, Assembly Bill 1125/Senate Bill 1038, requiring retailers selling electronic smoking devices to obtain an annual license. By requiring retailers to submit licenses and relevant information to the Department of Revenue annually, we ensure greater safety and transparency with the retail of e-cigarettes, vapes, and other electronic smoking devices. I worked on this bill in an attempt to create a safer world for children. This bill was referred to the Committee on Rules. This bill did not receive a hearing.
Relating to Operating Call Centers: Partnering with Representative Jonathan Brostoff, we introduced Assembly Bill 1105/Senate Bill 1082, requiring businesses operating as call centers to notify the Department of Administration if at least 30% of the call center volume is being relocated to a foreign country. This bill was referred to the Committee on State Affairs. This bill did not receive a hearing.
Personal Property Tax Repeal: Partnering with Senator Brad Pfaff, in October I introduced Assembly Bill 641/Senate Bill 623 to repeal the personal property tax in Wisconsin. This is a bipartisan idea. Previous versions of a personal property tax repeal bill have been introduced by the legislature, such as AB 191 which was vetoed by Governor Evers due to the unintended consequences that may result from the way the bill was written. The moment that bill failed to be signed into law, I jumped into action working on a new version of the bill. AB 641 is a comprehensive bill written to avoid these unintended consequences and hold local governments harmless. After introduction, AB 641 was referred to the Assembly Committee on Ways and Means. This bill did not receive a hearing.
Enduring this COVID-19 pandemic has challenged individuals and small businesses alike. As the ranking member on the Committee on Small Business Development, in a state where 99.4% of businesses are small businesses, I am committed to supporting our small business community.
Gun Safety in Wisconsin
Universal Background Checks: Partnering with Senator Agard, I co-authored Assembly Bill 637/Senate Bill 624 in October to establish universal background checks on a wide range of firearm transfers including firearms classified as antiques, specific parts such as frames or receivers, as well as firearms transferred as gifts or inheritance. Universal background checks are proven to reduce domestic violence by firearm, firearm suicide, and other deadly gun violence actions, including mass shootings. We can pass gun violence prevention legislation that will save lives and curb the ripple effects of trauma in our communities, while still upholding the 2nd amendment. After introduction, AB 637 was referred to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety. This bill did not receive a hearing.
ERPO/Red Flag legislation: I once again co-sponsored Assembly Bill 638, which creates an extreme risk protection order which offers families and law enforcement officers a formal legal process to temporarily reduce an individual’s access to firearms if they pose a danger to themselves or others. That means with this version of an ERPO, we can both protect people from gun violence and death, and uphold the 2nd amendment. 80% of Wisconsinites support red flag laws/Extreme Risk Prevention Order legislation. This bill was referred to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety. This bill did not receive a hearing.
Gun violence in America is a public health crisis - as your Representative, I will continue battling to keep Wisconsin safer in the upcoming legislative session.
I will not treat gun violence or mass shootings as inevitable. We know what to do to save lives. We have lived with grief layered upon grief, and now is the time to act.
We can pass gun violence prevention legislation that will save lives and curb the ripple effects of trauma in our communities. We can do so while protecting life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and liberty and justice for all. The future of Wisconsin’s children depends on the change we create right now. We have heard your voices, we know what we need to do, and we have the power to do it. Now let's get it done. See the rest of my2021 op-ed here, “Rep. Robyn Vining: Gun violence is a public health crisis,” published in April 2021 by Cap Times.
Education
Summer School Counts Bill: Partnering with Senator Chris Larson and Representative Sondy Pope, I introduced Assembly Bill 436/Senate Bill 436. Current law says that one factor used to calculate a school district's revenue limit is a three-year rolling average of the school district's pupil enrollment. The Summer School Counts bill increases the percentage of a school district's summer school enrollment that is included in the enrollment count to 100%, instead of only 40%, by the 2024-25 school year. In June this bill was referred to the Assembly Committee on Education. This bill did not receive a hearing.
Relating to Scholarship for Sibling Connections: Partnering with Senator Jeff Smith and Representative Lisa Subeck, we introduced Assembly Bill 978/Senate Bill 879, requiring scholarship provisions for adopted children and their biological siblings to attend the same academic programs together. Working with the Department of Children and Families, we endeavor to build sibling connections in our pursuit of the Wisconsin Idea. This bill was referred to the Assembly Committee on Education. This bill did not receive a hearing.
On March 8th of this year, Assembly Democrats stood ready to come to the floor for Governor Evers' call for a special session on education. Instead, Republicans legislators gaveled in and out of session without acting on policies supported by Wisconsinites across our state. Governor Evers’ plan would have invested nearly $750 million into education at every level to continue improving school quality. Governor Evers had previously called a special session of the Legislature to provide more than $400 million for K-12 education and more than $100 million for higher education to meaningfully fund education at every level.
Teachers are valuable members of society. Their work deserves to be fully funded, and so do our schools. Since the passage of Act 10 our schools, and especially our special education programs, have been cruelly underfunded. In the upcoming session beginning in January, I will continue to advocate for what is best for our schools, our students, our teachers and faculty, because that is what’s best for our state.
Children and Families
Safe Harbor: Authored by Representative Billings, I am proud to again co-sponsor a Safe Harbor law for Wisconsin, Assembly Bill 185/Senate Bill 245. Current law may prosecute persons under the age of 18 for committing prostitution, a Class A misdemeanor - this bill grants child victims of sex trafficking immunity from prosecution for prostitution charges-- in other words, it doesn’t charge children for the crimes of their pimps and the “johns”. This bill was referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety. This bill did receive a public hearing, and had enough support to pass the Assembly, but did not receive a vote on the Assembly floor prior to the close of the legislative session. This was the 4th session this vote had the support it needed to pass, but did not receive a vote. I am very disappointed this is the case, and hope the Republicans will join the majority of the nation–red, blue and purple states–and pass a good Safe Harbor bill to work toward ending sex trafficking, and protecting Wisconsin’s kids.
Resolution Declaring May 2021 as Wisconsin Motherhood Month: This bipartisan joint resolution dedicates May 2021 as Wisconsin Motherhood Month with honor, affirmation, and respect to mothers in our state. Unfortunately Republicans have refused to schedule votes on resolutions written by Democrats, even if bipartisan. So, while this resolution passed in the 2019-2020 session, it was not given a vote in the 2021-2022 session.
Baby Bonds Bill: Partnering with Senator Melissa Agard, we introduced Assembly Bill 513/Senate Bill 497 that establishes the Baby Bonds program in Wisconsin, as part of the Building Economic Security Together (B.E.S.T.) agenda introduced by Sen. Agard. For babies born to Medicaid eligible families in Wisconsin, the state would invest in bonds worth $3,000 - access to these funds would be granted at 18, and the money could be used for a variety of things. This bill was referred to the Assembly Committee on Financial Institutions. This bill did not receive a hearing.
Building Families Act: Partnering with Senator Kelda Roys and Rep. Jodi Emerson, AB747/SB693 expands access and removes economic barriers to fertility treatment by requiring health plans to cover infertility treatment and fertility preservation services. In Wisconsin over 172,000 people hoping to become pregnant experience infertility and 1 in 8 couples have trouble starting a family. This bill did not receive a hearing.
Universal Changing Stations: Partnering with Senator Melissa Agard, I reintroduced my Universal Changing Tables bill, making Wisconsin safer and more accessible for everyBODY. Assembly Bill 709/Senate Bill 676 was referred to the Assembly Committee on Ways and Means. Exciting news! This legislation received bipartisan support! This bill did not receive a hearing.
Free Menstrual Products: Partnering with Senator Melissa Agard and Representative Sondy Pope, we introduced Assembly Bill 920/Senate Bill 832 to provide feminine hygiene products at schools with a corresponding school district revenue adjustment limit to provide for these costs. Providing districts with more opportunity for limit adjustments ensures tampon and sanitary napkin provisions at no charge to students. This bill was referred to the Committee on Education. This bill did not receive a hearing.
Enough is Enough package: Partnering with Representative David Bowen, we introduced Assembly Bill 449 in July in an effort to increase transparency in the operations of police departments across the state. If passed, AB 449 would require officers to clearly outline how residents could file complaints with police departments. This bill was referred to the Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety. This bill did not receive a hearing.
Pregnancy Protection Act: Partnering with Senator Kelda Roys, I re-introduced my bill AB 803/SB 784, which codifies that maternity and newborn care are essential health benefits under state law, ensuring that no pregnant person will be dropped from their health insurance if the Affordable Care Act were to be reversed. This bill was referred to the Committee on Health. This bill did not receive a hearing.
Funding DOJ’s Safe At Home Program: AB 989/SB 926 provides more safety and security for victims of domestic abuse by increasing funding for the address confidentiality program operated by the Department of Justice. This bill was referred to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety. This bill did not receive a hearing.
I continue to fight for a zero tolerance for violence against women and children, an issue very important to me. That is why I authored a bill to fund the DOJ “Safe at Home” program, which provides substitute addresses and mail forwarding services for survivors of various forms of abuse, including threats of violence as part of their personal safety plan.
We must all work together to bring awareness, protection, and change for survivors. To the survivors: we see you, we believe you, we love you, and we will not stop fighting on your behalf.
Healthcare Bills
The Abortion Rights Preservation Act: I am a co-sponsor of Assembly Bill 106/Senate Bill 75, the Abortion Rights Preservation Act. This bill was referred to the Committee on Health. Governor Evers called a Special Session on June 22nd to pass this bill. Republicans chose to gavel in and out of this special session in a matter of seconds, without allowing time for a vote, or even a conversation, to take place. We must live and legislate with empathy and compassion. Abortion is a decision to be made by a patient and their doctor. I am dedicated, as your representative, to protect the well-being and the rights of my constituents. I will continue to work to ensure all Wisconsinites have access to abortion care. This bill did not receive a hearing.
AB106 eliminates a 1849 Wisconsin state statute incriminating abortion (without exceptions for rape, incest, or the health of the mother) that had been unenforceable due to the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade. This 174 year-old law became enforceable again after the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision.
I showed up in Madison for the special session on June 22, and was ready to vote. The Republicans shut down the special session within 23 seconds without debate, without a vote. You can read my press release here.
Healthcare Connections Act: Partnering with Senator Chris Larson, we introduced AB 929/SB 885 requiring a new line of questioning by the Department of Revenue on individual tax income returns to provide more opportunity for taxpayers without healthcare coverage to qualify for state-sponsored or subsidized healthcare coverage. In collaboration with the DOR, the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance will create a mechanism to track those who obtain healthcare coverage under the bill. This bill was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. This bill did not receive a hearing.
EpiAccess Bill: Partnering with Rep. Mark Spreitzer, I reintroduced our EpiAccess bill, Assembly Bill 740/Senate Bill 706 to make epinephrine access more affordable, and outfit ambulances across Wisconsin with this life-saving medication. This bill was referred to both the Assembly Committee on Health. This bill did not receive a hearing. It is my hope we can make Wisconsin safer and more affordable by passing this bill in the future. As a mom, I know how hard it is to show up to replace my kid’s epipen, only to have the pharmacy bill me significantly more than the previous year, without warning. And, also as a mom, I cannot imagine an ambulance showing up for my spouse or my child who desperately needs epinephrine to save their life, only to learn the ambulance is not outfitted with epinephrine, and the hospital is a half hour away. I found a way to pay for the ambulances to be outfitted, so let’s get it done!
Healthcare Heroes Act: Partnering with Rep. Mark Spreitzer, and with senate leadership from Senator John Erpenbach, I reintroduced my Assembly Bill 955/Senate Bill 918 to provide benefits for healthcare workers including hazard pay, paid medical leave, state-funded testing and treatment, and insurance coverage for testing and treatment. The bill also accepts the Medicaid expansion by adjusting the family income level to 133 percent of the federal poverty line for parents and caretakers. This bill was referred to the Committee on Insurance. It is my belief that while healthcare workers were taking care of us, it was our job to take care of them.This bill did not receive a hearing.
Hazard Pay for Frontline Workers: I introduced Assembly Bill 1152/Senate Bill 1068 to support and aid those workers performing hazardous work during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Working with the Department of Workforce Development, grant programs providing hazard pay and income tax deductions serve to increase pay for workers in hazardous jobs following March 12, 2020. This bill was referred to the Committee on Rules. This bill did not receive a hearing.
Less for RX Bill: Partnering with Representative Lisa Subeck, we introduced AB 551/SB 550 to create a pilot program aimed at lowering the cost of diabetes medication across the state. This bill was referred to the Assembly Health Committee, but did not receive a hearing. In addition, President Biden signed an executive order in October directing the United States Department of Health and Human Services to work with his Inflation Reduction Act, leading to lower Medicare costs that included caps on how much companies could charge for a month’s supply of insulin. Beginning on January 1st, 2023, a month’s supply of insulin can cost no more than $35.
Mental Healthcare is Healthcare
Mental Healthcare is Healthcare Package: I serve as the ranking Democrat on the Committee on Mental Health. Partnering with my Democratic colleagues on the committee, we responded to the current mental health crisis with a 5 bill package called “Mental Healthcare is Healthcare.”
Assembly Bill 750/Senate Bill 731- This bill would change the existing mental health collaboration program to instead collaborate with mental health providers to provide mental health services to students funded through grants. These bills were referred to the Assembly Mental Health Committee and Senate Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges. This bill did not receive a hearing.
Assembly Bill 749/Senate Bill 732- Would allow school districts, independent charter schools, and private schools participating in one of the private school choice programs to be eligible for reimbursement of any expenditures made to employ, hire, or retain pupil services professionals, rather than only 50% of the increase in expenditures to employ, hire, or retain school social workers. These bills were referred to the Senate Committee on Education and the Assembly Mental Health Committee. This bill did not receive a hearing.
Assembly Bill 751/Senate Bill 733- This bill would invest $10 million over the biennium to fund additional and improved mental and behavioral health services to the University of Wisconsin System. These bills were referred to the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities, and the Senate Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges. This bill did not receive a hearing.
Assembly Bill 752/Senate Bill 735- This bill would invest an additional $500,000 for school mental health training. These bills were referred to the Senate Universities and Technical Colleges Committee and the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities. This bill did not receive a hearing.
Assembly Bill 753/Senate Bill 734- This bill would add positions for the veterans outreach and recovery program (VORP) to increase their capacity to help struggling veterans in our state. These bills were referred to the Assembly Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs and the Senate Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs and Constitution and Federalism. This bill did not receive a hearing.
Ensuring adequate mental healthcare for kids is critical not only for the wellbeing of our students, but also their academic success. Now more than ever, students need access to quality mental health resources and support. In order for schools to meet their students’ mental health needs, they need access to mental health providers and we need to better equip teachers with training on social and emotional learning.
Mental healthcare is healthcare. We must live and legislate with empathy and compassion, and with a laser focus on the needs of Wisconsinites. In a time of great need, we need to increase access to mental healthcare, an effort that will both improve– and likely–save lives.
Environmentalism
Forward on Climate Package: I am proud to have authored AB 789/SB 770, and to have co-sponsored 21 other bills, included in the comprehensive “Forward on Climate” package bill. This package centralizes the fight against climate change throughout Wisconsin while also creating sustainable, family-supporting jobs for all Wisconsinites across the state. None of these bills received public hearings.
Here is a summary of the 2021-2022 legislative session, and the Republican leadership’s obstruction and divisive partisanship that led to so few bills receiving hearings, so few being passed, and even fewer being signed into law. The legislature barely met for 80 hours in two years, and the Assembly gaveled out early in February 2022— 10 months before the end of the legislative session.
127 bills were proposed across these three committees: Committees on Health, Mental Health, and Children & Families. Only 12 of those 127 bills were signed into law. And, with mental health being at a crisis point in Wisconsin prior to the pandemic, the pandemic exacerbating this mental health crisis, how many of those 12 bills signed into law were from the Committee on Mental Health? ZERO. This, to me, is deeply disturbing, and shows how focused Republican leadership became on driving wedges, and attempting to thwart the Governor as he ran for re-election. Our work in the Capitol is meant to be For the People, not for our parties, which leads me to the next graphic.
In the 2021-2022 legislative session, Assembly Democrats authored 369 bills– only 7, less than 2%, were given hearings.
Many of these bills are listed above in our summary, and would improve the life of Wisconsinites all across our state, from providing access to life-saving medication, improving mental health access for students and veterans, making the world more accessible, to investing in education—and, honoring mothers!
For those wondering if it’s like this in other states, or has always been like this in Wisconsin— no. Across the country and throughout Wisconsin history both parties have shown their ability to work together, even amongst disagreement, and with opposing ideologies. There are states that do not work well together, and states that do. It’s time for Wisconsin to shift back to being a state where both parties in the legislature work together. Afterall, not everything is partisan, and we are a smart enough bunch to be able to find common ground– if we try.
As we move into our next legislative session, I hope to be able to work with all my colleagues to write and vote on legislation that prioritizes the needs of Wisconsinites. There is much at stake, and on January 3rd we will once again swear an oath to serve the People of Wisconsin. As I always say– we must move forward, together.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you this legislative session. It’s been an honor. I look forward to returning in January, raising my hand to swear the oath of office for the third time, and doing everything I can to serve the people of the 14th Assembly District once again.
