Outreach

Doors knocked on since January 2013: 10,371
Listening Sessions Held: 17
Surveys sent out to constituents of the 48th Assembly District: 21,000
Constituent Letters sent out: 3,099
Classroom Visits: 23
E-Updates Sent: 24

Recognitions

• Named Women in Government State Director
• Awarded 'Woman of Excellence Award' by the National Foundation for Women Legislators
• Received the Activist Achievement Award by Citizen Action of Wisconsin
• Elected Freshmen Democratic Caucus Co-Chair along with Rep. Dianne Hesselbein
• Eleanor Roosevelt Award Nominee for Local Elected Official

Privacy Bills

I have been actively working on multiple bills regarding our citizens' expectation of society as we move towards a more technologically advanced society.

The first bill is the 'Social Media Protection Act' (AB218/SB223) which would prohibit employers, universities, and landlords from requiring employees, students, and tenants to turn over their social media passwords. This is another step in a progression of laws. It was not illegal to open another person's mail until the early 1900's. It was not illegal to read someone's email until 1986. As our society progresses, so must our laws.  I have worked hard to reach a broad consensus with this bill by speaking to consumer groups, students, members of the business community, lawyers and civil rights advocates. I have received input from each of these groups in an attempt to create the best piece of legislation possible. This bill has passed the Senate, but has yet to be voted on by the full Assembly.

The second bill would require law enforcement to get a warrant before tracking someone's cell phone location data. When I have brought this up to people in the district, their reaction is often 'that's not illegal already!?'. Many of our statutes must be examined to keep up with the pace of today's world. Whether someone is suspected of wrongdoing or not, there still must be a process which law enforcement goes through to get this very sensitive data from cell phone providers. The bill is currently scheduled for a public hearing in the Assembly and Senate.

One more thing to note with each of these bills, they both have broad bi-partisan support. As a new legislator, it has been my goal to change the culture in the state capitol. There is no reason that we cannot not sit down with those across the aisle to find things that we can agree on. While we may disagree often, it is the common ground that will help make our state a stronger place and to help move us forward from the divisive political environment of the last three years.

Issues

Jobs

Last January, Democrats from the Assembly and Senate unveiled a new package of legislation designed to create jobs quickly and rebuild Wisconsin’s middle class.

Entitled 'Wisconsin Jobs Now!', the bills will help small businesses to access capital to grow and emphasize keeping jobs in Wisconsin rather than shipping them overseas or out of state.

Unemployed and underemployed workers across Wisconsin have waited long enough for proactive steps to be taken towards real job creation. I continue to stand with my Democratic colleagues to pursue immediate action through a jobs package that will focus on employing Wisconsin’s workers and supporting our small businesses and manufacturing in order to keep jobs and businesses here at home. As a small business owner, I know that Wisconsinites are ready, willing, and able to work. Unfortunately, Wisconsin continues to lag behind the rest of the nation in job growth. Under Gov. Walker, Wisconsin has dropped from 12 to 37th in job creation.  That is unacceptable.

Our lack of job growth and economic success is in direct contrast with what much of the rest of the nation is experiencing. While Wisconsin only experienced a 1.0% increase in private sector job growth from June 2012 to June 2013, the United States averaged a 1.9% increase.

• Forbes ranks Wisconsin as the 42nd best state for business
• WI ranks 49th in economic outlook (Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia)
• Wisconsin ranks 50th in short-term job growth (US Chamber of Commerce study, April 2013)

It is not too late, however, to turn things around and focus on true economic development that creates family sustaining jobs and helps grow the middle class.

Environmental Protections

One of the most disappointing aspects of this session has been the constant assault on our environment. The GOP decided that the mining bill, which stalled out last session, would be there first (and centerpiece) legislation in 2013. AB/SB 1 was reintroduced this session. On January 23rd, there was a public hearing in Madison. This was the one and only formal hearing allowing public input, and took place nearly 300 miles from the proposed site.

Despite limited public input and huge outcry about the long-term negative impacts the mine will have, the bill passed both houses and was signed by the Governor into law. It is still unclear whether the mine will ever be a reality and is being challenged legally.

The most tragic part of this proposal is not the blatant giveaway of resources, or even the admission that the GOP is okay with open pit mines permanently damaging our environment. The true tragedy is the confirmation that the wing of the republican party that held true to our land ethic and tradition of conservation is no more. This bill is yet another crystal clear example to hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts, that Republicans talk big and vote wrong on real conservation and environmental protection issues.

Other examples of Environmental damages came in the form of a bill (still yet to be voted on) which would change Frac Sand mining regulations in our state and take away much of the local control that is so important when it comes to our natural resources.

A few other notable anti-conservation bills that passed in 2013:

• Providing privileges and tax exemptions for the open-pit mining company participating in the Managed Forest Land program, and denying these benefits to the other 30,000 program participants.
• Cutting conservation officers used to monitor exponentially expanding frac and mining operations.
• Preventing citizens from challenging the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources approval of high capacity wells based on the cumulative negative environmental impact the high volume water withdrawal would have on neighboring drinking water wells and area lakes and streams.

Gun Control

Gun control has been at the forefront of the national debate since the horrific tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut last year and now with the more recent shooting in Colorado. As a State Representative, my office has received passionate letters on both sides of this issue. Some wanting legislators to simply enforce the laws we currently have regarding firearms. Others want a ban on automatic weapons, and restrictions on certain ammunitions.

This session I took a leadership role on two common sense actions that I believe will bridge this divide between the two sides of the gun control debate.

First, I was proud to be a co-sponsor of a bill which would require background checks for all gun purchases in Wisconsin. Under current law, guns sold by licensed dealers require a background check. This bill would impose the same requirement on private guns sales.About 40% of all gun buyers escape a criminal background check because they’re going through unlicensed dealers.

Second, I co-authored legislation with Senator Fred Risser that would prohibit concealed weapons from being carried in our State Capitol. The purpose of this legislation is two-fold. It would clear up a confusing policy in which guns are allowed in some chambers of the Capitol, but not others. It also protects thousands of families and school children that travel to the Capitol each year.

We have to do better as a society to avoid future tragedies. I believe that we must arrive at a place of agreement on the role of guns in American society. We can respect 2nd amendment rights while still stopping guns from landing in the wrong hands. With recent polls showing that over 85% of people support universal background checks for firearms purchases, I believe this legislation is heading in the right direction. The public is ready. We can't wait any longer to pass common sense gun control legislation in Wisconsin.

Labor

I have been proud to speak in support of the continued movement of Fast Food workers demanding a living wage. Brave working men and women have walked off the job on in protest of their low wages and prohibition to unionize. I support their efforts to fight for a living wage, and encourage the fast food industry to treat these workers with the respect they deserve.

Some facts about fast food workers and the fast food industry:

• More than half (52 percent) of the families of front-line fast-food workers are enrolled in one or more public programs, compared to 25 percent of the workforce as a whole.
• The cost of public assistance to families of workers in the fast-food industry is nearly $7 billion per year.
• At an average of $3.9 billion per year, spending on Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) accounts for more than half of these costs.
• Due to low earnings, fast-food workers' families also receive an annual average of $1.04 billion in food stamp benefits and $1.91 billion in Earned Income Tax Credit payments.
• People working in fast-food jobs are more likely to live in or near poverty. One in five families with a member holding a fast-food job has an income below the poverty line, and 43 percent have an income two times the federal poverty level or less.
• Even full-time hours are not enough to compensate for low wages. The families of more than half of the fast-food workers employed 40 or more hours per week are enrolled in public assistance programs.
• McDonald's, for instance, reported net income of $1.4 billion for the second quarter ending June 30. In all of 2012, net income totaled $5.3 billion. Don Thompson, the food giant's new CEO, has a pay package worth $13.8 million.
• The average age of a fast-food worker is 28. And two-thirds of all fast-food workers are women, with a median age of 32.

I have also been strongly supportive of the Meriter nurses and UW health care workers who have struggled wtih gaining a collective bargaining agreement with management. These nurses and health care professionals deserve to have collective bargaining rights and the right to have humane working hours without the fear of working double or triple shifts.

We have seen labor rights under attack in Wisconsin for the past three years, therefore we must continue to strongly support our unions and our workers.

Women's Health

This session, we have seen numerous pieces of legislation that would lessen women's access to necessary health care. In addition, there have been bills that would hinder women's access to contraception and force them into invasive procedures before receiving abortions.

A breakdown of some of these items:

• State budget that took away BadgerCare for 100,000 Wisconsinites.
• State budget that took away health care coverage for pregnant women.
• State budget that rejected federal funding to expand health care access.
• Bill that repealed our Contraceptive Equity law.
• Bill that took away state employees' current insurance coverage for abortion.
• Constitutional amendment to allow health care providers to refuse a woman birth control or abortion, even if she will die.
• Bill that requires a mandatory ultrasound and lecture before a woman can choose to have an abortion.
• Two bills that add new and additional restrictions on abortion providers.

Rather than dealing with our jobs crisis, the Wisconsin GOP continues its march backwards in time to a day when women were not thought to be qualified to make their own health care decisions. Forcing trans-vaginal ultrasounds does not create jobs. Limiting access to contraception and abortions does not create jobs.

I firmly believe that in the 21st century, we should all realize that women can and should be empowered to make personal decisions regarding their own bodies. Each woman, not politicians, should have the right to make these personal decisions for herself.

Health Care

Governor Walker and the legislative Republicans rejected the federal Medicaid expansion money allotted to Wisconsin under the Affordable Care Act, and it is proving to be a disastrous decision. This money would have insured nearly 85,000 more Wisconsinites and saved $86 million in taxpayer money. It is also estimated that 10,000 jobs in the health care industry would have been created. Wisconsin is paying more for less health care coverage. This is not a wise policy decision.

That is why I introduced legislation which would allow Wisconsin counties to accept enhanced federal Medicaid funds if their local government has voted in support of receiving the federal dollars. Simply put, under this bill, if a county board passes a resolution to accept the federal funds, DHS must assist them in filing for a waiver from the federal government.

Gov. Walker and the Republicans have caused this health care crisis by rejecting federal money. Accepting it would save taxpayers money, give more people access to healthcare, and create family sustaining jobs.

There are two other simple solutions that would solve this self-inflicted problem:

1. Governor Walker could accept the federal money. There is no sunset on this funding and we could access it at any time.
2. Create a Wisconsin exchange so we have a localized system, that works best for the people of our state.

I hope that we can agree, in a bi-partisan manner, to put politics aside in 2014 and start acting in the best interest of the citizens of our state.

Education

Wisconsin classrooms still suffer from the historic $1.6 billion in cuts to education in 2011. This was only exacerbated by more taxpayer money going to subsidize private schools which came with the GOP's 2013 expansion of the school voucher program statewide. Instead of addressing real funding reform issues, Republicans added an unfair per pupil funding mechanism that will only further increase the growing inequity in our schools. And rather than restoring the $1.6 billion in cuts, Republicans focused on handing over more taxpayer money to subsidize students already attending private school. The data showed at the beginning of this school year that 73.1% of students who received a voucher were already attending a private school.  Why are we putting our taxpayers money towards subsidizing people who can already afford to send their child to public school?

In contrast to the GOP's voucher plan, Democratic members of the legislature put forth a proposal built around a $275 per pupil increase in both years of the budget that would have been funded to a level that would allow property taxes to remain flat. Additionally, State Superintendent Tony Evers laid out a comprehensive funding reform plan that would dovetail into this plan and bring fairness to how we fund our schools.

I am encouraged that we have common sense education reform being proposed by the Democratic members of the Education Committee with Representative Sondy Pope leading the way.

Free Speech

The Wisconsin State Constitution (Article 1, Section 4) states “The right of the people peaceably to assemble, to consult for the common good, and to petition the government, or any department thereof, shall never be abridged.”

This past July and August, the Solidarity sing-a-long, which has occurred each day at noon in the Capitol rotunda since 2011 saw hundreds of citations for people peaceably petitioning their government. It is stunning to me the time and effort that was put into stifling peaceful singers while our economy continues to lag and there are so many other issues facing our state. I was in the rotunda each day to make sure that the singers were safe and that their first amendment was protected.

I am glad that the singers came to an agreement with the Department of Administration to allow them to continue singing each day. However, this is a good reminder that we must be vigilant in protecting our right to free speech.

Clean Government

To ensure that our state government is able to operate effectively, we must operate in an accountable and transparent manner. Unfortunately, we have seen to many backroom deals and cronyism this session. This is especially harmful when it comes to job creation. Governor Walker's newly formed Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) was plagued by poor results and suspicious behavior. A report by the non-partisan Legislative Audit Bureau found numerous problems including:

• WEDC disregarded the law by not requiring grant and loan recipients to disclose their financial statements.
• They ignored requests to put policies in place for handling delinquent loans.
• Agency credit cards were used to purchase iTunes gift cards, Badger football tickets, and alcohol with taxpayer money.
• Provided awards to ineligible recipients.

During an Audit Committee meeting, I questioned CEO Reed Hall about these results, and was stunned to learn that he was proud of his agencies performance. We must demand better performance out of WEDC, when they are tasked with our most pressing need as a state: creating jobs.

Some other examples of how I voted to strive towards clean government:

• Voted against the no-bid sale of Camp Randall and the State Capitol
• Voted to require WEDC to follow the law
• Fought against voter suppression laws
• Voted to take partisan politics out of the redistricting process

Redistricting

I was proud to stand as one of the 14 Democratic Assembly freshmen who have called for redistricting reform this session.

Despite the fact that there is a ground swell of support for our common-sense legislation across the state, the people of Wisconsin have not been heard by the GOP as they refuse to schedule a public hearing on this bill.

Wisconsin currently uses a legislative redistricting process, where the maps are drawn up by the majority parties in the Legislature, are voted on by the Senate and Assembly, and are then signed by the governor. If the Legislature cannot agree on a redistricting plan, as is usually the case with split houses, the Supreme Court steps in to finalize the new legislative districts. For the past 50 years, Wisconsin's elected officials have had to work together with bipartisan cooperation or leave the task of redistricting up to the courts. This was the first time in 60 years that one political party had complete control over the redistricting process, causing Wisconsin to seriously consider if its current process is best for Wisconsin's democracy.

The bill we have introduced would replace the current process and instead create a nonpartisan commission to draw new legislative and congressional lines after each Census. Unfortunately, despite the maps being criticized for being drawn in secret and to gain a political advantage by newspaper editorials across the state, costing taxpayers $2.1 million to defend them in court, and growing support for a new system, Assembly Republicans rejected the bill. As a result, Republican legislators will continue to have the power to pick their voters in order to save their jobs.

I know that with fair and transparent redistricting, the extreme Tea Party bills that are moving through Wisconsin that are attacking voting rights, workers’ rights, women's rights, the environment, and so much more; would not be happening.

The real problem in Wisconsin is not that too many people are voting – it is that too few people are working. I'm not here because it's easy and I know there is a long road ahead but I pledge to work tirelessly, with each of you at my side, to rebuild Wisconsin's economy, to advocate for our hard-working families, and to bring decorum back to our statehouse. Redistricting reform could begin to heal the divide we face in our state, and to move us once again, forward.

Moving Forward

2014 in Wisconsin must be better for the middle class than 2013 has been. We need to invest in education, worker training, and getting people back to work quickly in order to preserve the future of our great state. To accomplish this, we must stop attacking voting, women's health, public schools; and get serious about getting back to work. An extreme social agenda only hinders job creation because it takes our eye off the ball and divides our state.

Along with my Democratic colleagues, I pledge to focus on a true middle class agenda during the spring session, focusing on:

• Education
• Jobs and the Economy
• Healthcare
• Clean government

Thank you for giving me the extreme honor of representing you in the state legislature. I take this job seriously, and promise to always act in the best interest of my constituents.

Once again, I hope you and your loved ones have a wonderful holiday season, and a happy New Year.

-Melissa