The Assembly met on June 9 to approve two important proposals, both of which I cosponsored and voted for.
Assembly Bill 293 - sometimes referred to as a Second Amendment sanctuary bill - protects Wisconsin residents’ right to keep and bear arms from the federal government. In general, AB 293 prohibits the enforcement of new federal firearm-related laws or regulations that exceed Wisconsin’s own laws and regulations.
I had heard from a number of constituents with concerns that the Biden Administration will attempt to curtail Americans’ Second Amendment rights. While I certainly wish that the federal government could be trusted to respect the people’s constitutional rights and that bills like AB 293 weren’t necessary, that trust simply isn’t there right now, at least with regard to the Second Amendment.
The Assembly also approved Assembly Bill 336, which restores Wisconsin unemployment benefits to pre-COVID levels by ending the state’s participation in several federal supplemental programs, including PUA, PEUC, FPUC, and MEUC.
While these federal programs played an important role in the early months of the pandemic, when many businesses limited operations or closed down with no idea when life would return to normal, things have changed for the better, and now businesses are desperate for employees. Unemployment Insurance is meant to tide people over until they find work, and the jobs are out there – I’m aware of 600 jobs in Barron County alone that are going unfilled. In the situation we find ourselves in right now, the federal enhancements are no longer necessary and instead are acting as a disincentive to work. It’s time to restore unemployment benefits to a level that reflects current reality.
The Senate, which was also in session on June 9, concurred in AB 336 shortly after the Assembly vote, so that bill will go to Governor Evers for his review. The Senate regulatory reform committee has scheduled a hearing on AB 293's companion, Senate Bill 314, for June 16.
While the main attraction at the June 8 meeting was probably the Department of Transportation budget, I am happy to say that the Finance Committee approved, as part of the state building program, $9.56 million for the renovation and expansion of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Barron. WVDL-Barron is a vital part of the region's agricultural economy, but the current facility is badly overcrowded and out of date, which hinders its ability to perform the animal testing and other services it provides. I worked with Sen. Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan) to advocate for this necessary project and persuade the Finance Committee to include it in this budget.
The Finance Committee also approved two projects - one in Eau Claire and one in the Wausau area - that will expand access to psychiatric care in northern Wisconsin, as well as reduce the need for law enforcement to take individuals who require emergency detention all the way to the Winnebago Mental Health Institute outside Oshkosh.
I am excited that the committee also approved an exemption from tipping fees for certain waste-to-energy facilities, such as the one operated by Barron County, which will make operations more cost-effective. This exemption was originally proposed by former Rep. Romaine Quinn and Sen. Janet Bewley in 2020, and the Assembly approved it with bipartisan support, but COVID cut the legislative session short before the Senate could concur. Governor Evers included the exemption in his budget proposal earlier this year, and I worked with Sen. Kathy Bernier (R-Chippewa Falls) to keep it in.
If you are interested in learning more about bills that I have authored, co-sponsored, or voted on, please click here. This link will take you directly to my Wisconsin State Legislative page. Also, if you are interested in viewing my office website, click here.
If you have any comments regarding the subject of this E-Update, please feel free to contact me.
Rep. Dave Armstrong State Capitol, Room 409 North PO Box 8952 Madison, WI 53708 Toll-Free (888) 534-0075 or (608) 266-2519 Rep.Armstrong@legis.wi.gov | |
