I hope this e-update finds you healthy, safe and enjoying the spring weather. I wanted to share some updates regarding various legislative issues and the state budget process.
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Evan Goyke State Representative 18th Assembly District
Joint Finance Committee
Last week the Joint Finance Committee held its first Executive Session on Governor Evers’ 2021-2023 budget proposal. This meeting marks the first action taken by the committee on the state budget bill. A summary of the Governor’s proposed budget authored by the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau may be found here.
A number of actions were taken during the committee meeting but there are three important actions to be aware of:
1. Republicans Remove Nearly 400 Items In One Vote
The first action taken on the budget bill by legislative Republicans was to remove nearly 400 items from Governor Evers’ budget in one vote. A copy of that motion may be found here. This includes policy items supported by Wisconsin citizens from all across the state like the expansion of BadgerCare. The removal of these items also prevents the committee from considering them moving forward throughout budget deliberations. Simply put, all of these policy items will not be considered by the majority party. I strongly opposed this motion.
This action by the majority party has severe consequences for Wisconsin and its citizens. Legislative Republicans gut $1.8 billion, or 4.4%, from Governor Evers’ 2021-23 budget before a single funding decision has been made.
In addition, their rejection of BadgerCare expansion results in the loss of an additional $1 billion of federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act signed after Governor Evers’ budget had already been introduced.
This jeopardizes investments for K-12 schools, local government, public health, nursing homes, our university systems, and other highly important, highly popular priorities.
2. Joint Finance Democrats Move To Expand Health Insurance Eligibility to 90,000 Wisconsinites and Save $1.6 Billion
In response, the Democratic members on the committee offered a motion that would have removed BadgerCare expansion from this list of policy items taken out of the budget in the Republican's first motion. Our motion would retain BadgerCare expansion for consideration throughout the budget process. This motion failed with all Democratic members, including myself, voting yes.
The GOP rejection of BadgerCare expansion prevents approximately 90,000 Wisconsin citizens from being eligible for more accessible and affordable healthcare and will cost the state an estimated $600 million in GPR savings and the loss of $1 billion in one-time federal funding over the next biennium.
3. Republicans Throw Out The People’s Budget
In their final large action, legislative Republicans then offered a substitute amendment to the budget bill that fully eliminates the Governor’s budget and brings the budget back to the base funding levels. This action ignores the will of the people of Wisconsin and I opposed it. You can check out my testimony in the video below.
Going forward the Joint Finance Committee will continue to meet over the coming weeks to further debate the State Budget and what should be included in legislation going forward. Stay tuned for future e-updates and video blog (vlog) updates like the one below on Forward Thinking Wisconsin.
Thank you to all of our neighbors who have engaged on the State Budget. I have loved the energy and passion. Please keep it up and I will continue to work alongside you in the weeks and months ahead!
Border-to-Border Budget Tour
My Assembly Democratic colleague and Forward Wisconsin Co-Host Rep. Greta Neubauer and I embarked on the first leg of our Border to Border Budget Tour to visit regions of the state that we had not had much opportunity to hear from on budget priorities. Our goal was to engage Wisconsinites and generate support for the Governor’s Badger Bounceback Budget, which makes significant investments in initiatives that would directly impact the 18th Assembly District. In a one-week span, the first leg of the tour covered Wausau, Stevens Point, La Crosse, Racine, Green Bay, and wrapped up in Appleton.
Some of the Border to Border Budget Tour events included:
Participating in a Talking Circle with Indigenous Community hosted by Ho-Chunk Nation Associate Justice and Founding Director of Central Wisconsin Indigenous Peoples’ Day Committee Tricia Zunker
Breaking down shared revenue and transportation aids with Mayor Katie Rosenberg and County Board Supervisor John Robinson in Wausau and Mayor Eric Genrich in Green Bay
Touring of the North Central Health Care facility and having a roundtable discussion with NAMI Northwoods representative and NCHC administration and staff
Discussing climate and the environment at the Schmeeckle Reserve in Stevens Point with Rep. Katrina Shankland
Learning about pollinators, water quality, and stewardship in La Crosse with Sen. Brad Pfaff and Rep. Jill Billings
Walking tour of the OAK Learning Center in Green Bay with Rep. Kristina Shelton to discuss public education and conservation
Holding roundtables and visits with small business owners in La Crosse and Green Bay
Emphasizing the importance of healthcare workers and k-12 public education in Racine with Mayor Cory Mason
Checking out some Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Grant projects in Appleton with Rep. Lee Snodgrass
Important reforms to Wisconsin’s expungement law continue to progress in the legislature. I am proud to have authored this bill since my election to the legislature and continue to work toward its passage and enactment into law.
On Thursday, May 6th the bill received a public hearing in the Senate Judiciary & 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 and Senate soon. I am excited about the continued positive response this policy has received and the bi-partisan effort to get the expungement process modernized.
Information about the bill 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.
Wisconsin Counties Association Article
In this month’s edition of the Wisconsin Counties Magazine, I authored an article about how legislators on both sides of the aisle can accomplish important justice reforms together. In the article, I highlight our work on Treatment, Alternatives, & Diversion (TAD) Expansion, as well as important juvenile justice reforms. I will be continuing my work on these issues this session and I am looking forward to working with my colleagues on these legislative goals.
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.
2-1-1 Social Service and Community Resource Referral Support through IMPACT, Inc.:
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