Forward Fridays: April 30th, 2021

Welcome to my latest e-update. Here is a summary from the past week as your State Representative.

Gun Violence Prevention

The Wisconsin Coalition for Gun Safety has put together a petition in favor of the gun violence prevention provisions of Governor Evers' proposed budget that will be presented to the members of the Joint Committee on Finance. You can sign the petition HERE, and please share the link with your friends and neighbors from across the 14th district and Wisconsin.

I wrote an op-ed this week detailing the public health crisis that is gun violence in Wisconsin and in our country, and the actions week can take to prevent further tragedies and preserve constitutional rights. Read the full op-ed HERE.

Additional FoodShare Benefits for Wisconsin Families

On April 1st, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued new guidance, which will allow Wisconsin to provide more than $75 million in emergency allotments to over 411,000 FoodShare households in April. This is a significant increase of over $57.5 million from allotments in February provided to about 265,000 households. Thanks to the change in federal policy and negotiations between Governor Evers and the Biden Administration, more households have access to critical funding to feed their families.

Read the full announcement HERE.

Funding to Help Wisconsinites Pay Overdue Utility Bills

This week Governor Evers, the Department of the Administration (DOA), and the Public Service Commission (PSC) announced that $21 million will be allocated to help folks pay overdue utility bills through the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP). This funding comes from Wisconsin’s federal FY21 allocation for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Individuals who applied to WHEAP for 2020-2021 had their debt paid off automatically.

Find more information on WHEAP HERE.

Federal Restaurant Revitalization Fund Application Portal Opens on Monday

Restaurant owners can register for the SBA Restaurant Revitalization Fund application portal starting today - visit restaurants.sba.gov to register and for more information. Applications open on Monday, May 3rd at 11 am.

AG Kaul Statewide Inquiry into Clergy and
Faith Leader Abuse

Attorney General Josh Kaul is going to work with the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ), district attorneys, survivor groups, and crime victim services professionals to review reports of clergy and faither leader abuse in Wisconsin. If you are a survivor or if you have any information about clergy and faith leader abuse, I encourage you to share this information at SupportSurvivors.widoj.gov or by calling 1-877-222-2620. This investigation seeks to prevent further abuses, extend support services to survivors, and get accountability.

Read the full announcement HERE.

Committees This Week

On Wednesday, the Committee on Mental Health had a public hearing on two suicide prevention bills, Assembly Bill 193 and Assembly Bill 210. We will have an executive session to vote on these bills in committee on Wednesday, May 5th at 9:45am.

On Thursday, the Committee on Children and Families held their Act 78 informational hearing in which the Department of Children and Families briefs members of the committee on child abuse and neglect incidents that occurred in 2020.

State Budget Updates

Joint Committee on Finance Public Hearings

The Joint Committee on Finance public hearings concluded this week, with a virtual hearing on Wednesday. You can still submit public comments on the budget to JFC HERE.

The Joint Committee on Finance will begin voting on provisions in the budget in their first executive session on Thursday, May 6th at 11am. Watch live on WisconsinEye.

Real ID Extension to 2023

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Homeland Security has delayed the requirement for air travelers to have a Real ID to May 3, 2023. Less than half Americans have already received their Real ID and this extension will ensure there is enough time to get a Real ID outside of pandemic circumstances.

New Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Guidance

The federal government released new guidance for who is eligible for the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. This week the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development launched the expansion of PUA. Individuals who were denied from receiving PUA benefits are encouraged to re-apply and could potentially receive up to 79 weeks of back payments depending on when they initially applied. If you were denied PUA benefits, you can expect to get a letter from DWD in the mail with a full explanation.

Read the full announcement HERE.

Worker’s Memorial Day

April 28th, 2021 was Worker’s Memorial Day in Wisconsin, in honor of those workers who have died on the job, to acknowledge the grievous suffering experienced by their families and communities, and to recommit ourselves to the fight for safe and healthy workplaces for all workers.

I am a cosponsor of the Worker’s Memorial Day resolution. Read the full resolution HERE.

May is APIDA Heritage Month

May is Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month to recognize and celebrate the achievements, contributions, and history of Asian Pacific Islander Desi Americans in the United States and in Wisconsin.

DNR Spring Update on State Parks and
Natural Areas Reminder

With the weather getting nicer and the flowers popping up, many people are heading to Wisconsin’s state parks and natural areas. The Department of Natural Resources recently announced changes to state park system operations starting today, April 30th. These changes include the opening of playgrounds and observation towers, increasing volunteer groups up to 50 people, increasing capacity for outdoor spaces to 100 people, opening concession facilities and more.

Read the DNR’s full announcement HERE.

COVID-19 Vaccine Update

As of April 29th, 4,363,653 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Wisconsin and 42.8% of Wisconsin residents have received at least one dose, with 33.1% fully vaccinated!

En español, AQUI. ¿Tiene preguntas sobre la vacuna contra el COVID-19? Llame al 844-684-1064 (llamada gratuita)

For more information about where you can get a vaccine, visit the DHS website HERE.

For more information about where to get vaccinated in Waukesha County, visit their website HERE.

For more information about where to get vaccinated in the city of Wauwatosa, visit their website HERE.

For more information about where to get vaccinated in the city of Milwaukee, visit their website HERE. En español AQUI.