This week's e-update, the second in a series of articles focusing on legislative and budgetary accomplishments from the current session, focuses on foster care. This week, the legislature is poised to vote on a package of bills relating to foster care and adoption. I was proud to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in support of these important legislative initiatives.

By investing more money in these programs we will see:

• Better educational outcomes

• Higher earnings for those who have aged out of the system

• Lower incarceration rates for those currently in the system and who have aged out of the system

• Lower homeless rates

• Fewer teenage pregnancies

The following represents some of the most significant legislative and budgetary achievements, related to foster care, from the current legislative session:

• Increased payments for foster and kinship care programs by 2.5 percent nationally ($3 million), which will provide safe homes for vulnerable youth

• Creation of a pilot program provide legal representation to parents whose children are the subject of a "Child in Need of Protective Services" (CHIP) petition

• Establishment of a process of continuity for licensed foster parents and children placed when the county or child protect agency no longer will be issuing foster care licenses

• Formation of a matching grant program for counties, non-profits, and tribes designed to expand existing prevention programs or create new programs to keep families out of Child Protective Services (CPS) and children in their homes

• Afforded mental health care providers with the flexibility to discuss with foster parents and out-of-home care providers any relevant mental health information that they believe is necessary in order to care for the child

• Establishment of a caseload study committee to make a recommendation to the legislature or adequate caseload standards for social workers

• Expanded the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program, citizen-volunteers who advocate for the best interests of children in foster care

• Allowed schools to receive formal notice of permanency plan reviews or hearings in order to provide written testimony on behalf of children in foster care

• Notification to schools and districts when a student is place in foster care

• Defined "ordinary dental care" in statute to allow foster kids to get the dental care they need

A bipartisan task force was developed to address the issues of foster care and adoption, specifically. Members of the task force held public hearings in communities throughout the state to better understand the issue and solicit input from local experts and people actually involved in the foster care system. The goal of these forums, was, of course, to draft legislation that can help families and children once they have entered the system, once they age out of the system, and to prevent them from ever entering the system.

The Housing and Development Act of 2018

This week, the Assembly approved Assembly Bill 770, "The Housing and Development Act of 2018," that I coauthored with Senator Duey Stroebel. This legislation seeks to lower the cost of new development at the local level by further reducing regulations, streamlining processes, and providing information to developers regarding fees and available lots.

A recent study by the National Association of Homebuilders found that an average of 24.3 percent of a home's final selling price is comprised of local, state, and federal regulatory costs. What is more, development expenses for the newly-sold homes represent 14.6 percent of the total cost of regulation, with builder outlays accounting for the remainder. The aforementioned study denoted that, while the percentage of housing regulatory burdens remain in line with 2011 estimates of twenty-five percent, home prices have increased exponentially, resulting in a thirty percent increase in the dollar value of these costs--from $65,000 in 2011 to $85,000 in 2016. These are just a few reasons why I authored the "Housing and Development Act of 2018."

By modernizing their approach to housing development regulations, state and localities can retain unchecked housing cost growth, protect homeowners and strengthen their economies.

Wisconsin exports increase

There is more good news for Wisconsin on the economic front. Wisconsin exports increased by more than six percent in 2017. According to the United States Census Bureau, Wisconsin exported $22.3 billion in goods and services last year. These exports went to 202 countries. The growth can be attributed to an increase in exports to Canada, Mexico, and China. Wisconsin continues to lead the nation in the export of sweet corn and cranberries. In total, Wisconsin exports more than $35 million in agriculture products.

State of Wisconsin Blue Books

Copies of the 2017-18 State of Wisconsin Blue Book are still available. If you are interested in obtaining a copy of this year's Blue Book, please contact my office: Rep.Rob.Brooks@legis.wisconsin.gov or (608) 267-2370.

State of the Tribes

This week, Gary Besaw from the Menominee Nation delivered the 2018 State of the Tribes address.

Gary Besaw from the Menominee Nation, delivering the 2018 Wisconsin State of the Tribes address.

Have a great week,

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