There's a Christmas Tree in the Capitol after all!

This year, the Governor decided that there was to be no Christmas tree in the Capitol. Some of us in the Wisconsin Assembly GOP thought that was a horrible idea, so we decided to put our own up. 

Rep. Sortwell from Two Rivers (far left) and I hatched the idea to put up our own tree. Rep. Dave Murphy (middle left) and Rep. Chuck Wichgers (far right) also helped decorate it. 

Click here to watch a video of the us putting it up with our Christmas message. 

​Christmas is a most important time of the year for many of us. Hundreds of staffers in the Capitol love Christmas, and we wanted to put up a tree for them to enjoy.

This year has also been horrible for many people. We wanted this tree to be something everyone can look forward to seeing and have a sense of hope.

Every year kids in Wisconsin look forward to making hand-made ornaments to decorate the Christmas tree. This tree gives kids throughout Wisconsin the opportunity to make their own ornaments and send them to our offices to decorate the tree.

Send your letters and Christmas Tree Decorations to...

Representative Paul Tittl
Room 219 North
State Capitol
PO Box 8953
Madison, WI 53708

 

Wisconsin Assembly GOP Proposes Covid-19 Relief Package 

Assembly Republicans this week announced a package of initiatives to help the state address the public health crisis. The legislation gives the state more tools to fight the spread of the coronavirus and helps struggling families across Wisconsin. The legislative package builds off of Governor Evers’ most recent proposals, provides emergency funding and creates a road map for the state to move through the pandemic.

The Assembly Republican GOP package includes the following:

• Create a $100 million fund to respond to the public health emergency
• Double the number of local public health staff working on the COVID-19 response
• Offer weekly rapid antigen tests for home use
• Continue the prohibition of co-payments for any COVID-19 tests
• Establish legislative oversight of vaccine distribution plan
• Provide guidelines for state employees to return to work
• Reauthorize state employee transfers
• Establish limited liability for schools, businesses and local governments
• Allow for an essential family member/caregiver to visit a loved one in nursing homes in specific circumstances
• Re-establish personal electronic computing device grants for schools ($9 million)
• Require teacher instruction from school buildings by end of January, providing exceptions
• Require school board approval of virtual instruction by two-thirds vote of the board
• Provide payments to parents of $371 for students who have had at least 50% virtual instruction since September
• Allow health service providers from other states to practice in Wisconsin
• Require UW System to provide credit to students who assist in the COVID-19 response
• Create business grants for the hospitality industry
• Require the Department of Workforce Development to eliminate the backlog of unemployment insurance claims

While this legislation would set aside dollars for the administration to request from the Joint Committee on Finance, it's preferred to have federal funding pay for these initiatives before tapping into state funds.

The package will also include a necessary statutory change to allow for the safe distribution of certain COVID-19 vaccines.

These are sensible bipartisan policy proposals that will help stop the surge taking the place in Wisconsin and will help those affected by the virus. I am looking forward to getting back to the assembly floor as soon as possible to take action. Normally, the state legislature does not return to session until January when the new legislators take office. However, I am ready to work with my legislative colleagues and the Governor to stop the surge.