Fall is here and so is a busy legislative fall session.

Each week it seems like another destructive bill is introduced by the majority party. We have seen attacks on fair elections, campaign finance laws, women's health, gun safety, and much more.

I stand with the people of Wisconsin who want elected officials to pursue a positive agenda that supports all of our friends and neighbors, not just the wealthy few. I have introduced numerous pieces of legislation that would do just that, including bills to make child care more affordable, address student loan debt, and to make college campuses safer.

Next week the Assembly is likely in session on Tuesday and Wednesday.

As always, if you have any topics you would like to see discussed in future issues of the Sargent Voice, please contact me at 608-266-0960 or Rep.Sargent@legis.wi.gov.

Forward,

Sweeping Campaign Finance Changes will hurt Wisconsin

There is an extremely dangerous proposal rocketing through the state legislature at a breakneck pace. The Republican proposal re-writes an entire chapter of Wisconsin’s campaign finance laws to give corporations even greater influence over our elections and decisions made in our state Capitol and our local government halls. The new bill would allow corporations to give unlimited funds to political parties and campaign committees.

The change would represent the first time in Wisconsin history that corporations could give directly to those groups. Incredibly, the change would also allow individuals to spend unlimited amounts of money campaigning without having to tell anyone who they are.

People in Wisconsin have not asked for these changes. Have you ever met someone who thinks Wisconsin needs more money and even more corporate influence in politics? The Republicans’ agenda disrespects every person in Wisconsin. I am truly fearful for my children's future in this state.

Instead of working to improve economic security for hardworking people, Republicans are dead set on consolidating their own power, making it easier for corruption and cronyism to go undetected, allowing more money in elections with less disclosure, and helping corporate special interests have more influence over the decisions that impact you.

Hardworking taxpayers want us to address our crumbling roads, suffering middle class and struggling schools – they don’t tell me that Wisconsin needs less government oversight and even more corporate influence in politics. These bills take us in the exact wrong direction.

It is time for action. Please inform your friends and neighbors about what is happening to our democracy. We need people all over the state to contact their legislators to tell them to kill this bill now.

GOP bill would discriminate against transgender students

Every person wants to be accepted for who they are. We want people to see us as we see ourselves. Our personal identities create the frame and richness in which we live our lives. I was appalled and frankly, livid, when I saw a bill come into my inbox last week that would infringe on the ability of our transgender students to experience the freedom to live their lives according to their own identity.

The bill's author says it will "reinforce societal norms". Honestly. This bill legislates hate, divides communities, and discriminates against our students. It sets up situations in our schools that are dangerous for some of our most vulnerable youth. Not surprisingly, not one elected official met with anyone in the transgender or LGBTQ community to discuss this bill before introducing it.

Time and time again the GOP has looked for the next group to assign 'otherness' to. This is not a new phenomenon. From the civil rights movement to the fight for marriage equality, Republicans have preyed on groups that do not conform to their narrow worldview. In this instance they are targeting youth who are very likely among the most vulnerable already.

Let’s be honest, growing up is tough, full of anxiety and insecurity. I think back to my own time in high school trying to find my place, where I fit in. For transgender youth, these obstacles are even more pronounced, due to the personal journey of learning whom they truly are and fighting for acceptance from their family and school community. To target these students in the most personal way, by restricting where they go to the bathroom and how they access gendered school facilities, is heartless and cruel.
 

Bill to stop Guns on College Campus

As the mother of 4 sons, I want our children to be safe in our communities. This includes our young men and women in college. I was proud to co-author a bill with Rep. Chris Taylor and Rep. Terese Berceau that would prohibit carrying a dangerous weapon on a university or college campus in Wisconsin.

We need a culture shift in the U.S. Our nation’s flawed logic that more guns us make us safer needs to change. The reality paints a stark picture.

• The reality is that we’ve had over 10,000 deaths due to gun violence already in 2015.
• The reality is that a recent Stanford study concluded more guns lead to higher rates of aggravated assault, robbery, rape and murder. Having a firearm present in a domestic violence situation also increases a woman's risk of dying by homicide by 500%.
• The reality is that only 2% of gun violence incidents in the U.S. are defensive use.

Let me be clear, we are not talking about infringing on second amendment rights. Hunting is a part of my family’s heritage, and it is one of the greatest traditions of the state of Wisconsin. 

I support the second amendment.

We, as Wisconsinites, know that lawful gun owners support sensible policies, and that’s what the College Campus Dangerous Weapon Ban bill is.
 

Government Accountability Board Faces Major Changes

Clean and transparent elections are the core of any representative democracy. We are not truly free as a society unless we can be assured that there are impartial hands at the wheel of the election process. Sadly, Republicans want to make drastic changes to our nationally respected Government Accountability Board. This would, essentially, turn our nonpartisan watchdogs into partisan lapdogs.

Going to a partisan model would create more opportunities for corruption to go undetected and un-prosecuted. This GOP power grab will lead to even more cronyism is our state government. We already know that there are efforts being made to exempt political crimes from John Doe prosecution, and there are continued attacks on open records laws.

The GAB was created with near-unanimous, bipartisan support, in response to one of the darkest episodes of political corruption in Wisconsin history. We should be working to strengthen, rather than dismantling it for partisan gain.

The public hearing for the GAB changes showed the worst of politics with Republican legislators questioning personal friendships of GAB Director Kevin Kennedy. As he stated, these are tactics straight out of the McCarthy era.

I think it is very telling that 98% of the members of the County Clerks Association do not want these changes!

GOP Attempt to gut Civil Service System

Republican legislators have introduced a bill to make major changes to our state's civil service system including changes to the hiring and firing process which could lead to even more cronyism during an Administration rife with scandals and charges of unethical conduct. Simply put, this proposal guts the heart of the civil service system. By doing so, it violates a major promise the Governor and Republicans made during Act 10 that public employees would be protected by civil service.

Wisconsin’s civil service system has been in place for more than 100 years and it protects taxpayers and employees. I stand staunchly opposed to this divisive bill.

2015 Pacesetter Award

I am honored to have received the 2015 Pacesetter Award from the Women Legislators’ Lobby (WiLL). The Pacesetter Award recognizes state legislators for their noteworthy legislative service, their contributions to sound, progressive policy, and their groundbreaking leadership. I look forward to continuing my work with all the impressive members of this organization where we work together to ensure that women of all races and stations in life have full and fair representation at the policy table.

WiLL realizes that every budget is a moral document. As state legislators from across the country we collaborate to advocate for budgets comprised of fair and just policies that aim towards economic security and prosperity for everyone as well as protecting the essential programs that our constituents rely on. This state-federal partnership is crucial to us as legislators to guarantee that we are serving the best interests of our friends and neighbors.

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October 16, 2015
Issue 63

October is Cyber Security Awareness Month. The Consumer Protection Bureau has issued a series of tips to help you and your family members stay safe online, avoid scams, and protect your identities. Tip of the Week: Mobile Device Passwords Most smartphones and tablets require users to enter passcodes to access the device. It may be a minor inconvenience, but it’s hard to argue how valuable that extra security step is…our mobile devices carry an incredible amount of info about us. Use a unique passcode for each device. For added security, set your device to require regular password entries and use the fingerprint reader on newer devices for unlocks.