Question of the week

This week's survey pertains to information on issues discussed at the Child Placement and Support Study Committee, that I chaired this summer.  

Please, take just a minute to take my two-question survey on child placement issues. 

Click here for my two-question survey

Results from last week's survey question

Twenty-seven percent of respondents to last week's survey question believed that marijuana should be legal for recreational purposes, forty-three percent supported legalization for medicinal purposes, and twenty-nine percent of respondents posited that marijuana should be illegal in all instances. 

In total, seventy percent of respondents believed marijuana should be legal in some capacity. 

As noted in last week's e-update, Governor Evers unveiled a proposal that would legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes and decriminalize the drug if users, manufacturers, and distributors, handle less than 25 grams. 

Governor Tony Evers' budget address

After hearing Governor Evers' focus on bipartisanship and cooperation during his campaign, I was dismayed with his budget proposal. Not only was his budget a missed opportunity for bipartisanship, it was a culmination of a liberal agenda. It was disconcerting that his proposal was laden with spending and policy items that will be rejected by the legislature. 

At the legislative session's outset, Governor Evers stressed the importance of bipartisanship and collaboration in this era divided government. Republicans sent Governor Evers a letter identifying eleven issue areas from his campaign on which they could work together. These shared priorities included: income tax relief, clean water initiatives, and childcare affordability, to name just a few. 

Governor Evers' budget should not erase the progress Republicans have made over the past eight years. More Wisconsinites are working than ever before and families are keeping more of their hard-earned money. Now is the time for Republicans and Democrats to work together to move Wisconsin forward. 

Under the auspices of Republican leadership, Wisconsin's economy is stronger than ever. Our budget has a $600 million surplus and we are anticipating $1.8 million in new revenue for fiscal year 2019-2021. 

My staff and I will spend the next few months reviewing Governor Evers' budget and meeting with stakeholders to identify ways in which to more closely align it with the voters' seminal priorities: smaller government, lower taxes, greater personal freedom, and fiscal responsibility. 

If you have any ideas for improving the budget or areas in which you think more money needs to be appropriated, please contact my office. 

I look forward to working with my colleagues and Governor Evers in the coming months to develop a fiscally sound budget that invests in Wisconsin's priorities. 

Bills Introduced

This week, I introduced two pieces of legislation, LRB 1586 a bill relating to changing the official bond requirements for town municipal judges, and LRB 1283 relating to filling vacancies in elective offices in cities and villages.

LRB 1586

Last session, the legislature passed Act 51, which modernized official bonding requirements for municipal officials. The act made filing of an official bond permissive, not mandatory, as many municipalities already purchase employee dishonesty and other insurance coverages to protect against losses due to employee wrongdoing. 

Act 51 needed to provide more clarity for official bond requirements for town municipal judges. LRB-1586 clarifies that the filing of an official bond for town municipal judges is optional, not obligatory. If the town board does not utilize an official bond, the town must obtain a dishonest employee policy or other insurance coverage for the judge. This is similar to existing law for city and village municipal judge filing provisions. 

LRB 1283

This bill was drafted at the request of a local municipality and clarifies state statute as it relates to filling vacancies in elected offices at the city and village level. Currently, the statutes are unclear and difficult for local officials to understand. 

In addition to making the statute easier to understand, this proposal applies the same procedures for filling vacancies to villages and cities. There is a lack of uniformity in the current process for filling vacated offices in those jurisdictions. 

This bill stipulates that a special election to fill a vacancy in a city or village may be held as follows:

1. If the vacancy occurs no later than December 1, the municipality holds the special election concurrently with the spring election.

2. If the vacancy occurs after December 1, the municipality holds the special election concurrently with the spring election in the following year. 

3. If the vacancy occurs no later than June 1, the municipality holds the special election concurrently with the general election.

4. If the vacancy occurs after June 1, the municipality holds the special election concurrently with the general election in the following year. 

Furthermore, this bill clarifies that a vacancy in an elective office may be filled by appointing a successor to serve for the remainder of an unexpired term or until a special election is held or the office may remain vacant until an election is held. 

Constituent meetings 

This month, I have met with countless constituents who visited the capitol for legislative advocacy days. If you are ever in Madison, feel free to stop by my office, 216 North. 

Meeting with constituents who visited the capitol for the Alzheimer's Association's annual legislative day.

Meeting with an architect from the district who was in Madison for his association's legislative day.

Meeting with individuals from Independence First during their annual legislative day.

Meeting with nurses and nursing students from the 60th District.

60th District Events

Meeting with constituents at a spaghetti dinner in Saukville

The following are a few events that will be occurring this week, in the 60th Assembly District. If you have any upcoming events you would like included in my e-updated, please contact my office.

Mardi Gras Pig Roast, Cedarburg, March 3

Chili Cook-off, Port Washington, March 2

Sunday Funday Micro Brew Trip, Port Washington, March 3

Port Washington Winter Market, Port Washington, March 2

Family Craft: It is Easy to be Green, Cedarburg, March 2

Stay up to date

One of the best ways to date with what is happening in Madison is to sign up for the legislature's notification tracking system. This service affords you with the opportunity to track legislative activities in Madison. Upon creation of a free account, you can sign up to receive notification about specific bills of committees as well as legislative activity pertaining to a subject (i.e., health care, education, etc.).