Assembly Session

 Representative Rozar giving her maiden speech

This week in session I had the opportunity to give my first speech on the floor of the State Assembly (you can view that speech here: https://youtu.be/BpAYNbS9JlU).  This speech was in regards to Assembly Bill 89, requiring the Governor to submit to the legislature, a plan for state employees to return to in-person work at the offices of their agencies.  Additionally, the State Assembly passed 10 bills and three resolutions. 

Representative Rozar receiving congratulations after her maiden speech on the State Assembly floor

• AB 15 - Relating to educational qualifications for certified public accountants
• AB 23 - Relating to prohibiting certain government officials from mandating vaccination against the 2019 novel coronavirus
• AB 24 - Relating to closure of and forbidding gatherings in places of worship
• AB 25 - Relating to prohibiting mandatory vaccination for employment
• AB 76 - Relating to monitoring extension and outreach hours of certain University of Wisconsin System faculty and academic staff who provide extension services in applied agricultural research 
• AB 89 - Relating to return to in-person work for state employees
• AB 113 - Relating to modifications to legal custody or physical placement contingent upon a future event
• AB 149 - Relating to legislative oversight of federal COVID-19 funds
• SB 39 - Relating to participation in interscholastic athletics and extracurricular activities and school district membership in an interscholastic athletic association in the 2021-22 school year
• SB 110 - Relating to applications for full-time open enrollment
• AR 15 - Relating to directing the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections to investigate the administration of elections in Wisconsin
• AJR 10 - Relating to reaffirming Wisconsin's commitment to the strengthening and deepening of the sister ties between the State of Wisconsin and Taiwan; supporting Taiwan's signing of a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with the United States; and continued support for increasing Taiwan's international profile.
• AJR 13 - Relating to celebrating March 25, 2021, as the 200th anniversary of Greek independence

For your information, if you click on the bill number you will be able to read the bill in its entirety. 

Testimony

Representative Rozar giving testimony on Assembly Bill 142

 On Thursday, I gave testimony to the Assembly Committee on Children and Families on Assembly Bills 142 and 143, for both of which I was the Assembly Author.  These pieces of legislation are required for the State of Wisconsin to continue receiving federal funding through the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) and the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA). 

• AB 142 - Relating to immunity from liability resulting from good faith actions under the child abuse and neglect reporting law. 

 This Bill makes a couple additions to the current law in Wisconsin regarding good faith immunity relating to Child Protective Services (CPS) reports.  These additions are required for Wisconsin to continue receiving federal funding.  The specific additions are:

1. Adds that immunity extends to persons who, in good faith, assist in medical examinations of a child or expectant mother, and 
2.  Adds that immunity extends to persons who, in good faith, otherwise provide information, assistance, or consultation in connection with a report, investigation, or legal intervention.

 Wisconsin received $1.5M in CAPTA funding in 2019 and is required to come into compliance with this provision by September 30, 2021.

• AB 143 - Relating to Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTP) and granting rule-making authority.

In 2018 the federal Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) was passed.  FFPSA alters the type of congregate care settings that are eligible for Title IV-E child welfare funding.  QRTP is the only type of congregate care setting eligible for Title IV-E funding under FFPSA.  Wisconsin must enact provisions that will allow for the creation of QRTPs to preserve the opportunity to claim federal Title IV-E funding for congregate care placements after September 29, 2021.  Wisconsin received $8.2M in 2019 and $8.3M in 2020 for Title IV-E congregate care placements.  

 For your information, if you click on the bill number you will be able to read the bill in its entirety. 

Artwork

 This week we were able to add some beautiful artwork to our office from the Wisconsin Historical Society.

This ariel lithograph of Marshfield was created by Beck & Pauli from Milwaukee and published by J.J. Stoner from Madison in 1883.  This ariel view was created just 4 years prior to the Marshfield fire of 1887, where every commercial building in town except one was reduced to ashes.  The fire started in Upham's piles of drying wood, and with limited firefighting tools, it soon engulfed the entire factory complex.  The fire then destroyed the railroad depot and started down the lines of wooden buildings on Central Avenue.  

 The day after the fire, Upham announced that he would rebuild his factories.  Learning from the fire, the city required that new buildings on Central Avenue must be built with fireproof materials - not wood.  Many structures built right after the fire still exist today:

• The Thomas House Hotel at 103 S. Central Avenue
• The F. Doll building at 107-111 S. Central Avenue
• The Noll building at 117-121 S. Central Avenue
• The building at 137-139 S. Central Avenue
• The Thiel Building at 301-305 S. Central Avenue
• The building at 307 S. Central Avenue
• The store at 160 S. Central Avenue

William Douglas Wheeler was 7 years old at the time of the fire and you can find his recollection of the event here.

 The other artwork added to our office is this portrait of Governor William Henry Upham.  Governor Upham, who was from Marshfield, was the 18th governor of Wisconsin and served from 1895-97.  

 Governor Upham was born May 3, 1841, in Westminster, Massachusetts.  He moved to Kenosha, Wisconsin in 1853 where he graduated from Racine High School, the first public school in Wisconsin.  At the outbreak of the Civil War, he enlisted in the Union Army and served in Company F of the 2nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment.  He was wounded during the First Battle of Bull Run.  After going to the hospital, he was captured by Confederate forces and sent to the converted tobacco barn, Libby Prison, along with other members of his company.  At Libby Prison, he was attended to by Dr. Lewis, the 2nd Wisconsin's surgeon.  His family in Wisconsin; however, was told that he had been killed in action and held a funeral for him in Racine.  Upham was released in a prisoner exchange in 1862 and sent to Washington, D.C., where he was introduced to President Abraham Lincoln at a White House interview.  Soon after, Lincoln appointed Upham to the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, from which he graduated in 1866.  While stationed at Fort Monroe, he was detailed as officer of the guard, overseeing the temporary quarters of then-imprisoned President of the Confederate States of America, Jefferson Davis.  Upham served in the Army until 1869, having risen to the rank of First lieutenant.

 After returning from military service, Upham first resided in Kewaunee, Wisconsin.  In 1878, he and his brother, Charles, moved to Marshfield, Wisconsin, where they built the city's first sawmill.  Upham became one of the most prominent residents of Marshfield in the era and was elected Mayor for three years, in 1886, 1887, and 1891.  It was also his sawmill that started the fire in Marshfield in 1887, destroying 250 buildings.  Upham led the reconstruction efforts and saw the city return to prosperity.

  In 1894, Upham was the Republican Party of Wisconsin's nominee for Governor against incumbent Democrat George Peck.  Upham received the most votes for any gubernatorial candidate in state history and became the 18th Governor of Wisconsin in January 1895.  He served one term and did not seek re-election in 1896.  He returned to Marshfield to tend to his business interests as President of Upham Manufacturing and the Water, Electric, Light, and Power Company.

 Upham retired from business in 1919 and spent much of his later years in Florida.  He died of pneumonia in Marshfield on July 2, 1924.  He was survived by his second wife and two young sons.  His youngest, Frederick Upham, recently passed away on December 30, 2018, at age 97.  

Budget Listening Session

 I have scheduled my second budget listening session.  This will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 30 at the 2nd Street Community Center (211 E. 2nd Street, Marshfield, WI) in the CC-Wein Classroom.  Representative Born, Co-char of the Joint Committee on Finance, will also be attending this listening session. 

 Additionally, the Joint Committee on Finance has announced their Budget Road Show for this session.  These will be larger listening sessions with the members of the Joint Committee on Finance and will take place at:

•  UW-Whitewater in Whitewater (Friday, April 9)
• The Hodag Dome in Rhinelander (Wednesday, April 21)
• UW-Stout in Menomonie (Thursday, April 22)
• Virtual (Wednesday, April 28)

 If you would like to submit comments to any of these events please submit them to Budget.Comments@legis.wisconsin.gov. 

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.