Capitol News
September
6, 2013
|
Contact Me |
Walking in the Kornfest Parade
State Capitol
P.O. Box 8953
Madison, WI 53708
PH: (608) 266-0631
TF: (888) 534-0094
FAX: (608) 282-3694
District/Law Office
1230 Ferry Street
La Crosse, WI 54601
(608) 785-1886
rep.doyle@legis.wi.gov
On the Web:
http://doyle.assembly.wi.gov
|
In The District |
***
La Crosse Storytelling Festival
Friday - Saturday, Sept. 6 - 7
Myrick Park
2000 La Crosse Street
La Crosse, WI 54601
Enjoy stortelling, workshops, music and delicious food.
Click
Here for More Information
***
Noises Off
September 6th - 22nd
La Crosse Community Theatre
428 Front Street South
La Crosse, WI 54601
A hilarious play about what goes on backstage during a performance.
Follow the unfortunate adventures of a off off off Broadway acting
troupe as they struggle to put on a show.
Click Here for More Information
***
Ring of Fire: The Life and Music of Johnny Cash
Friday, Sept. 13 7:30pm
Viterbo University Main Theater
900 Viterbo Drive
La Crosse, WI 54601
A musical revue of legendary musician Johnny Cash, featuring such hits
as I Walk the Line and Folsom Prison.
Click Here for More Information
***
Garland Days
Friday, Sept 13- Saturday, Sept 15
all day
West Salem, WI
A celebration of author Hamlin Garland
Click Here for More Information
***
In The
Legislature
Young Eagles EAA September Free Airplane Rides
Saturday, Sept 14th 10 am - 12pm
La Crosse Municipal Airport
La Crosse, WI 54601
Children and teens between 8 - 17 will have the opportunity to go up in
a plane for free at this fun event. Bring a parent to sign registration
forms
Click Here for More Information
***
Tri-Quest Run, Bike and Golf
Sunday, Sept. 15th
Drugan's Castle Mound Golf Course
W7665 Sylvester Road
Holmen, WI 54636
A 5K run, a 33K bike, and 18 holes of Golf. A challenging athletic
competition and a fundraiser for the Family and Children's Center
Click Here
for More Information
***
The Wedding Event by Charlotte's Bridal
Onalaska Omni Center
255 Riders Club Rd.
Onalaska, WI 54650
Sun, Sept. 22 11am
See vendors in categories like photographers, caterers, dress shops,
cakes, flowers and more for your special day.
Click Here for More Information
***
The Friends of the Onalaska Public Library
present:
Free Movies with Free Popcorn
The Great Gatsby
Onalaska Public Library
741 Oak Avenue South
Onalaska, WI 54650
Wednesday, Sept. 25 6:30pm
Enjoy a free movie with a free snack!
Click Here for More Information
***
Oktoberfest 2013
Friday, Sept. 27 - Saturday, Oct 5
#1 Oktoberfest Strasse
La Crosse, WI 54601
the 53rd Annual Oktoberfest including the Maple Leaf Parade, carnival
rides, ethnic food, entertainment and music.
Click
Here for More Information
***
Maple Leaf Parade
Saturday, September 28
Downtown La Crosse
One of the largest parades in the Midwest! Part of the Oktoberfest
celebration.
Click
Here for More Information
If you have any changes to these events or new ones that you want
featured in my e-newsletter, send them to me at
rep.doyle@legis.wisconsin.gov.
Assembly Committee on Corrections - Ranking Member
Assembly Committee on Insurance
Assembly Committee on Tourism
Assembly Committee on Transportation
Dear Neighbors,
Well, fall is finally around the corner even if the recent weather seems
to indicate otherwise.
For the Assembly, this means that it is time to go back into session.
This is our opportunity to debate issues that we did not have time to
address during the budget process. For me, the start of session brings
hope that two of my job creating bills will be able to continue on their
legislative
journey. As many of you know, right before the budget, the
Assembly passed on a wide bipartisan vote my bill to expand the
Workforce Advancement Training grant program without adding any
additional cost. And most recently, a bill that I co-authored with State
Senator Julie Lassa to expand the Workforce Development Grant Program
recently had a public hearing in the Senate. Both of these bills will
help technical colleges and local businesses work together to help train
the existing workforce and the future one to help bridge the skills gap.
As the fall session progresses, I will be sure to keep you updated on
their progress.
As always, I am honored to serve as your state representative. Please
don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about
any state or legislative issue. I am always happy and willing to help.
Sincerely,
STEVE DOYLE
State Representative
94th Assembly
District
***
Getting Ready for the
Exchange
This month, the
Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) will be holding town hall
meetings across the state on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act (PPACA), also known as Obamacare. This is a great opportunity for
all of us to get information about PPACA and have experts in the field
answer any questions we may have about the new exchanges.
In addition to the meeting held in La Crosse on September 3rd, the OCI
held legislative briefings for my colleagues and I so that we will be
able to help our constituents with any problems they may run into with
the new exchange.
The first place to turn for all of your questions regarding the
healthcare exchange is
healthcare.gov. Technically speaking this is the exchange. It is a
website where people like you can look at all your options for buying
insurance to figure out what is the best coverage for you. Kind of like
a one stop shop for insurance.
Want to know what you need to do if you already have job-based
insurance? Want to know what to do if you are retired but not eligible
for Medicare? Concerned about fraud on the new exchanges?
Healthcare.gov is the place to
go. Even though the exchange will not go into effect until October 1,
healthcare.gov is full of useful information in an easy to
understand format so that can get all your questions answered.
Not feeling particularly tech savvy?
Healthcare.gov has a 24 hour
hotline for people with questions 1 (800) 318-2596.
Healthcare.gov also put
together a handy checklist of sorts to help people get ready for open
enrollment.
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Sign up for email and social media updates to stay informed about important news. (I signed up for this so that I will be able to help you out as much as possible).
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Do your research. Now is the time to learn about the different plans and funding options available.
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Ask questions. Make a list of questions you have before it is time to choose your health plan. You can ask your questions online at healthcare.gov, through one of their live chats, call the hotline or discuss it with my office or Congressman Ron Kind’s district office.
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Do more research. Learn about premiums, deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums and copayments. Feeling a little overwhelmed? Don’t worry. Healthcare.gov has a glossary of definitions.
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Know your household income. To save time once the exchange is open, now is the time to gather your income information (you can find it on your W-2, pay stubs or tax return). Follow this check list to make sure you have what you need.
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Set a budget. Just like when you shop for anything, there will be lots of different options ranging in price and coverage. It is helpful to come up with a budget so you can easily pinpoint which plans will work best for your finances.
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Talk to your employer if they provide your insurance. If you are still covered under their insurance, you are all set. Relax or keep reading so you can learn how to help others go through this process.
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There are other programs available now that you might be covered under. Are you under 26 and do your parents have health insurance? Do you qualify for Medicaid,, Medicare, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program? Find out now.
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Play around with healthcare.gov. Because the Federal Government is setting up Wisconsin’s exchange, healthcare.gov is the only website you will have to deal with. If you have a free 30 minutes, familiarize yourself with the website so that it all isn’t brand new when enrollment time comes around.
For small business owners who are looking to provide coverage for their
employees, there is SHOP, the Small Business Health Options Program. It
simplifies the process of buying health insurance for businesses with
less than 50 full time employees. Just like in the individual market,
you can compare rates and coverage options to find out what plans for
best for you and your business.
Click here for more information.
There is also
a SHOP hotline that you can call with questions, Monday – Friday from
9-5 at 1(800) 706-7893.
Here are the important dates to remember:
October 1: Open Enrollment Begins – this is the day that you can start
looking online through the exchange for healthcare insurance.
January 1: Coverage begins
March 31: Open Enrollment Ends.
This is an exciting time for Wisconsin but it can also be a bit
intimidating to think about. Just remember that there are people there
to help and to answer questions.
***
From the Press
Room
“Skills Gap” Bill Gets Senate Hearing
Lassa/Doyle Proposal Creates Rapid Response Grants
Madison — A bill to close Wisconsin’s “skills gap”, authored by State
Senator Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point) and Rep. Steve Doyle (D-Onalaska),
received a public hearing in the State Senate today before the Committee
on Universities and Technical Colleges.
Senate Bill 44, the Workforce Growth Program would provide rapid
response grants to technical colleges to expand their capacity to train
workers in high demand skills. At the hearing, tech college
representatives reported an estimated 39,000 jobs requiring technical
college level skills training that will exceed the colleges’ capacity
over a two year period.
“Businesses all over the state have told us how difficult it is for them
to find workers with the specialized skills they need,” Lassa said.
“Their inability to find or train the skilled workforce they require is
a major impediment to job growth in our state. At the same time, people
are waiting in line to get trained at our tech colleges. This bill will
address that skills gap and help put people back to work in good-paying
jobs.”
“These competitive grants are a perfect marriage between technical
colleges and local businesses and will allow them the flexibility to
create individualized solutions to the skills gap,” said Doyle.
Under the program, a business, a consortium of multiple businesses,
workforce development board or an economic development organization can
partner with their local technical college to apply to WTCS through a
competitive grant process for workforce growth funding to meet their
local skilled worker training needs.
Depending on the needs in a particular region or industry in our state,
the grants could be used to expand tech college facilities, purchase
equipment, hire faculty or develop curriculum. Workforce Growth Program
funding could also be used to address student needs such as training
scholarships, student career support services, job placement, and
business recruitment.
“The tech colleges have been on the front lines of preparing Wisconsin
workers for today’s careers,” Lassa said. “Tech college graduates have
an 88% success rate in finding work within six months of graduation, at
median starting salary of more than $36,000. The Workforce Growth
Program will expand the tech colleges’ capacity to help Wisconsin
workers and businesses compete in the changing world economy.”
“This bill will help the people on the ground bridge the skills gap by
connecting businesses to the tech colleges who will be training their
future workforce,” said Doyle. “It will be a fast and effective way to
help jumpstart Wisconsin’s economy.”
* * *
Back to School Health Tips
Even though August was National Immunization Awareness Month, with
school starting soon, it is a good time to remind people about
recommended vaccinations. The CDC has put together a handy website to
help provide information on this matter. From here, you can look up
vaccinations by age, take a quiz to see what shots you need and figure
out when and where you can get your shots updated.
Here is a link to the recommended immunizations for children from birth
through age 6.
For preteens and teens,
these are the recommended shots and vaccines. Here you can check to
see if your kids are missing any shots and consult with helpful
resources on how to get them back on track.
For adults, the CDC reminds us that we never outgrow the need for
vaccines. The specific shots that you may need will vary based on your
age, lifestyle, travel plans and previous immunizations.
Check out this link to figure out what vaccines you need.
And even though summer is over and most of us are done with our
vacationing for the year, it is always good ideas to know what
vaccinations are recommended if you are traveling overseas.
Check out this
helpful tool where you can search the CDC’s recommendations based on
where you are traveling and any specific personal health issues you may
have.
Under the Affordable Care Act, immunizations like these are considered a
preventive service so they will be fully covered by all plans under the
new insurance exchanges. If you are not sure whether your vaccinations
will be covered, check with your insurance company.
***
Alpaca Visits
Last month, I visited Eagle Crest assisted living in Onalaska with two
very special guests. Two of my baby alpacas.
The tradition started as a way to bring a little joy and excitement to
the residents there, many of whom have never seen an alpaca. Now it has
become one of my favorite parts of being a state representative.
During the summer when we are not in campaign mode, it is nice to just
get out and talk to people as their state representative. I get to
answer questions both about what I have been doing in the legislature
and what we do over at Double D Alpaca Ranch. One of the things I have
noticed is that even people who are mad about government don’t yell at
me when they are holding a baby alpaca in their arms. There is nothing
quite as soft or as cuddly as an alpaca.
It is also important to me to reach out to those living in assisted care
because it can be difficult for the elderly to attend other listening
sessions and political events. And of course it is fun for me to get to
chat and visit.
So if you know a local group that would love an alpaca visit, just give
my office a call. The baby alpacas love the attention and its just
another excuse for me to go out and talk with all of you.
***
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