I hope this message finds you and your family well and enjoying the spring weather.
Legislative action at The State Capitol is getting busier with committee hearings and legislative sessions in full swing. I wanted to share a few important updates with you all about what is going on in our State Capitol and around the state.
Please follow myFacebookorTwitterfor more frequent updates. I hope they help keep you informed and engaged with what’s going on in Madison and Milwaukee.
As always, I welcome any feedback or ideas you may have. Please do not hesitate to contact my office and let me know if I can be of any assistance to you.
Evan
Evan Goyke State Representative 18th Assembly District
JFC Updates
This week marks the beginning of the important work performed by the Joint Committee on Finance as it relates to the state budget proposed by Governor Evers. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the committee held four agency briefings. Today I am with the committee at UW-Whitewater as we begin the first of four public listening sessions around Wisconsin.
Agency Briefings
On Tuesday, the Joint Committee on Finance had the opportunity to hear from the Department of Workforce and Development and the Department of Public Instruction. The testimonies from both agencies outlined how the proposed budget invests in our kids, our working families, and our small businesses to move our state forward to a strong recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the briefings on Wednesday, the Department of Natural Resources and the Wisconsin Public Service Commission presented their agency priorities in the budget. The Committee heard testimony on how the proposed budget invests in clean water, natural resources, energy efficiency and affordability, sustainability, and other important measures.
Road Show
Every budget season the Joint Committee on Finance holds a series of budget listening sessions throughout the state. Historically, these hearings are held in every region of Wisconsin to maximize public input on the proposed budget.
This year we kicked off the field hearings in Whitewater, Wisconsin on the UW-Whitewater campus. We heard from a number of individuals and advocacy groups about their budget priorities. There was resounding support for the Governor’s budget. Many people spoke about their support for expanding BadgerCare, funding public education systems, assisting small businesses in COVID recovery, protecting our environment and natural resources, and non-partisan redistricting.
FoodShare Benefits
On Wednesday, March 31st, the Wisconsin Supreme Court blocked Democratic Gov. Tony Evers from issuing any new public health emergency orders without the approval of the Republican-controlled state Legislature. This ruling has endangered vital funding for Wisconsin's FoodShare program.
Under recent health emergencies, Wisconsin has received an allotment of emergency funding from the federal government for our State's FoodShare program to provide food assistance to thousands of Wisconsin's families. In order to receive this additional funding, an emergency order must in place for at least one day in a given month. Due to the court acting on March 31st, and not April 1st, Wisconsin's share of funding for May and the months moving forward is in jeopardy. This could cost the state tens of millions of dollars each month as 2021 advances.
This was recently confirmed by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Stay tuned for updates as my Democratic colleagues and I work together along with Governor Evers to provide this much-needed funding to Wisconsin families.
Expungement Bill
Reforming Wisconsin’s outdated expungement law to provide employment opportunities for our neighbors has long been a legislative priority. Last session the bill I authored passed the State Assembly but was not voted on by the State Senate. The expungement bill this session is back and making headway! Along with Rep. David Steffen, Sen. Alberta Darling, and Sen. Kelda Roys, we’ve worked hard to gather a majority of co-sponsors in the Assembly, with a current list of 54 representatives. We also have the support of 13 senators from all over the state, alongside community groups and associations.
On Wednesday, April 7th the bill held a public hearing in the Assembly Criminal Justice & Public Safety Committee with favorable comments. I am hopeful the bill will be voted out of committee and scheduled for a vote in the Assembly soon. I am excited about the continued positive response this policy has gotten and the truly bi-partisan effort to get the expungement process modernized.
Information about the bill- now with bill numbers Assembly Bill 69/Senate Bill 78- can be found HERE. We are very hopeful that the bill will be successful, creating more opportunities for thousands of Wisconsinites with a prior conviction.
COVID-19 Vaccine
As of Monday, April 5th, everyone 16 years old and older, is eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Wisconsin has been and will continue to be, a leader in vaccine rollout. Despite more and more of our population receiving COVID vaccines, we need to remain diligent in fighting this pandemic. The recent spikes and new variants are serious and we must continue to mask up, social distance, and practice good hygiene.
If you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine you can call the DHS hotline at 844-684-1064 or visit their website HERE for additional information about where you can get your vaccine.
Friend of Housing Award
I was recently honored to receive the “Friend of Housing” award by the Wisconsin Builders Association. Every two years, the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Builders Association selects legislators who advance the goals of affordable, innovative, and environmentally-conscious homes accessible to all. Access to quality, affordable housing is such an important issue and I will continue to advocate for important housing-related issues and legislation that will benefit our neighborhoods and community.
Forward Wisconsin March Budget Action Meetings
On March 31st, Forward Wisconsin completed the fifth and final meeting in the March Budget Action meeting series, designed to educate and engage the public on the 2021-23 Wisconsin State Budget process. I co-hosted these action meetings with my JFC Assembly Democratic colleague, Rep. Greta Neubauer. We featured twenty-eight members of the Assembly Democratic caucus, alongside fifteen community organizations. Each meeting highlighted various provisions of Governor Tony Evers’ Badger Bounceback Budget and encouraged Wisconsinites to take action.
Forward Wisconsin was a huge success and since re-launching in late February, reached nearly 100,000 Wisconsinites via social media and the virtual March Budget Action meetings, which were hosted on Zoom and broadcast live on Facebook. The virtual action meetings received outstanding feedback from the public, reaching 650 to 2,800 people with each weekly Facebook Live broadcast and up to seventy participants on each Zoom call.
You can still watch the videos from each event on the Forward Wisconsin Facebook page HERE.
Forward Thinking Wisconsin Podcast Project
My podcast Forward Thinking Wisconsin is now available on Spotify! Be sure to also check out ForwardThinkingWisconsin.com where you can find podcast episode write-ups, nerdy historical archives, and budget blogs.
Important Local COVID-19 Resources
During these unprecedented times, I want to make sure that you are connected to the resources that are available in our community. Each e-update will include resources and opportunities that may be helpful for anyone experiencing hardship due to the pandemic.
W-2 Emergency Assistance: One-time payment that can help qualifying low-income parents to pay for emergency housing or utility-related expenses.
Energy Assistance Program: Provides qualified Milwaukee County residents with a one-time, annual payment toward heating and electric bills. The funding pays a portion of energy costs determined by household size, income, and energy costs.
2-1-1 Social Service and Community Resource Referral Support through IMPACT, Inc.:
Dial 2-1-1, or (414) 773-0211
To avoid being charged a long-distance fee, call 2-1-1 toll-free at (866) 211-3380
Text your zip code: TXT-211{898-211} Mon- Fri 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
