COVID-19 Update

On Thursday, Public Health Madison & Dane County extended its Face Covering Emergency Order until October 8. The order now includes exemptions for individuals who are presenting or performing a religious, political, media, educational, artistic, cultural, musical, or theatrical presentation as certain distancing and vaccination requirements are met.

Also, if you have not yet received your vaccination, you can receive a $100 Visa gift card if you do so by September 19. Click here to learn more.

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Changes to Pardon Process

This week, Governor Evers signed Executive Order #130, which creates a new, expedited process for pardon applications that meet stricter criteria. Under the new process, the chair of the Pardon Advisory Board may send an application directly to the governor without a board hearing if the applicant committed only a non-violent offense and sufficient time has passed since the conviction. All other applications will be heard by the Pardon Advisory Board.

Additionally, a new application is being issued which expands pardon eligibility to ensure individuals who have completed all their sentences after five years have passed. Previously, individuals could only be pardoned for their most recent felony.

The Wisconsin Constitution grants the governor the power to pardon individuals convicted of a crime. A pardon is an official act of forgiveness that restores some of the rights that are lost when someone is convicted of a felony, including the right to serve on a jury, hold public office, and hold certain professional licenses. A pardon does not result in expungement of an individual’s record.

Under Executive Orders 30 and 130, individuals convicted of a Wisconsin felony may apply for a pardon if they completed their sentence at least five years ago and have no pending criminal charges or cases. Individuals currently required to register on the sex offender registry are ineligible for a pardon.

Governor Evers restored the Pardon Advisory Board in 2019 after nine years of inactivity in order to give individuals a second chance to contribute to society and better their lives.

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Visit to Toki

Last week, I joined Gov. Evers and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jill Underly to welcome Akira Toki Middle School students back to school. I had fun seeing all the children and teachers eager to start the school year. It also was great to see Sen. Kelda Roys, Rep. Shelia Stubbs, and Madison Metropolitan School District Superintendent Carlton Jenkins there greeting students as well.

I hope the school year is off to a great start for all of our children and teachers. The return to in-person classes in the midst of a pandemic brings significant challenges for all involved. Thank you to all of our teachers, administrators, staff, parents, and students for working so hard to ensure safe and healthy learning environments.

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Revenues Greater than Expected

This week, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau announced that Wisconsin revenues are $319 million greater than expected. This provides us a new opportunity to do better when it comes to funding our schools.

We should invest these funds to address some of the missed opportunities in our most recent state budget, particularly in K-12 education. Unfortunately, Republicans made cuts to the Governor’s proposed budget that left our public schools without the resources they need.  These additional revenues mean we could fund provide adequate funding to our schools at a time of increased need so local school districts are not forced to make cuts or go to referendum to raise property taxes.

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City Council Resolution Supporting UW Nurses

Last week, I stood with UW Health nurses and Madison Alders Lindsay Lemmer and Patrick Heck as they introduced a resolution supporting a union voice for UW Health nurses and calling for a fair union election to ensure quality patient care.

The resolution introduced last week is similar to legislation that Senator Melissa Agard and I introduced in May: the Union Voice for Quality Care at UW Health Act. The Act would grant UWHCA employees the statutory right to form a union and collectively bargain over their conditions of employment.

Nurses at UW Hospital had a union and a collective bargaining agreement until it expired in 2014. Upon the expiration of the contract, the UWHCA Board refused to recognize the nurses’ union or negotiate a new agreement, citing Wisconsin Act 10.

Our nurses and other frontline healthcare workers have risked their lives and the lives of their families over the last year and a half to provide quality, compassionate care to our community. We owe them the same respect and dignity that they provide for their patients – for us – every single day, no matter how difficult the circumstances. A union voice would provide that respect and dignity, and it would allow nurses to advocate not only for themselves and their families, but also for their patients.

A majority of UW nurses have expressed their support for a union, and the UWHCA board should voluntarily recognize it. Absent that recognition, our bill would finally empower our UW frontline healthcare workers with a union voice.

Thank you to Alders Lemmer and Heck and all of their colleagues for their support of our nurses. The quality of our health care depends on it.

Click here to read the City of Madison Resolution.

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Less for Rx Spotlight: Prescription Drug Affordability Review Board

Last month, Gov. Evers and I introduced legislation to reduce the high cost of prescription drugs. The Less for Rx Plan was developed from recommendations of the bipartisan Governor’s Task Force on Reducing Prescription Drug Prices.

One of the bills would create a Prescription Drug Affordability Review Board. The purpose of this board is to protect Wisconsin residents and other stakeholders from the high costs of prescription drugs. This board would be appointed by the governor, and be made up of:

• Two members who represent the pharmaceutical drug industry, at least one of whom is a licensed pharmacist.
• Two members who represent the health insurance industry.
• Two members who represent the health care industry, at least one of whom is a licensed practitioner.
• Two members who represent the interests of the public.

This board would be required to conduct drug cost affordability reviews to ensure that the costs of prescription drugs are fair to consumers.

Madison 365 recently ran a story about the Less for Rx Plan. Click here to read their story.

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September is Preparedness Month in Wisconsin

Gov. Evers has declared September Preparedness Month in Wisconsin.

As part of Preparedness Month, Wisconsinites should take the following actions:

Make A Plan – Develop a plan for how you and your loved ones will reach safety during any emergency. Know where your shelters at home, work and school are located or how you will safely leave the building. Practice going to those safe places. Also, make sure everyone knows how to contact each other if a disaster were to occur while you are separated.

Build A Kit – Kits should include enough non-perishable food, water, and medications to keep you safe for up to 72-hours. First aid supplies, a flashlight, and a NOAA Weather Radio, along with copies of insurance policies, prescriptions, and a list of important contact numbers, are also great inclusions. Store your kit in a location where you can access it quickly during an emergency.

Know Your Risk – Being prepared for disasters includes identifying the risks that exist in your community. This includes understanding the natural threats, such as tornadoes and local flood hazards, and man-made risks that may be nearby, such as industrial sites. Use that information to develop your emergency plans, the review and practice them with everyone in your home.

Teach Youth Preparedness – Disasters can be scary for kids. Help them feel more in control by talking about what they should do in an emergency. If you have a student in fourth or fifth grade, ask their teacher about participating in the Student Tools for Emergency Planning (STEP) program in their classroom during the school year. Information on this free program is available at https://readywisconsin.wi.gov/step/.

Click here to learn more about these preparedness tips.

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Wisconsin Fun Fact 

Akira Toki was born in 1916 into the only Japanese-American family living in Madison at that time. He grew up on a farm near today’s Beltline – John Nolen Drive interchange, in what was then the Town of Blooming Grove.

Toki joined the US Army in 1942 after Pearl Harbor to prove his loyalty. He was signed to the 100^th Battalion, which was a predominately Japanese-American battalion, and that saw heavy losses in the European theater.

Toki left the Army after being wounded by shrapnel that pierced his helmet during Operation Grapeshot. Because of his actions during the war, he earned the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. He then went back to the family farm for many years.

Upon retiring from selling his land and retiring from farming, he dedicated his time to talking to other veterans about their terrible war stories at the Madison Veterans Hospital. In 1993, Orchard Ridge Middle School was renamed Akira Toki Middle School. Toki died in 2012 at the age of 96.

Thank you to local historian, Stuart Levitan, for inspiring this fun fact by sharing with us a 1942 Capital Times profile of Akira Toki and his family.

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