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Friends and Neighbors,
I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving. I've spent quite a bit of time down in Madison this past month doing committee work and attending the several floor periods the Legislature has had.
The main focus in Madison has been legislative redistricting. Governor Evers recently vetoed the manipulated maps the Republicans pushed through the Legislature.
I always welcome your feedback and opinions, so please feel free to contact me. Also, if you would like something to be included in future e-newsletters, just let me know at (608) 266-0455 or Rep.Ohnstad@legis.wi.gov.
Sincerely,
Legislative Redistricting
As you may know, legislative maps are re-drawn every 10 years. In 2011, the Republican-controlled Legislature in Wisconsin pushed through a plan which favored Republicans while packing Democratic voters into a small number of districts and weakened their voting power.
The process this time around wasn't much different. It started with the Assembly Committee on State Affairs, which I am a member of, holding a Joint Public Hearing with the Senate Committee on Government Operations, Legal Review and Consumer Protection. Hundreds of Wisconsinites came to testify in opposition to the maps; not one came to testify in support. Even after the nine hours of testimony in opposition to these maps, Republicans still decided to put their own interests above all.
I'm thankful we have a Governor who is working hard to ensure Wisconsin is free from gerrymandering. Ultimately, with his veto, these maps will likely be decided by the courts. It is my hope they put an end to this manipulative process.
Assembly Floor Session
Although the main focus for the past few weeks has been redistricting, we did pass several bipartisan bills. One was a package of bills which creates protocols for collecting and tracking sexual assault evidence kits. This bill passed unanimously.
Another was known as the "Mill Bill", which supports our state's paper, pulp, forestry, and timber industries by ensuring the Verso and Park Falls Mills maintain operations. These industries are vital to Wisconsin's economy and I was proud to support this bill.
Federal Retiree Bill
As a reminder, this is a bipartisan bill I have been working on since last session to eliminate a tax disparity between retired federal workers receiving social security and former federal employees not receiving social security, but instead receiving a pension.
I still remain confident this bill will get brought to the floor for a vote in the near future and get signed into law. I will continue working hard on this bill to ensure fairness for these retirees.
Veterans Day
I want to thank each and every Veteran for their service and sacrifice to our country. I had the pleasure of attending the 16th Annual Veterans Day Program at Christian Life School to honor our brave men and women. Unfortunately, I missed many Kenosha events I normally attend because Republicans scheduled a floor session on Veterans Day.
National Apprenticeship Week
This past week, November 15 - 21st was National Apprenticeship Week! Apprenticeship programs help build the American workforce as well as shape our future. As we begin to re-build our country's infrastructure, apprenticeship programs offer a chance to help lead our state and country in a new direction. Right here in our community, Gateway Technical College helps produce highly-skilled employees. There is no better time than now to start the apprenticeship program you've been thinking about!
Pregnancy Protection Act
I was pleased to sign onto a package of bills which ensure every woman in Wisconsin deserves affordable, accessible maternal healthcare. This package of bills would put into state law that maternity and newborn care are essential health care benefits, and individual and small group health insurance plans must cover them. Maternity care coverage benefits both women and children in improving health outcomes.
Healthy Herd | Healthy Hunt
As gun deer season kicked off a few days ago, CWD is a real concern for our state’s deer herd. I am proud to cosponsor a package of bills to ensure hunting maintains its proud tradition in Wisconsin. CWD testing kiosks is critical in lowering the spread of CWD among the deer herd along with having proper carcass disposal sites.
Forward on Climate Legislation
Today, Rep. Neubauer introduced a package of bills to address our climate after hearing input from hundreds of people across Wisconsin. The Forward on Climate legislation is a package of 22 bills designed to create family-supporting jobs, reduce inequality, and fight climate change through Wisconsin-centered policy.
I’m pleased to have introduced a green jobs training program grant which is a part of the Forward on Climate package. This bill would aim to create or scale up existing green jobs training programs, target jobs that produce goods or provide services benefiting our environment, and conserve our natural resources.
Unemployment Assistance
While wait times and payment processing have significantly improved, I’m aware there are still many issues. It is important Wisconsinites are able to use this critical program when they need it most.
If you or someone you know is struggling to get their unemployment payments, my staff is able to help. Please call my office at 608-266-0455 or email Rep.Ohnstad@legis.wisconsin.gov. My office will be sure to send your claim directly to the Department of Workforce Development.
Labor Times Column
Every month I write a column in the Labor Times Newspaper where I discuss my legislative priorities, events I participated in, and what's happening in our community. I encourage you to subscribe to Labor Times by liking their Facebook page. If you would like to subscribe to the Southeast Wisconsin Labor Times Newspaper, call (262)-595-0329 or email marymodder@hotmail.com.
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