On March 2, I got to participate in a "skeleton session", a very brief procedural meeting at which only a small number of representatives are present - in this case, only Rep. Rachael Cabral-Guevara (R-Fox Crossing) and myself.

Rewarding In-Person Instruction

Earlier this week, I joined my Assembly Republican colleagues in signing a letter to Governor Evers that asked him to direct almost $21 million in new federal funding to school districts that have provided in-person instruction throughout the 2020-2021 school year.  This money comes from the Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund, which Congress created in last year's CARES Act. 

A disproportionate amount of the first round of GEER funding went to districts that continue to offer online-only instruction, despite the fact that those districts often realize significant savings due to reduced transportation, utility, and other costs.  On the other hand, schools that resumed in-person instruction often did so at great expense, implementing many measures to keep our state's children safe, so I believe it makes sense that they should receive the lion's share of the second round of GEER funding.

Unfortunately, Governor Evers has rejected this proposal, but I would not be surprised if the Legislature revisits the issue of "in-person v. online" during the ongoing budget process.

Committee Work

The Assembly Committee on Ways and Means, on which I serve, met on March 2 for an informational hearing about the State of Wisconsin Investment Board, which manages a number of state trust funds, most importantly the Wisconsin Retirement System's assets.  The informational hearing was followed by a public hearing on three bills:

• Assembly Bill 18, which would allow the deadline for filing state income tax returns to reflect any changes in the federal filing deadline, such as happened in 2020.
• Assembly Bill 39, a bill I cosponsored that would exempt military income earned by service members on active duty from state income taxes.  Wisconsin's border states already exempt active-duty military pay.
• Assembly Bill 56, which clarifies that state aid payments a tax incremental district (TID) would otherwise receive in compensation for repealed personal property taxes will be distributed among the other taxing jurisdictions (municipality, school district, county, etc.) after the TID terminates.

The Assembly Committee on Small Business Development, on which I also serve, has scheduled an informational hearing for March 11.

Legislative Website

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.