Comprehensive Legislation to Address PFAS Introduced

As many La Crosse area residents have experienced, PFAS are dangerous contaminants and are becoming more and more prominent as testing efforts expand. I have been in constant contact with neighbors and local elected officials on French Island regarding PFAS contamination. We are just seeing the tip of the iceberg with PFAS in Wisconsin and I’m working to educate and encourage the legislature to address this issue. Our Eau Claire neighbors recently closed four city wells in response to high levels of PFAS contamination. 

I have mentioned in previous e-newsletters that Governor Evers included numerous provisions in his 2021-23 budget proposal to begin addressing and remediating the presence of PFAS in Wisconsin. Unfortunately, Republicans removed 7 of the 8 provisions from the final budget. Recognizing the magnitude of this problem, I co-authored the CLEAR Act (Chemical Level Enforcement and Remediation Act) to provide additional tools to address PFAS contamination.  

The CLEAR Act aims to stop the contamination from PFAS Particles through mitigation, testing, and strict enforcement standards. The bill is similar to legislation I supported in the 2019-21 legislative session but with new language based on the work of Governor Evers’ Wisconsin PFAS Action Council, input from the Wisconsin DNR, as well as previous legislation by a bipartisan group of legislators. 

The bill includes the following provisions: 

• Creates a PFAS municipal grant program to address and mitigate PFAS contamination, administered by DNR
• Creates a county well testing grant program
• Provides funds for the purpose of collecting and disposing PFAS-containing firefighting foam
• Provides funds for sampling and testing public water supplies for PFAS
• Increases funds for testing PFAS in rivers and wastewater treatment facilities
• Provides funds for testing for PFAS at state-owned sites
• Establishes and maintains groundwater and drinking water standards for PFAS
• Prohibits the distribution, sale, or offering for sale of any food packaging that contains intentionally added PFAS

Bills to Improve the Accessibility of Outdoor Recreation Introduced

I recently introduced legislation to improve the accessibility of outdoor recreation, including fishing and hunting. Both of the following bills were brought to my attention by constituents who saw barriers to entry and a need to improve our DNR licensing system. 

Assembly Bill 421 (AB 421)—also known as “Steve’s Law” is a bipartisan bill that would work to improve the accessibility of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ licensing system. Steve Johnson, a former La Crosse resident who passed in 2019 had been a strong advocate for this change. When I brought AB 421 before the DNR’s Disability Advisory Council for feedback, a suggestion was made to title the bill “Steve’s Law” in his honor.

AB 421 would allow those possessing state identification cards to verify residency online in the same way that those possessing drivers’ licenses currently do. Currently, individuals using state identification cards must either call a DNR service number, or visit a licensing agent or DNR Service Center to verify residency. AB 421 would allow all Wisconsin residents to use the DNR’s online licensing system by removing an unnecessary and time-consuming barrier that currently exists only for Wisconsinites without a driver’s license who are seeking to participate in outdoor activity.

Assembly Bill 434 (AB 434) is a bipartisan bill that would add licensed physical therapists and occupational therapists to the list of providers who can certify the disability of an applicant for a no-cost resident approval for hunting, fishing, or trapping. Often, people have established relationships with their physical or occupational therapist and visit them more than their other health care providers. This legislation will save these individuals both time and resources by not requiring them to make an additional appointment to see a different health care provider when needing a certification of disability.

Pollinator Protection Bill Package Introduced

I recently co-sponsored the Pollinator Protection Package which would take important steps to limit the insecticides used by state agencies, greenhouses, and local governments to promote healthy populations of pollinators for years to come. Pollinators are vital to the well-being of Wisconsin’s agricultural sector. In our state alone, pollinators account for over $55 million in crop production, and honey and beeswax account for $3.5 million in production. Unfortunately, the population of bees and other pollinators are declining and that can be attributed to exposure to certain pesticides and insecticides. 

The bill package does the following:

• LRB 2871: This proposal prohibits a plant from being labeled or advertised as being beneficial to pollinators if it has been treated with insecticides. 
• LRB 2436: This proposal allows municipalities to regulate pesticides to protect pollinators and pollinator habitats.  
• LRB 2476: This proposal bans the DNR from using neoniotinoid class insecticides within a 1-mile radius of any pollinator habitat
• LRB 3097: This proposal will designate June 2021 as Pollinator Awareness Month in Wisconsin to promote statewide environmental awareness and sustainability.

The Pollinator Protection Package is currently awaiting to be formally introduced. I hope to see that these proposals receive a public hearing and reach the floor of the State Legislature for a vote. 

No Action Taken during Governor’s Special Session to Adequately Fund Public Schools

Governor Evers continues to prioritize supporting our public schools and recently requested that the Legislature do more for our kids. Using state funds that are already available, Governor Evers called the Legislature into a special session to take up his proposal that would invest more than $500 million in Wisconsin’s kids, schools, and students: 

• $440 million for K-12 schools 
  • $240 million for increasing per-pupil aid by $146 per student
  • $200 million into special education aids 

• $110 million for higher education 
  • $90 million for the University of Wisconsin System
  • $20 million for the Wisconsin Technical College System 

Despite the call to provide to our public schools, the Republican-controlled Assembly gaveled in the special session and immediately adjourned without even debating the Governor’s proposal. 

Rep. Billings in La Crosse

Earlier this month, I attended a listening session in La Crosse with U.S. Trade Representative Tai, Congressman Kind, State Senator Pfaff and Hmong community members. Ambassador Tai visited the La Crosse Hmoob Cultural and Community Agency.

The Wisconsin Great River Road has been named an All-American Road by the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration. As a proud appointee to the Mississippi River Parkway Commission, I attended the ribbon cutting ceremony held at Riverside Park in La Crosse to celebrate this prestigious dedication. 

I spoke with local business leaders, DWD Secretary Pechacek, and WEDC Secretary Hughes about workforce and economic development at the Kwik Trip Headquarters in La Crosse. 

I attended the Shot for Shot event at Coulee Bicycle Co. in partnership with Cool Beans Coffee Shop and Opportunity Wisconsin. This event celebrated how far we've come with COVID-19 and emphasized the importance of vaccination in the return to normalcy in La Crosse and across the State of Wisconsin. 

Earlier this month, Congressman Kind and I visited Sprout Childcare to promote the Child Tax Credit and discuss local child care accessibility and affordability. Wisconsin families will receive up to $300 per child in tax credit payments as a part of the American Rescue Plan. Find out more at childtaxcredit.gov.