End of the Year Legislative Update

With the year quickly drawing to a close, I wanted to take a moment to update you on some of the legislation that I am working on in Madison.

Competitive Integrated Employment (Employment First) Bill
A couple of years ago I participated in a community discussion about employing people with disabilities in Medford.  At this event, I learned about competitive integrated employment (CIE) which is the employment of individuals with disabilities in a workplace in the community working alongside people without a disability.  I spoke with many individuals with disabilities who wanted nothing more than to work out at a job in the community.  However, some barriers still exist for people with disabilities who want to work out in the community and I began to collaborate with stakeholders to see how I could help.

The result of this work is Assembly Bill 625/Senate Bill 514. Several state agencies have responsibilities to fund services to help youth and adults with disabilities find employment.  However, there are times where these services are fragmented or duplicated.

This proposal requires state agencies with responsibilities in this area to collaborate and develop a joint plan to assist people with disabilities in finding employment in the community. The collaboration required under this bill will help agencies work better together, braid funding, and align policies so it is easier for people to get the support they need to find and keep a job.

I am very excited about this proposal and look forward to it receiving a public hearing before the legislature soon.

LLC Filing Fee Exemption for Student Entrepreneurs
Another bill I am excited to be working on is Assembly Bill 498/Senate Bill 404.  This bill creates an exemption from the initial LLC filing fee of $130 for student entrepreneurs who are enrolled at any post-secondary institution in Wisconsin.

Starting a business requires capital, which students often lack. By exempting student entrepreneurs from the initial LLC filing fee it will free up those funds for investment in the LLC itself thus providing more resources for these young entrepreneurs to get their small business off the ground right here in Wisconsin.

This legislation will be receiving a public hearing in the Senate next week and in the Assembly on December 19th.

The Maximum Height of Pole Traps
In previous e-updates, I have discussed Assembly Bill (AB) 464 which would reform Wisconsin's laws regarding the heights of pole traps.  These non-lethal traps are one of the most effective tools that game preserves can use to protect their game birds.  However, current height restrictions in Wisconsin make them ineffective in our state.  AB 464 raises the maximum height from the current allowable height of 3 feet to the 10 feet that is allowable under Federal regulations for holders of a valid US Fish and Wildlife Service bird depredation permit.

AB 464 cleared the Assembly back in November and it received a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Sporting Heritage, Mining and Forestry last week.  I anticipate this proposal being taken up by the Senate early next year and look forward to Governor Walker signing it into law.

Rep. Edming and Sen. Petrowski speaking in support of Assembly Bill 464

Under the Dome

Discussions with the DNR

Last week, I had the opportunity to sit down with DNR Secretary Dan Meyer and his staff to discuss some issues important to the people of the 87th District, including the future of the Totogatic Flowage in the Hayward area.  I appreciate Secretary Meyer making the time to sit down with me and listen to the concerns of the people of the 87th District.

Christmas Time at the Capitol

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the Capitol!  The Christmas season officially kicked off last Friday with the Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony.

This year's tree is a 40-foot Balsam fir that was donated by Jim Ryf of Emery.  Public and private schools from all over the state donated handmade ornaments from students to adorn the tree, and most of them are of the theme of the Capitol Centennial.  To top it off, two-thousand multicolored LED lights make the tree the center of attention.

It is certainly a great time of year to visit the Capitol, and not only to see the tree and the amazing decorations.  You can also commemorate this historic year for the Capitol with a 2017 State Capitol Ornament, which are for sale at the Rotunda Information Desk.

And if that wasn't reason enough to come for a visit, the Governor's Executive Residence is now open for Holiday Tours, where you can see this fantastic building all decorated for Christmas.  These special tours are limited, and are only available at the following times:

• Saturday, December 9th - 10 am to 2 pm
• Wednesday, December 13th - Noon to 2 pm
• Thursday, December 14th - Noon to 2 pm

Around the 87th

Indianhead Community Action Agency Receives Grant

One of the best parts of my job as your state representative is seeing local organizations recognized for the outstanding work they do.  Last week, I was happy to accept a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs on behalf of Indianhead Community Action Agency, Inc (ICAA).  This grant will allow their Small Business Development Program to help even more veteran entrepreneurs start or grow their small businesses. Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of presenting the grant award to ICAA at their Ladysmith office.

Stay Up to Date

One of the best ways to stay up to date with what is going on in Madison is to sign up for the legislature's notification tracking service. This service allows you to follow legislative activity in Madison. Once you create a free account you can sign up to receive notifications about specific bills or committees as well as legislative activity pertaining to a subject area (i.e. agriculture, veterans). You can sign up for this service at notify.legis.wisconsin.gov.