Governor Evers signs Ethan’s Law

Last week, Gov. Evers signed “Ethan’s Law” (Act 72). "Ethan's Law" is named in memory of 7-year-old Ethan Hauschultz, who was fatally beaten in 2018 by a distant relative with whom he had been placed in foster care. This relative had previously entered a “no contest” plea to a felony child abuse charge, yet Ethan was allowed to be placed in the home anyway. Ethan’s family joined the Governor and legislators for the bill signing on Tuesday.

I am proud to be among the bipartisan group of legislators who authored  this legislation and to join Governor Evers for the signing.

Ethan’s Law (Act 72):

• Expands the circumstances in which a court is generally prohibited from out-of-home placement of a child with a person who has previously been convicted of, has pleaded no contest to, or has had a charge dismissed or amended as a result of a plea agreement for certain crimes against a child; and
• Prohibits licensed entities with whom children are placed from employing, contracting with, or housing any person or employee that has been charged with certain crimes against a child.

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Health Committee Preview

On July 29, the Assembly Committee on Health will hold a public hearing on eleven bills. These bills include:

• Assembly Bill 86: providing complementary and alternative healthcare practitioners with exemptions from practice protection laws, requirements and prohibitions for individuals who provide complementary and alternative health care services, and providing a penalty.
• Assembly Bill 128: requiring informed consent before performing a pelvic exam on a patient who is under general anesthesia or unconscious.
• Assembly Bill 181: newborn screening for Krabbe disease and requiring evaluation of additional lysosomal storage disorders for mandatory screening.
• Assembly Bill 281: registration of pharmacy technicians, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, and granting rule-making authority.
• Assembly Bill 290: reimbursement of pharmacist services under the Medical Assistance program.
• Assembly Bill 292: composition of local boards of health.
• Assembly Bill 295: licensing and regulation of pharmacies and remote dispensing sites under the pharmacy practice law, the practice of pharmacy, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from rule-making procedures, and granting rule-making authority.
• Assembly Bill 296: funding for free and charitable clinics and defining telehealth.
• Assembly Bill 337: use of epinephrine prefilled syringes and standing orders for epinephrine.
• Assembly Bill 358: regulating the sale of items that are qualified medical expenses below cost.
• Assembly Bill 396: advanced practice registered nurses, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, and granting rule-making authority.

Click the links to the bills to learn more. I look forward to hearing testimony on each of these bills.

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Grants to Madison Urban League Announced

The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Amy Pechacek and Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Secretary Missy Hughes visited the Urban League of Greater Madison (ULGM) to announce new grant funding for Black wealth building and economic empowerment initiatives.

DWD awarded a Wisconsin Fast Forward grant of more than $185,000 to ULGM to support its workforce training project, "Molecular Diagnostics Career Academy," with Exact Sciences, a rapidly growing Madison-based molecular diagnostics company that has been on the cutting edge of early detection and prevention of colorectal cancer.

The project will help Exact Sciences meet its workforce needs through an accelerated, short-term career academy model. During the five to seven weeks of training, unemployed and underemployed workers will develop an extensive set of transferable skills such as industry-specific computer skills; knowledge of quality assurance procedures, laboratory safety, and PPE protocols; reporting and analytical skills; as well as workplace communication, customer service, and teamwork skills. Training will also be supplemented with 12 months of individualized employment coaching to ensure worker job success.

1. At least 75% of participants will be Black, Indigenous, people of color, and other job seekers that are under-represented in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.
2. At least 40% will be individuals whose employment has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. At least 85% of trainees will be placed into one of 430 full-time, career pathway positions at Exact Sciences.

Along with the Fast Forward grant, ULGM also received $400,000 Capital Catalyst Grant from WEDC that will be used to create the Black Business Hub Accelerator Fund. The program will provide loans, grants, and culturally competent technical assistance to at least 40 startups and existing businesses owned by people of color.

Click here to learn more about Wisconsin Fast Forward grants.

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Beat the Summer Heat

The Department of Health Services shared the following tips to stay safe when it is hot outside:

• Stay in air conditioning. When possible, stay in air conditioning on hot days. If you don’t have air conditioning, head to libraries, malls, and other public spaces to keep cool.
• Check on loved ones. Extreme heat can affect anyone of any age, including youth and adults. Be sure to check on older friends and neighbors who live alone and don’t have air conditioning.
• Avoid the hottest part of the day. If you have to be outside, stick to the cooler morning and evening hours. Wear light, loose clothing and take frequent, air conditioned breaks.
• Beware of hot cars. Never leave a person or a pet in a parked car, even for a short time. On an 80 degree day, the temperature inside a car can reach 100 degrees in less than 10 minutes.
• Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water on hot days. Avoid alcohol and hot, heavy meals.
• Stay informed. Watch your local weather forecasts so you can plan outdoor activities safely. Pay attention to any extreme heat alerts.

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Request your Wisconsin Highway Map

My office has free Wisconsin State Highway maps available. Please email Rep.Subeck@legis.wi.gov to have one mailed to you. Be sure to include your complete address, please.

The newest edition of the Wisconsin Blue Book (2021-2022) is not yet available, but we still have some 2019-2020 blue books available. We would be happy to send you one if you email your address to Rep.Subeck@legis.wi.gov.

You may also stop by my office (109 North) in the Capitol to pick up items during business hours. Please note that unvaccinated visitors must wear a mask.

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Wisconsin Fun Fact 

On Tuesday, the Milwaukee Bucks won their first NBA championship in 50 years. When they last won, in 1971, Lew Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Oscar Robertson led the Bucks to defeat the Baltimore Bullets in four games. On April 30, 1971 (when Game 4 was played):

• Richard Nixon was President,
• Patrick Lucey was Governor of Wisconsin,
• Bill Dyke was Mayor of Madison,

Also in 1971:

• The voting age was lowered to 18 with the ratification of the 26th Amendment,
• NASA launched the Apollo 14 mission to the moon,
• The New York Times published the Pentagon Papers.

Congratulations again to the Bucks on their historic win.

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