Revenue Shortfall

Last week, the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau released numbers showing that Wisconsin is expected to take in $158 million less in revenue than previously estimated. This is the direct result of the Republicans' disastrous budget and their inaction on many of the major challenges our state faces. Instead of facing our economic challenges head on, Republicans have spent the legislative session focused on a harmful special-interest political agenda and election-year distractions.

A simple first step toward improving our state’s finances and closing the revenue gap would be to accept federal BadgerCare funds and provide health care to roughly 80,000 Wisconsinites at a savings of more than $300 million to taxpayers over the next two years. Unfortunately, Governor Walker and legislative Republicans have refused to act, putting politics ahead of doing what is right for our state.

Update on The Healthy Babies, Working Mothers Act

Together with Representative Joan Ballweg (R- Markesan) and Senator Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point), I introduced LRB-3285 to ensure nursing mothers do not face unnecessary barriers in the workplace. LRB-3285 would bring Wisconsin law in line with federal employment regulations regarding breastfeeding and provide additional accommodations to ensure that nursing mothers do not have to choose between breastfeeding and returning to work. The bill also ensures that unpaid break time taken for the purpose of nursing or expressing breast milk would count toward meeting eligibility thresholds for employer sponsored health insurance. After circulating for co-sponsorship, the bill has received support from both Democrats and Republicans.

The Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010, made updates to the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that required many, but not all, employers to provide reasonable (unpaid) break time, along with a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion where employees may express breast milk.

The Healthy Babies, Working Mothers Act codifies these changes into state law and expands on them by applying the standards to any employer unless compliance results in a significant undue financial burden. My bill also requires an employer to provide an electrical outlet, running water, and a refrigerator for the storage of breast milk. Finally, the bill requires an employer to treat unpaid break time taken to express breast milk as paid work time for purposes of determining the employee's eligibility for health care benefits.

This bill addresses an issue raised by a constituent who lost her health insurance because unpaid breaks to express breastmilk resulted in her total work hours dropping slightly below the minimum threshold for health insurance eligibility.

The Healthy Babies, Working Mothers Act was drafted with significant input from breastfeeding coalitions and breastfeeding support organizations, including public health professionals. I am pleased that the Healthy Babies, Working Mothers Act has received early bipartisan support and am hopeful the bill will move forward.  No mother should have to choose between making the healthy choice for her baby versus returning to work and providing health care for her family.

Anniversary of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

Friday is the 5^th anniversary of President Obama signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act. Unfortunately, women still earn just 78 cents on the dollar compared to men. African American and Latina women fare even worse than that.

In 2012 legislative Republicans and Governor Walker repealed the Equal Pay Enforcement Act, which allowed state level enforcement as a tool for women to combat wage discrimination.

Equal pay is not just a women’s issue, it is also a family and economic issue. The 22 cents of every dollar adds up quickly for families struggling to make ends meet. In Wisconsin’s economy so many people are already working harder for less pay, and the last thing they can afford is to lose part of each month’s paycheck to gender discrimination. As we work to grow our economy, it is imperative our economy works for everyone.

Spring Primary: Voter ID Will Be In Effect

Absentee voting for the Spring Primary begins next Monday, and Election day is Tuesday, February 16. This will be the first election since the courts ruled that Wisconsin's Voter ID law will be in effect.