This week in Session

The State Assembly went into session Thursday morning to consider 2 items. AB1, which is the COVID relief bill, and SJR 3, which is the joint resolution removing the Governor's public health emergency order. There was an amendment to AB1 which fixed the unintended consequences of giving the Governor more power in order to allow the continued receiving of $49.3 million of food share money per month. There was no desire by the State Legislature to remove additional food share dollars from seniors and others who receive that benefit, but in doing so, there was also no desire to give the Governor additional power. Those dollars can only be received by the Federal government if a public health emergency order is in place. The amendment keeps the order in place only to receive those monies.

AB 1 as amended passed on a party line vote and was immediately sent to the Senate for their consideration. SJR 3, which passed the Senate January 26th by an 18-13 vote, passed the State Assembly, 52-42. I voted in favor of passing SJR3.

For me, the vote was based on the fact that the Governor continues to order a public health emergency order over and over again, and doing so is unlawful. The law states the Governor may issue an order for 60 days and then needs to go through the rule making process, involving the Legislature (the branch of government closest to the people). Although multiple attempts have been made to let the Governor know the Legislature is ready to move through the process and will to work with him as required by law, those communications have been ignored by the Executive branch.  By issuing another order within an hour of the Assembly's vote, it shows there is no desire to follow the law and that blatant disregard of the rule of law is appalling to me.

Although the focus of many is on the mask mandate that is included in this executive order, this was not about the masks for me. I believe in personal responsibility, individual freedom, the checks and balances of the 3 branches of government, and the rule of law. People keep bringing up the seat belt and speeding laws. Those laws went through public hearings and the process to become law. Not ordered by only one branch of government.

As a registered nurse who only retired from clinical nursing the end of 2020, I used masks over my career when appropriate. I am not anti-mask. During this pandemic, all tools need to be used to slow the spread of this pathogen. I encourage everyone to follow the CDC recommendations and get the vaccine if you so desire as we work to decrease the carnage this horrible, microscopic organism has caused worldwide.

Eat Wisconsin Fish

Wisconsin Sea Grant (WSG) is rebooting their “Eat Wisconsin Fish” initiative to provide consumers, grocers, chefs, and others with information about fish that is commercially produced or harvested in Wisconsin.  This program began in 2013 and was active through 2016 when staff changes prompted WSG to cool the initiative. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant Program distributes millions of dollars to advance aquaculture research and technology transfer each year.  In the summer of 2020, the National Sea Grant Office released an additional $2.48 million so that the state Sea Grant programs could help fish farmers navigate a future clouded by Covid.  Wisconsin Sea Grant used the additional funding to reboot the Eat Wisconsin Fish initiative and in November 2020 hired Sharon Moen to support the success of Wisconsin fish farmers.  Her goals include:

• Updating and promoting the Eat Wisconsin Fish website.
• Compiling fish producer information for three mapping projects.
• Managing information flow to and from four social media platforms.
• Conducting needs assessment of fish producers/harvesters.

American Heart Month

February is American Heart month, which is a federally designated event that encourages Americans to focus on their heart health and to get their families, friends, and communities involved.  Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, remains the leading cause of death globally, taking more than 17.6 million lives.  That number is expected to increase to more than 23.6 million by 2030. 

Additionally, today is National Wear Red Day.  This day is a national campaign that urges women to learn their risk for heart disease and to take steps to lower that risk as cardiovascular disease claims more women’s lives than all forms of cancer combined.   Heart disease and stroke is responsible for the death of 1 in 3 women, but according to goredforwomen.org, healthy lifestyle changes can reduce the risk for heart disease by as much as 80 percent.

Broadband

The FCC auctioned off $9.2 billion over 10 years to provide broadband access across the United States as part of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund.   Charter Communications, along with LTD Broadband, won a number of bids for North Central Wisconsin.  To find out if you will be a beneficiary of this, click the link here and input your address. 

We recently had the anniversary of the unfortunate Supreme Court decision of Roe versus Wade.  I strongly believe that every human has the right to life from conception until natural death.  There have been 62,502,904 abortions performed since the Courts decision in 1973.

Contacting My Office

My Capitol office is here to help you with general inquiries as well as questions and concerns regarding legislative matters. Feel free to contact Dylan, my Legislative Assistant or me. We are always ready to assist you with your needs. Please visit my website for press releases and other Capitol updates.