I have written before about the accomplishments of the 2011-2012 biennial legislature. We worked hard to balance the budget, rein in the size of government, and hold the line on taxes. And our reforms are working. Wisconsin’s unemployment rate now stands at 6.9%--the lowest it has been since 2008, and Wisconsin has added nearly 18,000 private sector jobs in 2012 alone. Our economic climate is beginning to improve, and thousands of public workers remain on the job as state and local governments have avoided massive layoffs thanks to the savings realized by Act 10.

It has also been a busy year in the Knodl office. Over the biennium, I authored nine bills three of which were signed into law. I cosponsored 84 bills, resolutions, and joint resolutions. I proposed over a half of billion dollars in cuts during the budget process, and I have cast close to 800 votes on the floor of the Assembly. Since January of 2011, my office has been visited by countless constituents, a handful of angry protesters, and we’ve still managed to respond to 7,742 constituent contacts—that works out to an average of nearly 20 a day!

It has been a busy year in Madison, but I’ve been proud of all we were able to accomplish, and I have been honored to represent each and every constituent of the 24th Assembly District. Serving as your elected representative in the State Assembly is more than public service, it has been a lot of fun!

MADISON – Today Gov. Walker signed into law bipartisan legislation authored by Rep. Dan Knodl (R-Germantown) that gives law enforcement agencies the ability to recoup their costs when responding to a false report of a crime. Specifically, if an individual is convicted of having provided false information or placing physical evidence with the specific intent of misleading law enforcement, a judge could order restitution to a police department.

“This is an important tool for law enforcement,” said Rep. Knodl. “Police officers need to be able to spend their time protecting our families and serving our communities. Individuals who seek to mislead law enforcement for their own gain should not be protected.”

Assembly Bill 263 passed the Assembly and Senate unanimously, and was signed into law on April 9, 2012. The legislation was drafted with input from Germantown Police Chief Peter Hoell, and was supported by the City of Milwaukee and numerous other law enforcement agencies.
 

I would like to thank my staff, Senator Darling, and Chief Hoell of the Germantown Police Department for their leadership and help in getting this bill signed into law.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett was recently quoted as saying that if elected governor, he would call a special session of the Legislature to restore collective bargaining rights for public employees. Barrett said he would put so much pressure on the Assembly, “they’d be quaking in their boots and they would have to pass that legislation.” Check out my response here.

The Wisconsin Chapter of Americans for Prosperity is having a Tax Day Rally at the Capitol tomorrow, April 14th from 11:30 am to 1 PM. Invited speakers include Sarah Palin, Jon Voight, and Jonah Goldberg from the National Review. This lineup is sure to draw thousands, and I hope you can make it to Madison. Visit AFP’s website here to learn more about the rally, including bus transportation to and from Madison.

I will also be holding special office hours during the rally, so please visit me in the State Capitol.

In accordance with state law, this will be my last e-Update for the session, but continue to visit my website to learn more about what I’m up to this summer.