The Assembly reconvened on Thursday, September 24, to vote on bills that have been in the works during the summer recess.  I am happy to say that one of the bills the Assembly passed was Assembly Bill 217, a bill I introduced that will give the Marriage and Family Therapy, Professional Counseling, and Social Work Examining Board the authority to determine how many hours of experience with the diagnosis and treatment of individuals a person must have in order to be licensed as a clinical social worker.  This bill came about in response to a hearing the Assembly Committee on Family Law, which I chair, held earlier this year.

The Assembly also passed a package of bills that had been recommended by the Legislative Council Study Committee on Adoption Disruption and Dissolution, which was created to investigate why some adoptions are unsuccessful and how the state can help prevent such situations, which can take a serious toll on the children's wellbeing.  The committee's report describes the meetings it held in 2014 and the four bills it ultimately produced, Assembly Bills 39, 40, 41, and 42.

In addition, the Assembly passed Assembly Bill 253, which adds Wisconsin to the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact.  The goal of the compact is to allow a doctor who has been licensed in one participating state to obtain an "expedited" license in another participating state if he or she chooses, without having to go through onerous, unnecessarily duplicative application processes.  This will make it easier for doctors to move among states or to practice "telemedicine" across state lines and may help to address Wisconsin's doctor shortage, particularly in rural areas.  The state will still have the authority to regulate the practice of medicine.

Perhaps the most noteworthy bill the Assembly passed on Thursday is Assembly Bill 310, a bill I cosponsored that will require the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to apply for grant funds under Title X of the federal Public Health Service Act.  If DHS receives these funds, it must distribute them to state and local health departments and clinics for the purposes of family planning and related preventive health services, with any excess funds being distributed for the same purposes to private hospitals or health centers that meet certain criteria.  A public entity that receives the distribution (including DHS) may not further distribute the funds to public or private entities that provide abortion services or have affiliates that provide abortion services or referrals to abortion services. 

Planned Parenthood is currently the only entity that receives Wisconsin's Title X funding.  AB 310 allows the state to apply for these funds directly and distribute the funding to entities that do not provide or facilitate abortion services.  The federal government would still be able to grant these funds to Planned Parenthood rather than the state if it chooses, even if AB 310 becomes law, but I nevertheless believe it is important - both from a pro-life perspective and from a desire to make sure county and local health departments have the funding they need - to offer an alternative.

These bills and other Assembly bills the Assembly passed Thursday will be going to the Senate for further consideration, and the Senate bills the Assembly concurred in will go to Governor Walker for his approval.

It's that time of year again, and the Wisconsin Department of Tourism has posted its Fall Color Report, so that you'll know when to visit your favorite area for admiring the changing leaves.  The department also has some suggestions for scenic drives, if you're in the mood for a fall road trip!

Governor Walker visited with Assembly Republicans before Thursday's floor session