Legislation to Allow Local Licensing of Lyft and Uber Drivers
Yesterday, I introduced legislation which would allow municipalities to require Transportation Network Company’s (TNCs) drivers like Lyft and Uber to be licensed locally. I put forward this legislation after a number of reports of criminal activity including robbery, battery, and sexual assault allegedly committed by TNC drivers since the 2015 implementation of a state law prohibiting regulation of TNCs and their drivers by local units of government. The most recent allegation came last weekend when a driver for Uber was arrested after a 20 year old woman reported that after arriving outside her home, the driver battered and sexually assaulted her.

Removing the state prohibition to local licensing of TNC drivers enables local elected officials and law enforcement to determine what tools they need to keep their communities safe and respond to these serious crimes when they occur.

Click here to read more about the legislation and to view a copy of the bill.

Foster Forward
The past few months I have been traveling the state as a member of the Speaker’s Task Force on Foster Care. After public hearings where we gathered input and ideas on how to improve the foster care system, the task force has introduced the “Foster Forward” legislative package.

I am taking the lead on introducing LRB-4929 to create a grant program for counties, non-profits, and tribes to fund initiatives that support foster families as they strive to provide normalcy for Wisconsin’s foster care population. These grants could be used to assist efforts in retaining existing foster parents, expanding education for foster parents, and reimbursements for expenses related to providing normalcy for foster children.

Wisconsin faces a shortage of foster care placements and a rising number of children in out of home care. We struggle to recruit and retain foster families, as even the most committed families face challenges in providing normalcy for the children in their care. This legislation will help us retain foster families and support foster children by providing flexible funding that may be used for necessary resources, specialized training to meet individual needs, and to cover expenses that help foster children achieve normalcy.

Due to the complex needs of children in foster care, families caring for these children sometimes need individualized training. Like other families, foster families face additional expenses for extra-curriculars, sports, and field trips, but foster care payments generally cover only basic care and support. Whether it covers the cost of a music program, fees and equipment to play football, or the money needed to go on a school field trip, these grants will enable foster families to ensure their foster children have the same opportunities as other children. This bill and the Foster Forward package of bills are important first steps in improving the lives of children and families in our foster care system.

Click here to view a copy of my bill.
Click here to read more about the entire Foster Forward legislative package.
 

Federal GOP Conceal Carry Bill Undermines Safety
H.R. 38, “The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017, introduced by U.S. House Republicans, would require each state to recognize concealed carry permits issued in every other state. Yesterday, the bill passed the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee.

This presents a huge danger to residents in Wisconsin and across the country. This means more dangerous people will have the ability to carry guns nationwide without regard for the laws of the states they are in. It creates challenges for law enforcement enforcing the laws, because different individuals carrying concealed weapons would be operating under different regulations, including being on school grounds and the types of magazines they can carry. This is yet another step by Republicans in the wrong direction when it comes to gun safety.

While Republicans at the state and federal level attempt to increase the amount of guns in public, Democrats are focused on common sense solutions to prevent gun violence and guns ending up in the hands of those who wish to cause harm. This session, we have put forward bills to require background checks, restore the 48 hour waiting period, require safe storage of firearms and ensure that gun stores are not sitting targets for criminals to steal access to firearms.

Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment
Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act is presently underway. This year, the Trump Administration cut the enrollment period in half and Republicans also cut funding for Affordable Care Act outreach and advertising efforts. I hope that you will help in spreading the word about the ongoing open enrollment period.

If you, or someone you know, needs health insurance you can visit healthcare.gov (Cuidadodesalud.gov) to enroll.
 

Gift Card Dos, Don'ts and Gotchas
Shoppers and gift recipients alike love gift cards for their convenience and ease of purchase and use. As with anything else where there is an exchange of money, however, there are some dos, don'ts and potential scam traps to consider when it comes to gift cards.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection asks shoppers to take steps to ensure that card recipients get the full value of the gift and to watch out for phony promises of cut-rate or free gift cards.

"Free card" scams:

• Be on the lookout for requests for mobile phone numbers tied to promises of (bogus) free gift cards. Scammers have been known to place monthly subscription fees for a variety of "services" on consumers' phone bills without authorization.

• Watch out for free gift card promises in exchange for completing surveys. In a widespread scam, illegal spam text messages promised gift cards from a major retailer in exchange for completing a (phony) survey and providing personal information. Respondents never received a gift card and their information may have been sold by scammers to marketers or other scammers and identity thieves.

• If you receive an unsolicited message promising a free gift card, do not click any links and delete the message.

When buying a gift card:

• Inspect the packaging before you purchase a card to ensure that no protective stickers have been removed and that the pin number has not been exposed.

• Read the fine print on the card to ensure that you understand any rules on usage and associated fees. Federal rules require fees to be disclosed prior to purchase.

• Always give an activation receipt with the card to verify its value and the date of purchase.

• Many retailers offer electronic gift cards that can be gifted by email. If the gift recipient shops online, consider this option since they can be saved in an email account for future use without fear of losing or damaging a physical card.

• If you are considering buying an unused card secondhand, purchase it from someone you know and trust. Used or unwanted gift cards show up for sale online through auctions and classified ads, and while some cards may be legitimate, others may be counterfeit, may be drained of their value, or may have been stolen from a store and never activated at a register.

If you receive a gift card:

• If a store goes out of business, your gift card could be rendered useless. Use a card as quickly as possible.

• Make sure to hold onto gift card receipts until the entire value of the card has been spent.

• Unused cards may be subject to inactivity fees, draining the value of the gift. By federal law, dormancy and service fees are allowed if the recipient has failed to use the card for more than one year. After that, fees are limited to one per month, but there is no limit on the amount of the fee.

• Keep your cards safe. Contact the issuer immediately if you lose a card or if it is stolen. Be aware that you may not be able to replace it, and that some issuers may charge a replacement fee.

For additional information or to file a complaint, visit the Consumer Protection Bureau at datcp.wi.gov, send an e-mail to datcphotline@wisconsin.gov or call the Consumer Protection Hotline toll-free at 1-800-422-7128.

Fun Wisconsin Fact
This year’s Capitol Christmas Tree, a 40-foot balsam fir was harvested in the Town of Emery, was donated by Jim Ryf. This year the tree’s ornaments will honor the Capitol’s centennial and have been made by school children around the state

Wisconsin is the nation’s fifth-largest Christmas tree producer, with an annual harvest of more than 600,000 trees valued at more than $16 million. There are more than 850 Christmas tree farms in the state, covering more than 23,600 acres.

Be sure to come and check out the tree and centennial ornaments. Please feel free to stop by my office while you are here to say hello and for a free copy of a Wisconsin Blue Book. We are located in room 418 North.