Hello Everyone!

I hope you are all doing well. I would like to start my E-Update with some good news, Wisconsin's unemployment rate is down to 4.2 percent!  That's lowest since March 2001! Revised numbers from the Department of Workforce Development show that Wisconsin had the best October for job growth in 23 years. Additionally, the state's labor force participation rate (67.8 percent) is over 5 percent higher than the national rate (62.5 percent) in November.

In this E-update, I will be talking about the recent bill signing ceremony for Assembly Bill 253 that was held in the 70th Assembly District. Also, with the next legislative session beginning in January, I have been pretty busy working on legislation and attending committee hearings so I will also provide a legislative update on some of the legislation I have authored.

Assembly Bill 253 Signed into Law!

On Monday, I joined Governor Walker as he signed Assembly Bill 253 into law at Mayo Clinic Health System in Sparta. AB253, authored by Sen. Sheila Harsdorf (R - River Falls) and myself, will enable Wisconsin to enter into an Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, which will provide a new, expedited, licensing option for physicians seeking to practice in multiple states. The bill passed the Assembly by a vote of 95-1 and by the Senate with a vote of 31-1.

The bill will increase access to health care, and help to alleviate the physician shortage in our state, especially in rural areas like the 70th Assembly District. It is an honor to author this legislation to improve the quality of life for all Wisconsinites.

One of the benefits of this legislation is that it seeks to address a major health care issue facing our communities which is access. With the Compact in place, qualified physicians with an existing medical license in a Compact state can begin providing care in Wisconsin communities more quickly. Furthermore, this legislation will help promote the use of telemedicine which provides many benefits, including greater convenience for families, safer care, better outcomes, and ultimately higher quality care and cost savings.

Currently, when a physician in another state wishes to practice in Wisconsin, that physician must apply for and receive a medical license in Wisconsin. While the application process, and requirements, are similar among states, it can be time consuming for physicians, taking many months to navigate. Physicians are often times required to submit duplicative, extensive documentation that is unnecessary.

This legislation seeks to address that regulatory burden by allowing for expedited multi-state licensing. Through the Compact, physicians who choose to participate - it is entirely voluntary - will be able to receive a medical license in Wisconsin and other states who have joined the Compact within a matter of days.

Under this new licensing process, our state’s current medical standards and oversight over the practice of medicine will remain fully intact, and no changes are being proposed to the state’s Medical Practice Act. Physicians licensed through the Compact will need to continue to comply with all laws, rules, and regulations of the state in which the patient is located.

What's Happening in Madison...

Veterans Employment Grant Legislation

Last week, I had the opportunity to testify in favor of legislation I authored, Assembly Bill 541, before the Assembly Committee on Veterans & Military Affairs. Here is the link so you can watch it. If you just want to watch my testimony, it starts at minute 28.

It will create a $500,000 grant program in Wisconsin Department of Veteran Affairs to be used by the department to provide grants to veterans, employers, and nonprofit organizations to improve employment outcomes for veterans. This new grant would replace the Veterans Employment Grant program which has never been used, due to the fact that the grant requirements are such that no veteran or disabled veteran has met the eligibility requirements. The Veteran Employment Grant program is too important to not be working properly. I believe that creating the new program would better meet the intent and expected results of the original program.

As the Vice-Chair of the Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, I have been a strong advocate for additional resources for our veterans. People with a military background possess numerous attributes, like devotion, teamwork, and reliability, that make them valued employees. This will assist veterans in finding employment and becoming a part of Wisconsin’s growing workforce.

New Legislation for Violations Committed
Against the Elderly and Disabled

This week, I introduced legislation that would allow a court to impose a supplemental forfeiture against a person who commits certain crimes against the elderly or disabled. Simply put, preying upon the elderly and disabled is despicable and should carry steeper consequences. The bill will allow courts to impose a more fitting penalty for these crimes and help shield Wisconsin’s most vulnerable citizens.

Current law allows penalty enhancers for some crimes perpetrated against the elderly or disabled already, and this bill would add the ability to impose additional penalties for crimes related to the following: future service plans, rental vehicles, self-service storage facilities, time shares, foreclosure consultants, prize notices, mail-order sales, unfair billing, vehicle protection product warranties, video subscriber rights, solicitations of public record fees, contract solicitations using checks or money orders, telephone solicitations, telephone records, consumer loan information, tax preparer client information, and residential contractors.

Children First Program Legislation

Last Wednesday, Assembly Bill 351, authored by Senator Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point) and myself, was unanimously passed through the Assembly Committee on Children and Families.

Wisconsin’s Children First Program, administered by the Department of Children & Families, assists non-custodial parents who are unemployed or underemployed obtain jobs.

Non-custodial parents may be court-ordered to participate in the Children First Program if they are unable to meet their child support obligations and “graduate” from the program when they make timely child support payments for three consecutive months, or participate in the Children First Program for 16 weeks. Children First may be administered by a county child support agency, a county human or social service agency or a W-2 agency.

AB 351 allows a judge in a county where a support order is based to order a non-custodial parent, if their county of residence does not have a Children First Program, to participate in a Children First Program outside of their home county if it is determined to be within reasonable driving distance.

Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission

On June 10, 1919, Wisconsin became the first state to ratify the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution granting women the right to vote.

I have introduced a bill with Senators Julie Lassa (D - Stevens Point) and Jennifer Shilling (D - La Crosse) and Rep. Jill Billings (D - LaCrosse) to create a Centennial Anniversary Commission to commemorate this great achievement in Wisconsin’s history. The commission, which would be largely modeled off of the Wisconsin Sesquicentennial Celebration Commission in 1998 under s. 14.26, would be tasked with making appropriate plans and preparations for celebrations commemorating Women’s Suffrage statewide.

Sincerely,