CONTACT ME
MAIL:
Room 20 South
State Capitol
P.O. Box 7882
Madison, WI 53707
TELEPHONE:
Office Phone
(608) 266-5490
Toll Free
(800) 385-3385
EMAIL:
Sen.Shilling@legis.wi.gov
WEBSITE:
legis.wi.gov/senate/shilling
SOCIAL MEDIA
Things move quickly here in the Capitol and you can always check my Facebook or Twitter to see what is happening.
"Like" Jennifer Shilling on Facebook:
Or Follow on Twitter!
SENATE COMMITTEES:
Joint Legislative Council
Joint Committee on Finance
Committee on Government Operations, Public Works, and Telecommunications
Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges
Special Committee on Reporting of Child Abuses and Child Neglect
|
July 10, 2013 |
Dear Friends and Neighbors - With the signing of the 2013-15 state budget by Gov. Walker on June 30th and the end of the 2013 spring legislative floor period, this week's E-update will focus on a few of the budget provisions, newly enacted state laws, as well as some events around the state this summer. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the budget or any other state legislative issue. Sincerely, |
| Walker Signs Budget |
| On Sunday June 30th, Gov. Scott Walker signed the 2013-15
state budget into law as 2013 Wisconsin Act 20. For more
information about partial budget vetoes, policy items, earmark
projects, and other budget details, you can visit the
Legislative Fiscal Bureau website for a full budget breakdown
here. |
| Bill Signing Update - Bi-Partisan Bills |
| On Friday July 5th, Governor Walker signed 18 bills into
law, including four bills which I co-authored. I am pleased that we were able to find strong bi-partisan support for several bills which I co-authored and helped to pass through the Legislature. These bills will help to improve public safety, strengthen consumer protections, and update state laws to better reflect 21st century technologies. I want to thank my Democratic and Republican colleagues for their support in passing these bills. As this legislative session continues, working together and focusing on the important issues at hand will be key to helping middle class families and growing our economy. The four bills I co-authored that were signed into law include: Assembly Bill 77 – relating to reports by the Dwelling Code Council on the one- and two-family dwelling code Prior to this new law, there was no specific cycle under which the Uniform Dwelling Code was reviewed. This bill requires the council to prepare a report containing reviews and recommendations once every six years and requires that the first report be completed no later than one year after this bill becomes law. Assembly Bill 77 passed the Assembly and Senate on voice votes. Assembly Bill 77 is now 2013 Wisconsin Act 23. Assembly Bill 106 – relating to municipal utility customer information This bill closes a potential privacy loophole in Wisconsin law and protects the private customer information obtained by public utilities. Assembly Bill 106 passed the Assembly and Senate on voice votes. Assembly Bill 106 is now 2013 Wisconsin Act 25. Assembly Bill 109 – relating to fees for dental services Prior to this new law, dental insurance companies were allowed to set fees for services their plans did not cover which prevented transparency and shifted costs to patients who pay out of pocket. This bill prohibits dental insurance companies from setting fees for services their plans do not actually cover and prevents insurance companies from imposing “hidden taxes” on individual consumers. Assembly Bill 109 passed the Assembly on a vote of 89-8 and the Senate on a vote of 30-3. Assembly Bill 109 is now 2013 Wisconsin Act 26. Senate Bill 62 – relating to proof of motor vehicle liability insurance Currently, motorists are required to hold motor vehicle liability insurance and to provide proof of liability insurance upon request of a law enforcement officer. This bill allows individuals to utilize electronic devices such as smartphones to display their proof of insurance rather than the traditional paper form. It will provide motorists with greater flexibility and help prevent tickets for drivers who are insured but lack the physical proof of insurance document at the time of traffic stop. Senate Bill 62 passed the Senate and Assembly on voice votes. Senate Bill 62 is now 2013 Wisconsin Act 31. |
| Gov. Walker signs Mandatory Ultrasound Bill into law |
| In addition to the bills signed above, Governor Walker
signed Senate Bill 206
– the Mandatory Ultrasound Bill. This bill, now 2013 Wisconsin
Act 37, will force women seeking an abortion to undergo a
physically invasive and medically unnecessary ultrasound. It is disappointing that Governor Walker and Republican legislators continue to focus their attention on divisive social issues rather than the job creation proposals that our state desperately needs. Family planning decisions should be made between a woman, her family, and her doctor. Unfortunately, the Mandatory Ultrasound law ignores the health care needs of women and puts politicians and big government in the way of personal medical decisions. The Mandatory Ultrasound Law is opposed by several health care organizations including Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Academy of Family Physicians, the Wisconsin Alliance for Women's Health, the Wisconsin Hospital Association and the Wisconsin Medical Society. |
| E-Cycle Wisconsin Program |
| The electronics recycling program began it's fifth year on
July 1st. This program recycles the fastest growing type of
waste like cell phones, computers and TVs that contain hazardous
material such as lead and mercury. E-Cycle Wisconsin Laws keep
hazardous materials out of landfills and prevent waste from
contaminating ground water sources. The results for year four of the E-cycle program will be available later this year, but year three showed that registered collectors took in about 39.1 million pounds of electronics, which is equivalent to about 6.8 pounds per Wisconsin residents. Visit the E-cycle website
here
for more information about E-cycle program, collection sites,
and the progress Wisconsin has made since the 2009 Wisconsin
Recycling Law went into effect. |
| 229th Engineer Division Returns from Afghanistan |
The 229th Engineer Company, headquartered
in Prairie Du Chien, has arrived safely at Fort Bliss, Texas
after being deployed for nine months in Afghanistan. I was at
the send-off ceremony in Prairie du Chien last August and look
forward to seeing these brave soldiers re-united with their
families. Welcome back! You can learn more about the 229th Engineer Division's nine month journey in Afghanistan here. |
| Donate Blood! |
| The American Red Cross issued an emergency appeal for blood
donors on July 9th. Blood donations for the month of June were
down about 20 percent and the Red Cross received 50,000 fewer
donors than they expected. Eligible donors with blood types A
negative, B negative, and O negative are especially encouraged
to donate. There is also a critical need for platelet donors
since the shelf life of platelets is only five days. The American Red Cross supplies nearly
40 percent of the nation's blood supply in 3,000 hospitals
across the United States. One pint of blood can save three
lives so donate today!
July 11th 1:30-6:30pm July 16th 10am-3pm |
| Wisconsin Vacation Ideas |
| Looking for something to entertain your family this summer?
Try exploring the many different landscapes and activities that
Wisconsin has to offer. Driftless Wisconsin is an option close to home. Located in Crawford and Vernon counties between the Mississippi River and Kickapoo Valley, Driftless Wisconsin activities range from outdoor historical sites to shopping, arts, music and Amish Country. Within Driftless Wisconsin is the city of Prairie du Chien, which contains the Mississippi River Sculpture Park as well as the Effigy Mounds National Monument. The Effigy Mounds was constructed by Native Americans as early as 350 AD and contains burial mounds in the shape of animals, humans, and other symbols. The La Crosse Convention and Visitors Bureau also has a website that offers activities, local attractions and places to eat and stay around our region. You can check out the website here. The 10th Annual Viroqua Bluegrass and Gospel Music Festival will occur from July 12-15, 2013 at the Vernon County Fairgrounds, located on Highway 14/61/27 in Viroqua, Wisconsin. This year's festival features music from The DisChords, The Burie Family, Sawtooth, Art Stevenson & High Water, Bluegrass Blondies, The Platte Valley Boys, and String Ties. Admission is $15 for Friday, $25 for Saturday, and a weekend pass is $35. All kids 14 and under get in free when accompanied by an adult. For more festival details and the music line-up, click here. To find more Wisconsin vacation and activities ideas, click here. |
| Wisconsin Food Guide and Farmer's Market Finder |
| Another great summer activity is to explore the many local
farms and farmer's market around our state. Buying fresh food
from local farms is not only beneficial nutritionally, it also
helps our communities and improves our local economies. If you want to check out the Wisconsin Food Guide and Farmer's Market locator, click here for Western Wisconsin and here for Southern Wisconsin. |
|
If you wish to stop receiving these
emails, please reply to this email |
