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 District Dialogue


Serving the Greater Northwoods

Oneida - Vilas - Florence - Forest

June 11, 2021

Assembly Floor Update

On Wednesday, the Assembly convened to vote on two bills and two joint resolutions: Assembly Bill 293, Assembly Bill 336, Assembly Joint Resolution 57, and Assembly Joint Resolution 60

 

Assembly Bill 293, which would make Wisconsin a Second Amendment sanctuary state, passed in the Assembly. It will now be messaged to the Senate where they will have the opportunity to send this bill to the Governor's desk. 

 

Assembly Bill 336 would end Wisconsin's participation in federal unemployment benefit programs and install work search requirements to receive unemployment insurance. This bill, which encourages people to get back to work, also passed in the Assembly and has been sent to the Senate.

 

Assembly Joint Resolution 57 would modify the session schedule for the 2021-2022 biennial session period and create a floor period beginning on October 20, 2021 and ending on October 28, 2021. Lastly, Assembly Joint Resolution 60 would honor the historic career and accomplishments of former University of Wisconsin-Madison Athletic Director Barry Alvarez, who recently announced his retirement.

Committee on State Affairs Update

We had another jam-packed week in the Committee on State Affairs. On Tuesday, we held an executive session on Assembly Bill 367 and Assembly Bill 369. We also held a public hearing on Assembly Bill 276 and Assembly Bill 325. On Thursday, we held another public hearing on Assembly Bill 374, Assembly Bill 389, and Assembly Bill 390 followed by an executive session on Assembly Bills 276 and 325.

 

AB367 would authorize the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to award a loan of up to $50 million to keep the Verso Paper Mill in Wisconsin Rapids open, thereby saving nearly 1,000 jobs.

AB369 would provide an updated timeline for local redistricting following the delayed data from the 2020 federal decennial census.

AB276 would allow dogs on the premises of certain retail food establishments.

AB325 is aimed at adopting the Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act, which would make the process of administering unclaimed property a lot easier.

AB325 is related to the settlement of multidistrict opiate litigation.

AB389 requires the governor to allocate $5 million of funds under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for grants to Brown County and the city of Green Bay for the purpose of relocating coal piles currently located near the mouth of the Fox River in Green Bay.

AB390 would direct the governor to award several grants using ARPA funds of $4 million, $5.5 million, and $400 thousand to the Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County, emergency medical services, and to the City of Reedsburg community center, respectively. 

 

Thank you to all who came to testify in front of the State Affairs Committee this week!

Budget Update

This week, Legislative Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee made a commitment to improving Wisconsin's crumbling infrastructure.

  • Legislative Republicans are investing in Wisconsin’s Infrastructure including roads, vertical projects, and critical public safety systems.
  • We will invest more than Governor Evers in local roads and the State Highway Rehabilitation Program.
  • We will also borrow far less than the Governor to pay for road upgrades. In fact, this is the lowest amount of new bonding for transportation in over 20 years.
  • We’re making strong investments in state owned buildings, focusing on maintenance and repair and preparing the workforce of future generations.
  • Wisconsin has two major pieces of critical emergency response and public safety infrastructure in need of updating and rebuilding and we will be investing in both (WISCOM & Next Generation 911).

I was very pleased to see that JFC passed my budget motion on Next Generation 911, which would allow local units of government to upgrade their infrastructure and equipment for their emergency service systems, thereby allowing for better communication and reliability for individuals calling 911.

 

In addition, I am very happy that JFC voted in favor of my budget motion that would require the Department of Natural Resources to construct a dam on Dead Pike Lake in Manitowish Waters and maintain it like they do the other 12 dams on Powell Marsh. 

Committee on Tourism Update

On Thursday, the Assembly Committee on Tourism held its first public hearing of the year. We listened to testimonies on three bills: Assembly Bill 301, Assembly Bill 391, and Assembly Bill 388

 

Assembly Bill 301 would require the State Building Commission to award a $2 million interest-free loan to the Greater Green Bay Convention and Visitor Bureau for the construction of a visitor and information center. 

 

Assembly Bill 391would require the Governor to allocate money from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for the State Historical Society to keep its historic sites open and operating in the summer of 2021.

 

Assembly Bill 388 would establish a Wisconsin commission dedicated to the United States semiquincentennial commission to coordinate the commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of the United States, which will take place in 2026.

 

Thanks to everyone who took time out of their day to testify on these bills!

Projected Additional Revenue


Wisconsin is projected to have $4.4 billion in additional revenue and Wisconsin Republicans want you to keep your money. We are planning to use this additional revenue to continue funding Wisconsin's priorities and provide lower income and property tax burdens for families and businesses throughout the state. 

Great Outdoors Month


June is Great Outdoors Month in Wisconsin and there's no greater place to celebrate our state's natural beauty than in the Northwoods!

 

I encourage everyone to make sure to get outdoors this month and take advantage of the beautiful, warm weather. 

 

In addition, Travel Wisconsin put together an article that outlines "7 Awe-Inspiring Natural Wonders of Wisconsin", including the Northwoods' own Eagle River Chain of Lakes.

 Community Events  


 Please click the following links for upcoming community events!

 

Eagle River Wednesday Farmers Market, May 12-October 6. Eagle River

 

Minocqua Farmers Market, May 14-October 8, Minocqua 

 

Hodag Farmers' Market, May 29-October 16, Rhinelander

 

Rhinelander Car Show 2021, June 12, Rhinelander

 

Bikes and Burgers Downtown Rhinelander, June 12, Rhinelander

 

Spring Classic of Champions Musky Tournament, June 12, Eagle River

 

Plum Ski-Ters Water Ski Show, June 16. Sayner

 

Open House at Lakeland Airport, June 17, Arbor Vitae