Speaker's Taskforce on Racial Disparities

On June 16th, 12 pieces of legislation that were introduced by the Speaker’s Taskforce on Racial Disparities Subcommittee on Law Enforcement Policies and Standards were passed by the Wisconsin State Assembly. Shortly after, four of these bills were signed into law by Governor Evers. This landmark progress is a step forward for law enforcement, our communities, and for the entire state of Wisconsin.

Taskforce Bills Signed into Law:

Wisconsin Act 51 relating to: community-oriented policing-house grant program.

Wisconsin Act 50 relating to: reporting of law enforcement use of force incidents.

Wisconsin Act 49 relating to: public access to policies regarding the use of force by law enforcement.

Wisconsin Act 48 relating to: prohibiting use of choke holds by law enforcement officers in use of force policies.

Taskforce Bills awaiting action in the Wisconsin State Senate:

AB 190 relating to: the responsibilities of the Law Enforcement Standards Board and disclosure of employment files when recruiting former or current officers.

AB 329 relating to: reporting the use of no-knock entry in the execution of a search warrant.

AB 330 relating to: school resource officers.

AB 331 relating to: requiring prospective law enforcement officers to complete a psychological examination prior to employment as a law enforcement officer and granting rule-making authority.

AB 332 relating to: crisis training for law enforcement officers.

AB 333 relating to: crisis program enhancement grants.

AB 334 relating to: drug testing of law enforcement officers involved in certain critical incidents while on duty.

AB 335 relating to: grants to law enforcement agencies for body cameras

Wisconsin is the worst state to raise a Black family. Today, Black Wisconsinites make up only 7% of the general population while they make up almost 50% of the prison population. The median annual income of a Black family is less than half of that of a White family. We as a state need to do better. The black community deserves better.

These bipartisan reforms are a step in the right direction for Wisconsin. Our Black communities deserve to feel safe and proud to live in our great state. The public deserves law enforcement that is well trained, accountable and transparent. Although we are nowhere near the end of the road, these bills move Wisconsin forward and I plan to keep working until we can truly say we live in an equitable Wisconsin.

I thank my Co-Chair Majority Leader Representative Steineke (R-Kaukauna) and all of the other Taskforce members who joined me along this seven month journey towards reforming our enforcement system I also want to thank my colleagues who supported these pieces of legislation to make Wisconsin a better place to live for all.

Pictured from left to right: Representative Shelia Stubbs & Majority Leader Representative Jim Steineke

Assembly Bill 121, Deregulation of Natural Hair Braiding

On June 23^rd, the Wisconsin State Senate passed my bill deregulating the art of natural hair braiding. This marks the last legislative hurdle for this legislation, and now it is available for Governor Evers to sign into law. Equity is about removing barriers, and opening doors. Deregulating the art of natural hair braiding will allow for natural hair braiders to earn money for their craft, and improve their economic lives. This common sense reform lifts up the many women of color who practice natural hair braiding, and allows them to earn money for their time honored trade. No license should stand in the way of success. By removing this needless barrier, we are bringing Wisconsin in line with 30 other states who have also deregulated natural hair braiding. 

Pictured from left to right: Representative Shelia Stubbs & Senator LaTonya Johnson

Budget Process Underway

Tomorrow June 29th, the Wisconsin State Assembly will be voting on the budget that was passed out of the Joint Finance Committee.

After this budget moves through the Assembly, it will be considered by the Wisconsin State Senate. Once it passes both houses, it will be sent to the Governor's desk. The Assembly will meet at 1pm tomorrow, and you can tune into the legislative session at https://wiseye.org/live/ and keep track of the proceedings through InSession at https://insession.legis.wisconsin.gov/assembly 

Raising the Wage

Recently, I joined many of my legislative colleagues in introducing legislation that would raise the minimum wage in Wisconsin. This bill would raise the minimum wage from $7.25/hour to $10.15/hour, before further increasing the wage to $15/hour one year after the proposal takes effect. The wages of Wisconsin workers are falling behind our neighboring states of Illinois and Minnesota. Because of this, many workers living near state lines are choosing to find work outside of Wisconsin to raise their incomes. Raising wages will improve the community and lift families out of poverty. If we want to boost our recovering economy, and bring workers into Wisconsin, we must ensure that honest work receives honest pay.

Juneteenth

June 19th represents the anniversary of the widespread end of slavery in the United States. Although former President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation outlawed slavery on January 1st, 1863, Texas did not properly enforce the law until almost three years later. As such, we celebrate Juneteenth on the anniversary of June 19th, 1865, when Union Army General Gordon Granger finally announced the end of slavery in Galveston, Texas

Pictured from left to right: Representative Baldeh, Senator LaTonya Johnson, Congresswoman Gwen Moore, Representative Dora Drake, Representative Shelia Stubbs, Pastor Keith Evans, Senator Lena Taylor, Representative David Bowen, Representative Kalan Haywood and Representative Supreme Moore Omokunde.

As the Chair of the Wisconsin Legislative Black Caucus, my office organized an unprecedented celebration Juneteenth at the Capitol. We had several special speakers and guests including Governor Tony Evers, Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, Congresswoman Gwen Moore, and many others. I would like to give a special shout out to Annie Weatherby-Flowers, the Madison Juneteenth Founder & Kuyjichagulia Board Chair for bringing her knowledge into our state capitol, and for educating us all on why we must continue to celebrate Juneteenth across our state.

The Juneteenth flag was raised and flew proudly alongside the United States and Wisconsin flags for the second year in a row. This year is especially momentous as it marks the first time Juneteenth was recognized as a federal holiday. Juneteenth is not only a day to remember the end of slavery, it is also a day to celebrate Black success, liberation, and resilience. It is vital that we carry on this tradition of remembrance, and continue to work towards a better and more equitable Wisconsin.

Pictured from left to right: Senator LaTonya Johnson, Governor Tony Evers & Representative Shelia Stubbs

Pride Month

Governor Tony Evers kicked off a beautiful start to Pride Month this year by raising the rainbow Pride Flag over the State Capitol for the third year in a row. The flag flew on the first Pride Month of Governor Evers’ term, and with Order 120, the tradition will carry on indefinitely. Evers also signed off on Orders 121 and 122, which directs state agencies to use gender-neutral language in all possible situations, and prevents the use of state and federal funds towards conversion therapy for minors, respectively.

Behavioral Health Resource Center

This month Dane County created the Behavioral Health Resource Center (BHRC). The BHRC provides information, consultations, and referrals to the Dane County community for those seeking mental health or substance abuse support. The center also vows to provide access to their services regardless of an individual’s insurance status, financial ability, age, identity, or legal status. They have language services available for those who need them, making the BHRC extremely accessible and open to all. I thank everyone who was involved in introducing and working with the BHRC, and encourage anyone who is in need of support to be in contact with this agency. To view their website: https://danebhrc.org/

Yahara Watershed

The Yahara CLEAN Compact is an initiative by members of Dane County and Greater Madison to clean up our lakes and beaches to improve their quality and usability. A key component of their mission is community outreach to better inform their community action plan. Right now, a new community action plan is under development by their team, and they are asking residents of the Yahara Watershed area to take a survey to help steer this development. Here is the link to the survey:https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GreaterMadisonLakes. To further get involved with the Clean Lakes Alliance, visit their website here:https://www.cleanlakesalliance.org/

Lifting of the Mask Mandate

On June 2nd, Dane County, the first county to enact a mask mandate in the state of Wisconsin, has finally ended its mask mandate following recent advisories from the federal CDC. The CDC has advised that vaccinated individuals can to go into most establishments without a mask. According to the DHS, over two-thirds of Dane County residents have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 Vaccine. Businesses and organizations however, are still welcome to put mask regulations in place as they see fit, and the DHS still recommends that unvaccinated individuals wear a mask when in public. We are slowly and steadily recovering from the pandemic, and each day we get one step closer to reopening our communities.

Young Learners Tribal Language Revitalization Grant

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has awarded $290,000 to tribal early childhood education and Headstart programs through the Young Learners Tribal Language Revitalization Grant. This grant will help Native American communities revitalize the teaching of the native languages to their youth. Throughout the United States and Wisconsin, Native American nations and tribal communities have seen a drastic decrease in first language and native speakers. Language and mother tongue is a huge part of all cultures, and as such these programs are providing support for the linguistic and cultural needs of native students. For more information on this program, click here.

States Argue in Supreme Court Brief Supporting CDC Eviction Ban

Attorney General Josh Kaul along with 23 other attorneys general have filed a brief with the United States Supreme Court supporting the ban on evictions ordered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This support is immensely needed, as millions of families are still working to recover from the financial toll of Covid-19. The CDC has reported over 30 million American renters are at risk of eviction, and at least four million of those are at “imminent risk”. States have relied on the eviction ban for over a year now as part of their broad Covid-19 responses, and lifting the ban now would only reverse the progress we have all made towards getting back to normalcy. For more information, click here.

New PFAS Fish Consumption Advisories

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Department of Health Services (DHS) are suggesting new fish consumption advisories based on new findings of elevated PFAS in fish from the Yahara Chain Waters located in Dane and Rock County. Fish sampling conducted in 2020 revealed elevated levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), a type of PFAS, in several fish species found in Lake Monona, Kegonsa, and Waubesa.

Health risks increase exponentially with the amount of contaminated fish consumed. As such, the DNR and DHS are recommending one meal or less per month of Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, and Walleye. These departments also suggest one meal or less per week of Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, and Yellow Perch. Following these advisories will prevent excess exposure to PFOS, as well as other fish contaminants such as mercury and PCBs.

Educational Updates

Click here to access MMSD’s summer resources for students

Click here for virtual learning updates and resources 

MetroForward 

As part of the MetroForward initiative introduced by Mayor Satya Rhode-Conway, all middle and high school students attending MMSD will be granted a free Metro Transit pass for the summer for the first time! For more information, click here.

In-Person Instruction

The Madison Metropolitan School District has just announced that classes will return to in-person instruction starting in the Fall semester of the 2021-22 school year. This decision is the result of the steady downward trend of Covid-19 cases and the increase in numbers of vaccinated individuals, however for families that would prefer to continue virtual learning, MMSD has provided options and resources for remote work. 

COVID-19 Updates

COVID-19 Vaccine Information

COVID-19 Response Dashboard

UW’s New Chief Diversity Officer 

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has just announced the hiring of their new Chief Diversity Officer, LaVar Charleston. Charleston earned both a master’s and Ph.D. at UW’s Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. Before being promoted to CDO, he served as the inaugural associate dean for equity, diversity, and inclusion in the School of Education. It is clear that Charleston has a deep understanding of UW-Madison from the time he has spent there, and I am so excited to see what initiative he will take to promote equity and diversity for all students. For more information, click here.

2021 Collegiate Wind Competition

From June 2nd to June 11th, thirteen undergraduate teams from across the country gathered in western South Dakota to test their wind turbine prototypes and wind farm project plans in the US Department of Energy’s annual Collegiate Wind Competition. This competition changes each year to address current issues and events; students have the opportunity to speak with researchers and wind industry professionals, gain career insights, and conduct outreach within their local communities. This year, UW-Madison’s WiscWind team was selected among several other elite collegiate teams to compete for the sixth year in a row. Although they had limited access to engineering resources due to the pandemic, WiscWind was able to design an innovative wind turbine with an active pitch control system for the first time. Congratulations to all the members of the WiscWind team! For more information, click here.

Graduation Ceremony 

On Friday, May 13th, 2257 students graduated from Madison College. The students celebrated with a virtual ceremony and vehicle parade in light of Covid-19 restrictions. Many of these students, as well as those in lower grades, were able to benefit from Madison College’s Financial Support Services that were bolstered by emergency grants from the federal government. With the ARPA, CRRSAA, and CARES funds combined, over $14M was granted to help ease families’ financial struggles throughout the pandemic. It is so great to see students be able to continue their education with the help of welfare. Congratulations to the Madison College Class of 2021!

Return to Better

Edgewood has introduced a Return to Better Task Force that is taking steps to bring back full time in-person learning. Despite the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, Edgewood is committed to returning to in person instruction for the upcoming academic year. To learn more about the initiative click here.