23rd Assembly District Update – March 3, 2015

Introduction

 

The session that started on January 5, 2015 has been a very busy one, with many important issues coming before the Legislature.  I value your input and thoughts on these issues, so please don’t hesitate to contact me with your ideas, comments or suggestions.  It is a privilege and honor to represent the residents of the 23rd Assembly District in the State Legislature. 

 

Right to Work Bill

 

On February 19th the State Senate announced plans to schedule a Right to Work bill for a vote. Senate Bill 44 passed the full Senate on February 25th.  SB 44 and its Assembly companion, Assembly Bill 61, are now in the State Assembly.

 

SB 44/AB 61 prohibits companies from requiring membership in a union as a condition for employment or from being forced to pay dues to a union if the employee opts out of union membership.  Additionally, the bill prohibits a company from forcing employees to resign from a union as a condition of employment.  Existing contracts will remain in effect until they expire.

 

Right to Work will ensure employees have the freedom of choice in the workplace.  Unions will have to make sure they are truly serving their members and not overcharging for dues in order to maintain membership.  Furthermore, employers will be able to locate their businesses in Wisconsin knowing their employees will not be forced to join a union or pay dues.

 

Michigan, Iowa and Indiana are all Right to Work states.  Eight of the top ten states listed in the 2014 Gallup Job Creation Index are Right to Work States.  Wisconsin will now be able to compete with these states on equal footing.

 

The 2015-17 Budget

 

The biennial budget bill introduced by Governor Walker is 1,839 pages long and the review by the Legislature has just begun. 

 

For a detailed analysis of the budget I recommend visiting the website of the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB). They will update their website as the budget process continues so be sure to check back for updates. The direct link to the budget page is here.

 

The goal will be to have a balanced state budget while still providing needed resources to state agencies, counties and communities.  Final passage is expected before the end of June.  The next fiscal year begins on July 1st.

 

Some of My Legislation

 

One of my priorities will continue to be toughening our drunk driving laws in Wisconsin.  Senator Darling and I will be reintroducing most of the bills we authored from last session.  We will continue to focus on repeat offenders in an effort to make Wisconsin’s roads safer. While drunk driving is a complex issue and tougher laws alone will not solve the problem, we believe tougher penalties are a part of the solution and will continue to pursue these bills.

 

I have re-introduced a bill to allow school districts that meet certain requirements to commence classes prior to September 1st along with another bill that would federalize capital losses.  Currently Wisconsin residents can deduct $3,000 in losses on their federal taxes, but only $500 on their state taxes.  This bill would raise the loss limit in Wisconsin to $3,000 and keep it at the federal level if it increases.

 

Another bill I have introduced (AB 8) makes the practice of “up-skirting” a class I felony.  The availability of easy-to-conceal cell phone cameras or other hand held video devices has led to a number of cases in which perpetrators take photos under the clothing of victims in public places.  The practice falls between a number of Wisconsin statutes and is not specifically prohibited. 

 

AB 8 helps our law keep pace with advances in technology.  The bill has passed the Assembly and is awaiting action by the Senate. 

 

Notification Tracking Service

 

To keep track of all the work going on in the Capitol, I highly recommend the Notification Tracking Service, found here: http://notify.legis.wisconsin.gov/. You can receive email updates on bills as they progress through the legislative process, such as notifications of public hearings, introduction of fiscal notes or executive votes and notifications for issue areas. This is a great service for anyone who wishes to keep track of issue areas, committees or individual legislation. 

 

IRS Free File

 

Tax season is upon us. If you make less than $60,000 per year and have not yet filed your taxes, you may want to consider using IRS Free File. By going to the official IRS website, you can use free versions of name-brand software, such as H&R Block or Jackson Hewitt, and complete a free filing of your federal return. In addition, while federal filing is free for the available programs, some programs offer the option of automatically filling out and filing your state taxes at the same time for an additional fee.

 

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State Capitol - Room 317 North - Post Office Box 8953 - Madison, Wisconsin 53708
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