|
Creating a Stronger Workforce
|
|
|
As I travel across the 87th District I continue to hear from business owners both large and small that they are struggling to find enough employees to meet their needs. Many of these employers are offering family-supporting wages with benefits and some are even offering sign-on bonuses. I am also hearing from constituents about the impact that the workforce shortage is having on the availability of goods and services. When businesses are forced to reduce their hours due to the lack of employees, it doesn’t just impact their bottom line; it also affects the folks who rely upon the business for goods or services that they need.
As a part of the State Assembly's floor session on Thursday, we took up bills in the Stronger Workforce Package aimed at strengthening Wisconsin’s workforce. I've discussed several of the bills over the past few weeks as they were considered by the Labor & Integrated Employment and Workforce Development Committees. The focus of this package of bills is to reform some of our state’s public benefit programs to focus on getting people back into the workforce. One of the highlights of this package is Assembly Bill (AB) 883. This bill transforms Wisconsin’s unemployment insurance system to refocus it on getting the unemployed the support they need to rejoin the workforce. Refocusing our unemployment insurance system towards helping people find their next career is an important step towards addressing the labor shortage in our state.
AB 883 and the rest of the Stronger Workforce Package now advance to the State Senate for further consideration.
|
|
|
State of the State Address
|
|
|
On Tuesday evening, Governor Evers delivered his 2022 State of the State Address before a joint convention of the Legislature. This speech is an opportunity for the governor to share with the Legislature what he sees as the state's big accomplishments over the past year and his plans for the year ahead. No matter who the governor is, the State of the State Address is a special occasion. I was pleased to host Hayward Mayor Charlie Munich and his son Ben as my guests for the governor's address.
During the governor's address, he mentioned several times how he has allocated federal relief money to fund a number of programs and grants to individuals and entities across our state. While some of these expenditures have provided necessary help to struggling Wisconsinites, such as aid to small businesses and farmers, there are a number of other times where opportunities were missed. For example, last summer Governor Evers vetoed legislation that would have used some of this federal funding to help with the purchase and reopening of the paper mills in Wisconsin Rapids and Park Falls. The reopening of these mills would be huge for the state's struggling timber industry and the bill passed with bipartisan support in the State Assembly, yet the governor said no.
Governor Evers also took a victory lap on the historic tax cut that was approved as a part of the most recent state budget. While I will give him credit for signing the strong conservative budget that the Legislature sent to his desk, the budget he originally proposed would have increased spending by over $8 billion and taxes by over $1 billion. I am proud to have worked with my colleagues in the legislature to pass a budget that invested millions into priorities like broadband expansion and roads, while also providing $3.4 billion in tax relief. I guess Governor Evers must have forgotten about what was in his budget proposal. Overall, our state's strong finances are possible due to the good budgeting and smart economic policies enacted by Republicans over the past several years. I look forward to continuing to work to keep Wisconsin strong.
|
|
|
Labor and Integrated Employment Committee
|
|
|
On Wednesday, I chaired a public hearing in the Labor and Integrated Employment Committee. We heard testimony on two bills, Assembly Bill (AB) 724 and AB 725. These bills provide additional protections for those who choose not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
AB 724 allows individuals who were discharged under other than honorable conditions solely on the basis that they chose not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to be considered a veteran under state employment law.
AB 725 invalidates a non-compete agreement between an employer and employee if the employee is terminated due to refusing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. This bill applies to employers that employ at least 100 employees and to an employee who enters into a non-compete agreement after the effective date of the bill. It also applies to any modifications or revisions to an existing non-compete agreement that are made after the effective date of the bill.
|
|
|
As part of my busy day in Madison on Thursday, I had the opportunity to meet with the folks from ABATE during their annual Biker Day at the Capitol. As a motorcycle rider myself, I always enjoy visiting with these folks and discussing issues important to bikers.
|
|
|
IT'S OFFICIAL! With the passage of Assembly Joint Resolution 108 earlier this week by the State Senate, February 21-27 is now American Birkebeiner Week in Wisconsin. The Birkie is a world-class event and I am incredibly proud to have it in the 87th Assembly District.
|
|
One of my favorite parts about serving as your state representative is getting out and interacting with constituents at many of the wonderful community events across the 87th District. Check out some of the upcoming events around the district below. Also, if you know of any other events, please contact my office and let me know, so I can include them in a future e-update and try to attend myself.
Check out some of the events coming up around the district:
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
