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State Capitol
P.O. Box 7882
Madison, WI 53707

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Sen.Shilling@legis.wi.gov

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SENATE COMMITTEES:

Joint Legislative Council

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Committee on Government Operations, Public Works, and Telecommunications

Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges

Special Committee on Reporting of Child Abuses and Child Neglect

 


 

  

September 5, 2013

Dear Friends and Neighbors -

The start of fall session for the State Legislature is upon us with the hearing on the bill which would allow the sale of raw week scheduled next week, as well as over 75 bills being introduced in the Senate and Assembly. This newsletter will highlight accountability for voucher schools, tips for reducing, reusing, and recycling school supplies, and my visit with Kickapoo Grazing Initiative. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about these or any other state legislative issue.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Shilling
State Senate, District 32
 
Raw Milk Bill Scheduled for Senate Hearing
Senate Bill 236 (SB 236), which would legalize the sale of raw milk, has been scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Rural Issues by Sen. Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) for Wednesday, September 11th. This bill would allow a dairy farmer who meets certain guidelines to register with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection for the purpose of selling unpasteurized milk and milk products directly to consumers on the farm.

WHAT: Public Hearing on SB 236 regarding the sale of raw milk
WHO: Members of the public are invited to attend this hearing and provide testimony in support or opposition to this proposal
WHEN: 2:00 PM on Wednesday, September 11, 2013
WHERE: Wisconsin State Capitol - Room 411 South

Individuals who are unable to attend can submit written testimony to Sen. Shilling's office via email at Sen.Shilling@legis.wi.gov or by mail at P.O. Box 7882 Madison, WI 53707. Additionally, this public hearing will be broadcast live by WisconsinEye and streamed online at www.wiseye.org for live and archived viewing.

If approved by the Senate, SB 236 would also need to be passed by the Assembly. Rep. Lee Nerison (R-Westby), the chair of the Assembly Committee on Agriculture, has not indicated whether the Assembly companion bill, AB 287, will be scheduled for a public hearing.

For more information on Senate Bill 236 or the committee process, please visit https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2013/proposals/sb236 or contact Sen. Shilling's office toll-free at 1-800-385-3385.
Make College Affordable Tour
Over the next several weeks I will be joining my legislative colleagues for a series of statewide college campus tours where we will host public roundtable discussions and talk directly with students about college affordability, financial aid, access to health care, and other important issues.

A meeting in La Crosse is scheduled for Thursday, September 26th from noon to 1:00pm at the UW-L Cartwright Center Port O’ Call room. Students, staff, and members of the public are invited to attend.

The full list of events includes the following dates and locations:

UW Madison, 9/10/13
UW Milwaukee, 9/12/13
UW Marathon County, 9/16/13
UW Green Bay, 9/23/13
Lawrence University, 9/23/13
UW Eau Claire, 9/24/13
UW Platteville, 9/25/13
UW La Crosse, 9/26/13

We hope that you will be able to join us!
 
New School Year Brings Opportunities and Challenges for Students and Taxpayers
Across Wisconsin, over 870,000 students recently began a new school year. Like most of these children, my two young boys are excited to get back into their classrooms, discover new inspirations, and learn new skills.

We are fortunate to have great schools in Wisconsin that help our children to grow and develop their unique talents. Our students repeatedly demonstrate strong performance and growth in key academic areas such as reading, science, and math and we have one of the highest graduation rates in the nation. These positive results are a direct result of student commitment, the involvement of parents, and the dedication of our teachers, faculty and support staff.

We take pride in fulfilling our responsibility to provide a quality education to every child in our state, but we continue to face new challenges.

Over the past two years, our public schools have been forced to absorb the largest funding cuts in our state’s history and local taxpayers have seen their property taxes continue to increase. Many schools have had to lay off teachers and class sizes have increased.

Meanwhile, Gov. Walker’s private voucher school program has been expanded statewide and a new $30 million tax break was created for families who chose to send their children to private schools. If the state continues down this path of subsidizing tuition for private school families, the Department of Public Instruction estimates it could cost taxpayers anywhere from $554 million up to $1.9 billion annually.

In order to bring costs under control and improve accountability, I have joined a growing bi-partisan group of legislators who have called for immediate reforms to the voucher school program. One proposal put forward by Republicans would add voucher schools to the state’s report card system to improve transparency and accountability. Another proposal that that I co-authored, the Voucher Accountability Bill, will help to prevent fraud, strengthen academic standards, and hold down costs for taxpayers.

Unfortunately, powerful voucher school lobbying groups have already lined up against these bi-partisan reform measures. They don’t think private voucher schools that accept state taxpayer funding should have to meet basic standards such as hiring licensed teachers and performing background checks on school staff. Without these commonsense safeguards and academic standards, taxpayers have no way of knowing how their hard-earned dollars are being spent or what outcomes are being produced.

At every listening session I’ve held, parents and taxpayers have expressed serious concerns with this shift in state funding away from local public schools to unaccountable private voucher schools. I agree that we must focus our resources where they are most needed in order to maintain our commitment to quality public education. In these tough times, we simply can’t afford to spend more state taxpayer dollars to subsidize an alternative private school voucher system that only benefits a few students at the expense of our local public schools.

Just as our children and students are looking forward to what this new school year will bring, parents and taxpayers should also look ahead to what the future holds. Reigning in unaccountable voucher school spending and reinvesting in our local public schools will ensure continued student growth, high academic performance, and more manageable costs for families and taxpayers.
 
Kickapoo Grazing Initiative Tour
On Tuesday August 27th, I had the opportunity to spend the morning at Willow Creek Ranch with the Kickapoo Grazing Initiative (KGI). I had a great day exploring the ranch and learning about the Grazing Initiative. Thanks to Cynthia Olmsted at KGI, retired DNR biologist Dave Vetrano, Jeff Hastings from Trout Unlimited, and Ben Wojahn from the Vernon County Land and Water Conservation Department for showing me the benefits of managed grazing!
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle for Back to School
With the beginning of the school year quickly approaching, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wants to remind you to reduce, reuse, and recycle school supplies to save you money and reduce the amount of trash being transported to landfills.

Some back-to-school suggestions include:
• Reuse paper, folders, backpacks and calculators from last year when you can; if purchasing new supplies, look for those made from recycled content, and those that use minimal packaging;
• Use reusable food and beverage containers for school lunches;
• Donate or recycle clothes and supplies that are still in good, usable condition;
• Recycle old electronics; E-Cycle Wisconsin, a DNR program, makes recycling electronics easier by providing a list of collection locations across the state for items like computers, printers, cell phones and more; and
• Talk to your children about the importance of waste reduction and recycling, and to their teachers about teaching and using recycling principles in the classroom. For potential recycling activities, see the agency’s EEK!—Environmental Education for Kids! website.

Moving suggestions include:
• Develop a plan to pack and organize what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of; having a moving plan will give you more time to think about what to throw away or donate, what to reuse and what to recycle;
• Reuse boxes, cloth bags or plastic containers from move to move and use reusable or recyclable materials – like newspaper and T-shirts – to package fragile items; and
• Donate or recycle old electronics, furniture and other household items. Check with your local recycling program to see if they have a special recycling or reuse collection event to make it easier to reuse and recycle.

To learn more ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle in the coming school season, visit the DNR article here.
 
County Fairs
The end of the County Fair season is near with one final fair in our region.

Vernon County Fair
Sept. 11-15th
Viroqua, WI
The Vernon County Fair will feature carnival rides, classic fair food, live music, and a wide variety of live entertainment like tractors pulls, horse shows, harness racing, a dairy show and a demolition derby.
Admission: Weekend passes are $10 for adults 16 and up, $4 for children 6 to 15, and free for children 5 and under. Daily passes are $5 for adults 16 and up, $2 for children 6 to 15, and free for children 5 and under.
 
Blue Books
Blue Books for residents of the 32nd Senate District will be available at my office for free upon request starting on September 11th.This book is the most current and complete resource for information about the organization and functions of our government, elected and appointed state leaders, and statewide statistical data.

A reminder that you can still request free maps and activity guides from my office. These materials can be requested by emailing me at Sen.Shilling@legis.wi.gov or by calling my office toll-free at 1-800-385-3385.
 
State Legislation Update
Introduced in the Senate:
SJR-46. Memorial – Kathryn Morrison. Referred to Senate Organization Committee.
SB-258. The distribution by schools of a concussion and head injury information sheet and the participation by pupils in a youth athletic activity. Referred to Health and Human Services Committee.
SB-259. Authorizes the creation of a Fox Cities regional transit authority. Referred to Transportation, Public Safety, and Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.
SB-260. Allows refunds for the early stage seed and angel investment tax credits and having the Department of Administration administer the credits. Referred to Economic Development and Local Government Committee.
SB-261. Witness address required for valid absentee ballot. Referred to Elections and Urban Affairs Committee.
SB-262. Labeling of duplicate ballots. Referred to Elections and Urban Affairs Committee.
SB-263. Challenging an elector’s registration during recount proceedings. Referred to Elections and Urban Affairs Committee.
SB-264. Securing the ballot container. Referred to Elections and Urban Affairs Committee.
SB-265. Party representation for elections officials serving at polling places. Referred to Elections and Urban Affairs Committee.
SB-266. The procedure for recounting ballots when electors voting in person are required to sign the poll list and fail to do so. Referred to Elections and Urban Affairs Committee.
SB-267. Recording the type of identifying document provided by an elector as proof of residence. Referred to Elections and Urban Affairs Committee.
SB-268. Nominees submitted by the Government Accountability Board candidate committee. Referred to Elections and Urban Affairs Committee.
SB-269. Penalties for violation of certain moped dealer and recreational vehicle dealer requirements. Referred to Transportation, Public Safety, and Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.
SB-270. Motorcycle operator’s licenses and rider courses. Referred to Transportation, Public Safety, and Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.
SJR-47. Commending the left and military service of Major Thomas C. Griffin. Referred to Senate Organization Committee.
SB-271. Substitute special education teachers and paraprofessional staffing services. Referred to Education Committee.
SB-272. The restoration of information from an original birth certificate after adoption. Referred to Health and Human Services Committee.
SB-273. Requirements for the Department of Workforce Development when issuing determinations under the unemployment insurance law or any other law regulation employment that is administered by that department. Referred to Workforce Development, Forestry, Mining and Revenue Committee.
SB-274. Funding and position authority for vocational rehabilitation services. Referred to Workforce Development, Forestry, Mining and Revenue Committee.
SB-275. The role of the clerk of a circuit court in filing the oath and bond of a municipal judge; signatures on citations or complaints alleging a violation of a municipal ordinance; the fee for a transcript of an electronic recording of municipal court proceedings; and the authority of a municipal court judge to order a default judgment against a defendant who fails to appear at trial. Referred to Judiciary and Labor Committee.
SB-276. Exclusion of certain independent contractors from coverage under the worker’s compensation law and the unemployment insurance law. Referred to Workforce Development, Forestry, Mining and Revenue Committee.
SB-277. Authorizes the Department of Natural resources to lease state forest land to the Boulder Junction Shooting Range for terms not exceeding 30 years. Referred to Natural Resources Committee.
SB-278. Public access to managed forest land that is located in a proposed mining site. Referred to Workforce Development, Forestry, Mining, and Revenue Committee.
SB-279. Annual or consecutive month permits for vehicle or combinations of vehicles transporting loads near the Wisconsin-Michigan border. Referred to Transportation, Public Safety, and Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.

Introduced in the Assembly:
AB-296. Inadmissibility of a statement of apology or condolence by a health care provider. Referred to Judiciary Committee.
AB-297. The use of race-based nicknames, logos, mascots, and team names by school boards. Referred to Urban and Local Affairs Committee.
AB-298. Creation of a Wisconsin election campaign fund. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-299. Requiring the Family Care benefit and self-directed services option to be provided in certain northeastern counties. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-300. Increasing funding for domestic abuse grants. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-301. Defaults on payday loans and loans by licensed lenders. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-302. The engagement of engineering and similar services by the Department of Transportation. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-303. Creating a nonrefundable individual income tax credit for interest paid on certain student loans. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-304. Grants for farm to school programs. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-305. Grazing lands conservation grants. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-306. Monitoring industrial sand mining and processing operations. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-307. Eligible applicants under the broadband expansion grant program. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-308. Reduction of local levy limit by amount of certain fee revenue received. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-309. Requiring the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to disclose certain expenditure information and information relating to contracts and grants. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-310. Unclassified division administrators in the state civil service system. Referred to Finance.
AB-311. Medicaid expansion, eligibility, and other changes to BadgerCare Plus. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-312. Providing services to children on the waiting list for the Children’s Long-term support waiver programs. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-313. Family planning services provided through the Medical Assistance program. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-314. Eliminating the collection of deoxyribonucleic acid at arrest. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-315. Expungement of deoxyribonucleic acid from crime laboratories if person not adjudicated guilty of delinquent. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-316. Family planning services. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-317. Sale or lease of state property. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-318. Sale or lease of the state capitol or capitol park. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-319. Sale or lease of property located within Camp Randall. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-320. The process for sale of state-owned real property. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-321. Sale or lease of certain state-owned real property that was acquired, constructed, and improved with gift, grant, or federal funds. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-322. Collective bargaining over workplace safety for employees of the Department of Corrections. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-323. The reduction in school aid to the Milwaukee Public Schools to offset costs of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-324. The expulsion of pupils from a private school participating in a parental choice program. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-325. High school graduation requirements for pupils attending private school under a parental choice program. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-326. Assessing pupils in private schools participating in a parental choice program for reading readiness. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-327. The requirements for participation in a parental choice program and the percentage of pupils who may attend a private school under such a program. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-328. Requiring that a private school participating in a parental choice program be located in this state. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-329. Attendance at a public school of pupils enrolled in home-based private educational programs. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-330. Part-time open enrollment program for public school pupils. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-331. Study of options for state employee health insurance coverage. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-332. The authority of the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System to charge students mandatory refundable fees. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-333. Repealing the changes made to local residency requirements in 2013 Wisconsin Act 20. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-334. Restoring indexing provisions to the homestead tax credit. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-335. Remedies against manufacturers, distributors, sellers, and promoters of a product. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-336. Funding for Wisconsin higher education grants for University of Wisconsin System students. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-337. Funding for Wisconsin higher education grants for technical college students. Referred to Finance Committee.
AB-338. Allowing refunds for the early stage seed and angel investment tax credits and having the Department of Administration administer the credits. Referred to Jobs, Economy and Mining Committee.
AB-339. Violation of motor vehicle salvage dealer licensing requirements. Referred to Transportation Committee.
AB-340. An official state language, use of English for governmental written expression, acquiring language proficiency, and use of languages for nongovernmental purposes. Referred to State Affairs Committee.
AB-341. Setoffs against tax refunds for debts related to providing ambulance services. Referred to State and Local Finance Committee.
AJR-50. An advisory referendum on an amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Referred to Government Operations and State Licensing Committee.
AB-342. Prohibiting consideration of the conviction record of an applicant for employment before the applicant has been selected for an interview. Referred to Labor Committee.
AB-343. The distribution by schools of a concussion and head injury information sheet and the participation by pupils in a youth athletic activity. Referred to Education Committee.
AB-344. Taste samples of intoxicating liquor provided on certain licensed premises. Referred to State Affairs Committee.
AB-345. Installation of smart meters by certain public utilities and cooperative associations. Referred to Energy and Utilities Committee.
AB-346. Penalties for violation of certain moped dealer and recreational vehicle dealer requirements. Referred to Transportation Committee.
AB-347. Motorcycle operator’s licenses and rider courses. Referred to Transportation Committee.
AB-348. Substitute special education teachers and paraprofessional staffing services. Referred to Education Committee.
AB-349. Authorizes the creation of a Fox Cities regional transit authority. Referred to Transportation Committee.
AB-350. Exemptions from securities registration requirements. Referred to Financial Institutions Committee.
AB-351. Funding and position authority for vocational rehabilitation. Referred to Workforce Development Committee.

If you would like to track the status of these bills online, please feel free to visit the state legislative website at www.legis.state.wi.us and enter the proposal number in the column on the left.

 

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