March 20, 2013

The state budget process is now in full swing. Given the importance of the state budget, I will continue to provide regular updates through emails, letters, and social media to make sure that you know what's happening "under the dome." If you ever have questions about the budget process, budget provisions, or any other state legislative issue, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Shilling
State Senate, District 32
 

Agency briefings provide executive branch Secretaries and other agency leaders an opportunity to appear before the Joint Committee on Finance, present testimony on the Governor's budget, and answer questions from Committee members.

The following is a schedule of the agency briefings being held this week and next Tuesday:

Tuesday, March 19
Department of Administration
Department of Revenue
Department of Workforce Development
Department of Justice
Office of the State Public Defender

Wednesday, March 20
Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
Department of Health Services
Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Transportation
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

Thursday, March 21
Department of Public Instruction
Wisconsin Technical College System
University of Wisconsin System
Supreme Court
Department of Corrections

Tuesday, March 26
Department of Children and Families
Department of Natural Resources
Department of Safety and Professional Services

As always, you can watch these briefings live or on demand through the Legislature's WisconsinEye website at www.wiseye.org 
 

In marking the significance of this day, I announced my co-sponsorship of LRB-0695 which would restore the Equal Pay Enforcement Act. This legislation is authored by Sen. Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) and would provide a stronger enforcement mechanism for violations of pay and workplace discrimination by allowing victims of pay discrimination to seek lost wages, attorneys' fees and punitive damages in the state circuit court system.

This law will ensure that all workers are fairly compensated for putting in a hard day's work. The decision by Governor Walker and Legislative Republicans to repeal equal pay enforcement protections for women, veterans, and minorities last year has unfortunately opened the door for bad actors to discriminate against workers.

Pay discrimination continues to negatively impact hardworking families and honest businesses in our state. We need to create a level playing field for responsible businesses to compete and empower victims of pay discrimination to seek justice. This legislation would send a powerful message that we value the work of women in our state and believe that all employees should be compensated fairly for their work.

In 2012, Governor Walker and Republican legislators made repealing the Equal Pay Enforcement Act a top priority. Their decision to repeal this law has made it more difficult to deter discriminatory behaviors by bad actors and has created additional barriers for victims of pay discrimination to seek justice.
 

We need to look for ways to not only get tough on crime, but also get smart about how we rehabilitate these individuals and change bad behaviors. Preventative measures, youth outreach efforts, and alternative treatment programs that can help to save money and produce better outcomes should also be considered as we move forward.

Several of the proposals that have been introduced have significant costs associated with them as a result of increased incarceration rates and enforcement efforts, and we will need to take a look at how these measures might be funded.

The following six bills have been introduced in the Senate for consideration:

Senate Bill 56 - Requires a six-month mandatory minimum sentence for causing bodily harm to another while driving intoxicated.

Senate Bill 57 - Requires those charged with 1st offense OWI to appear in court, a change from current law.

Senate Bill 58 - Criminalize 1st offense OWI offenses at high blood alcohol levels.

Senate Bill 59 - Sets a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence for OWI-related deaths. 

Senate Bill 60 - Classifies 3rd offense OWI as a felony, rather than a misdemeanor.

Senate Bill 61 - Allows judges to order that a vehicle used in a 3rd or subsequent OWI-related offense be seized.
 

To read more about Emerge Wisconsin and their goal of training women to hold elected office some day, click here.
 

The Government Accountability Board (GAB) provides several options on how you may request an absentee ballot and cast your vote early in the upcoming Spring election:

Request an Absentee Ballot by Mail
If you are a registered Wisconsin voter, you can download the Application for Absentee Ballot (GAB-121). Just complete the form and mail it to your municipal clerk's office. You can find your clerk by searching though the list of all Wisconsin municipal clerks.
If you are not already registered, you will need to register to vote before an absentee ballot can be sent to you.

Request an Absentee Ballot by E-mail or Fax
Regular Wisconsin voters may also request that a ballot be sent to them by sending an e-mail or fax to their municipal clerk. This request must be made no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday before the election in order for an absentee ballot to be SENT to you.

In-Person at your Municipal Clerk's Office (Early Voting)
You can vote absentee at your local municipal clerk's office. In-person absentee voting (also known as early voting) runs for two weeks before the Spring Election, ending at 5 p.m. on the Friday before an election. Early voting began March 18th and continues through March 29th.

You can find your clerk at My Vote WI: myvote.wi.gov by searching your voter record or performing an address search. If you apply for an absentee ballot in your municipal clerk's office, you must vote immediately, seal your ballot in the proper envelope, and return it to a member of the clerk's staff.

You can find detailed instructions here for completing your absentee ballot. If you do not know who your clerk is, or where the clerk's office is located, please use My Vote WI: myvotewi.gov.
 

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