CONTACT ME
MAIL:
Room 20 South
State Capitol
P.O. Box 7882
Madison, WI 53707
TELEPHONE:
Office Phone
(608) 266-5490
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(800) 385-3385
EMAIL:
Sen.Shilling@legis.wi.gov
WEBSITE:
legis.wi.gov/senate/shilling
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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
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February 20, 2014 |
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Dear Friends and Neighbors - This newsletter highlights legislation to strengthen special education programs, an update on child neglect legislation, new legislation on marriage equality, and the passage of a cross-border nurse licensing bill. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about these or any other state legislative issues. Sincerely, |
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| Legislation to Strengthen Special Education Programs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Two new bills
I recently introduced would strengthen Wisconsin schools and provide better
learning opportunities for students with special needs. Senate Bill 554 is a bipartisan proposal that would strengthen accountability standards at taxpayer funded private voucher schools. Under this bill, private voucher schools who accept taxpayer funding to educate students with special needs would need to employ licensed special education teachers or therapists. These schools would also be required to comply with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act in order to ensure student access and prevent discrimination. Voucher schools are not currently required to meet either of these standards. No school that accepts state taxpayer funding should be allowed to deny services to students with special needs. In order to improve accountability, we need to make sure that private voucher schools that accept taxpayer funding to educate students with disabilities have the appropriate staff to provide special education services. In addition to this proposal, I also introduced Senate Bill 559 to increase the state reimbursement level for special education aid to 30% and increase funding for high-cost special education programs. These changes were supported by the Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations during the 2013-15 State Budget process. Failing to provide adequate state support for special education programs has taken away resources from other school programs and shifted additional costs onto local property taxpayers. We should commit to investing in special education to keep up with rising costs and ensure that students with disabilities can achieve in classrooms alongside their peers. If we are serious about supporting quality educational opportunities for all students in Wisconsin, then it’s time to support an increase in the state reimbursement for special education costs. Senate Bill 554 and Senate Bill 559 have been referred to the Senate Committee on Education where they are waiting to be scheduled for a public hearing. Individuals who would like more information regarding these proposals can visit the Legislature’s website at www.legis.wi.gov or contact me by email at Sen.Shilling@legis.wi.gov or by phone at 608-266-5490. |
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| Drug Endangered Children Legislation Advances | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Law enforcement officers and social
workers may soon have more flexibility to intervene on behalf of
children who are victims of neglect and abuse.
Senate Bill 471
(SB 471), which I authored, was
passed out of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services
on a unanimous 5-0 vote on February 13th and is now waiting to be taken up
by the full Senate and Assembly. SB 471, also known as the Drug Endangered Children Bill, will update Wisconsin's child neglect statutes to protect children who are in danger as a result of their exposure to the use, dealing or manufacturing of illegal narcotics. This issue was raised by members of the La Crosse County Drug Endangered Children’s (DEC) Coalition who have been working to keep children in the community safe from drug exposure. Members of the DEC Coalition including social workers, law enforcement officials and child advocates reached out to myself and Representatives Steve Doyle (D-Onalaska), Jill Billings (D-La Crosse), and Chris Danou (D-Trempealeau) last year to discuss this issue and propose legislative changes. It was shocking to learn about the number of children in our community who grow up in homes that are being used for illegal drug manufacturing and trafficking. In meeting with local leaders and child advocates on this issue, it was clear that we needed to do more to ensure that all children have a safe, healthy and nurturing home. After meeting with local DEC members, our group of La Crosse area legislators introduced SB 471 to address the concerns and was able to secure bipartisan support. Committee chair Sen. Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa) and I have worked together to schedule this bill for a public hearing and pass the bill out of committee. It is always great to work on state legislation with our local partners and the experts who deal with these challenges every day. While we need to do more to curb illegal drug trafficking in our state, SB 471 will significantly improve our ability to protect children who are exposed to these dangers on a daily basis. Now that SB 471 has passed the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services it can be scheduled for a vote in the full Senate. Individuals who would like more information regarding this proposal can visit the Legislature’s website at www.legis.wi.gov or contact me via email at Sen.Shilling@legis.wi.gov or call 608-266-5490. |
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| Marriage Equality | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Passage of Cross-Border Nurse Licensing Bill | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The State Senate approved
Senate Bill 212
(SB 212) on February 18th, which will allow trained and
experienced nurses to more easily relocate to Wisconsin from
another state. The bill was introduced by Sen. Sheila Harsdorf
(R-River Falls) and myself in response to concerns from area
health care providers that differences in licensure requirements
have made it difficult to attract nurses from neighboring states
like Minnesota and Iowa. SB 212 will help to ease the burden on our home health care providers and assisted living facilities who want to attract dedicated and well-trained nurses to our border communities. I am pleased that we were able to find bipartisan support for this commonsense bill to clarify our state’s certification requirements and preserve the high quality of care that our communities have come to expect. While I am pleased with the passage of SB 212, I joined several Democratic lawmakers in urging additional action on several job creation bills that have failed to move forward in Republican-controlled committees. It is troubling that our state is leading the nation in the number of new unemployment claims and yet there is no urgency from Gov. Walker and Republicans to move forward on a range of Democratic job creation proposals. While Republicans are spending their time passing legislation to deal with rubber duck races, families in our state continue to struggle. With only a few weeks left in the current session, we are running out of time to pass meaningful legislation that will put families back to work and get our economy moving again. Since Gov. Walker took office, Wisconsin has dropped from 11th in the nation for job creation to 37th. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Labor's Unemployment Insurance Report released on Feb. 13th found that Wisconsin once again led the nation in new unemployment claims. |
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| Senate Scholar | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 The first of two Senate Scholars from the 32nd Senate District, Ashlyn King from La Farge High School, was in Madison for the 2014 Senate Scholar Program this week. The Senate Scholar Program is a week-long educational program offered by the Wisconsin State Senate that provides high school students with a hands-on, up-close view of our state government. I had the opportunity to meet with Ashlyn and her fellow Senate Scholars on Tuesday and speak with them about our Legislative process. High school students interested in applying for this program next year can find more information online at www.senatescholar.com. |
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| Matt Antoine Wins Bronze in Sochi | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
I adjourned on February 18th in honor of
Prairie du Chien native Matt Antoine who won a bronze medal in
the 2014 Winter Olympic men’s skeleton competition. Matt became interested in skeleton when he was 16 years old after watching the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic Games. Despite failing to make the US skeleton team in his first tryout and undergoing knee surgery in 2012, Matt never gave up and has overcome numerous challenges in order to achieve his goal of competing in the Olympics. He has worked hard over the past 11 years training for this opportunity, and Matt’s breakthrough season came this past year when he won three medals, including his first career World Cup victory in Lake Placid, NY. Matt’s athleticism, determination and sportsmanship is an inspiration to everyone, and it has been great to see Prairie du Chien residents and the surrounding communities rally around him and cheer him on. Many residents in our state have been closely following Matt's performance. We are all extremely proud of Matt’s bronze medal, and want to wish him the best of luck as he continues to compete and achieve new goals! |
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| Information on Filing State Taxes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The
Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) has officially launched
the start of the individual income tax season and is encouraging
state taxpayers to file your income tax return electronically in
order to get your tax return more quickly. The DOR has its own
free service for taxpayers to file taxes called Wisconsin
E-file. E-file is a secure and
confidential site, and is available 24 hours, seven days a week.
Go to revenue.wi.gov and click on the Wisconsin e-file button to
get started. Wisconsin E-file: • Offers Wisconsin fill-in tax forms that do the math to help prevent errors • Is secure and confidential so your information is protected • Sends a confirmation once your return is electronically submitted and received • Allows you to link e-filing options for your federal income taxes by clicking on ‘web-based filing' • You can have your refund deposited directly into your bank account What You Need to File: • All documents about income you received during the year, including W-2s and 1099s • Legal names and social security numbers of everyone you’ll include on your return • Charitable donations • Your federal income tax return, if filing using form 1 or form 1NPR • Property tax bill or rent certificate, if claiming Homestead Credit • Bank account information for direct deposit or withdrawal You can also visit the DOR website to check the status of your tax refund, and to find important tax documents like W2 forms. If you have any questions or need help filing taxes, you can visit the DOR's website here or call the customer service helpline at 608-266-2486. |
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| Senior Tax Information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| If you are a senior and need assistance
filing taxes, the AARP Tax-Aide program is available to help
prepare 2013 federal, state and Wisconsin Homestead Tax Credit
income tax returns. La Crosse County: The La Crosse library is offering help at filing taxes for seniors. You can call 608-789-7443 for an appointment, and visit their website for printable tax forms and ways to file online. Crawford County: Tax counselors will be in Prairie du Chien at the Crawford County Administration Building (225 No. Beaumont Road, Room 326B) on Wednesdays, February 26 and March 5, 12, 13 (Thursday), 19 and 26 from 10am to 3pm. Counselors will also be at the Soldiers Grove Community Building/Library (102 Passive Sun Drive) on Thursday, March 6 from 10am to 3pm, and the Crawford County Highway Department (21515 State Hwy 27, Seneca) on Thursday, February 27 from 10am to 3pm. In order to secure a appointment, you must call the Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC) in Prairie du Chien at 608-326-0235. Monroe County: AARP tax volunteers are available at the Sparta Barney Community Center (1000 E. Montgomery Street, Sparta) on Wednesdays and Fridays through April to prepare tax returns and answer questions for tax payers with middle and low incomes. Don't forget to bring your social security card(s), 2013 income information, property tax statements and taxes from the previous year to your appointment. You can schedule an appointment to meet with a tax volunteer by calling 608-269-8690. |
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| Ice Safety | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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With warmer temperatures heading our way
this week, its important to think about ice safety when
snowmobiling, ice fishing, cross country skiing, or just
enjoying a nice day on the lake. The Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) doesn't monitor local ice conditions, and ice
conditions tend to vary by lake and location. To check ice
conditions, try visiting a local bait shop or fishing club.
These sources often have the most recent information on ice
thickness of local lakes and rivers, as well as areas of ice
that are especially dangerous. Here are some ice safety tips from the DNR: • Dress warmly in layers. • Don't go alone. Head out with friends or family. Take a cell phone if available, and make sure someone knows where you are and when you are expected to return. • Know before you go. Don't travel in areas you are not familiar and don't travel at night or during reduced visibility. • Avoid inlets, outlets or narrow that may have current that can thin the ice. • Look for clear ice, which is generally stronger than ice with snow on it or bubbles in it. • Carry some basic safety gear: ice claws or picks, a cell phone in a waterproof bag or case, a life jacket and length of rope. What to do if you fall through the ice: If you fall through the ice, remain calm and act quickly. 1. Do not remove your winter clothing. Heavy clothes can trap air, which can help provide warmth and flotation. This is especially true in a snowmobile suit. 2. Go back toward the direction you came. That is probably where you will find the strongest ice – and what lies ahead is unknown. 3. Place your hands and arms on the unbroken surface. This is where a pair of nails, sharpened screwdrivers or ice picks are handy in providing the extra traction you need to pull yourself up onto the ice. 4. Kick your feet and dig in your ice picks to work your way back onto the solid ice. If your clothes have trapped a lot of water, you may have to lift yourself partially out of the water on your elbows to let the water drain before starting forward. 5. Once back on the ice, don't try to stand up. Lie flat until you are completely out of the water, then roll away from the hole to keep your weight spread out. This may help prevent you from breaking through again. 6. Get to a warm, dry, sheltered area and warm yourself up immediately. In moderate to severe cases of cold-water hypothermia, you must seek medical attention. Cold blood trapped in your extremities can come rushing back to your heart after you begin to warm up. The shock of the chilled blood may cause ventricular fibrillation leading to a heart attack and death! If you would like more information on ice safety, you can visit the DNR website here. |
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| Calendar of Events | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| State Legislation Update | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Introduced in the Senate: SB-573. Regulation of mobile dentistry. Referred to Energy, Consumer Protection, and Government Reform Committee. SB-574. Energy emergencies and vehicle weight limits. Referred to Transportation, Public Safety, and Veterans and Military Affairs Committee. SB-575. Payments to counties for designated county forest lands and distribution of amounts paid to municipalities by owners of closed managed forest lands. Referred to Finance Committee. SB-576. The sale of limited lines travel insurance. Referred to Insurance and Housing Committee. SB-577. The property tax exemption for rented personal property. Referred to Workforce Development, Forestry, Mining, and Revenue Committee. SB-578. Classified research at University of Wisconsin System institutions and exemption from open records requirements. Referred to Universities and Technical Colleges Committee. SB-579. Licensure of physicians. Referred to Health and Human Services Committee. SB-580. A firearm prohibition for an individual subject to an individual-at-risk injunction and disclosure of and access to information regarding individuals who are prohibited from possessing a firearm. Referred to Transportation, Public Safety, and Veterans and Military Affairs Committee. SB-581. Rule-making procedures and modifying and creating administrative rules related to long-term care insurance. Referred to Insurance and Housing Committee. SB-582. Own risk and solvency assessments, supervisory colleges, consolidated hearings for mergers of insurance companies, proxy voting by mutual policyholders, a presumption and exceptions with respect to the disclosure of insurance-related information. Referred to Insurance and Housing Committee. SB-583. Creditable military service under the Wisconsin Retirement System. Referred to Transportation, Public Safety, and Veterans and Military Affairs Committee. SB-584. Requirements for new private schools seeking to participation in a parental choice program and requiring a private school participating in a parental choice program to maintain accreditation. Referred to Education Committee. SB-585. Allowing a victim of a crime to view portions of a presentence investigation report. Referred to Judiciary and Labor Committee. SB-586. Municipal quotas for retail intoxication liquor licenses. Referred to Economic Development and Local Government Committee. SB-587. The procedure for deciding certain claims against the state filed with the claims board. Referred to Judiciary and Labor Committee. SB-588. Pedestrians crossing railroad tracks and penalties for violations relating to railroad crossings. Referred to Transportation, Public Safety, and Veterans and Military Affairs Committee. SB-589. Number of school days and hours of instruction held in a school year and state aid for summer classes. Referred to Education Committee. Introduced in the Assembly: AJR-88. Honoring 2014 Olympic athletes from Wisconsin. Referred to Rules Committee. AB-734. Powers and duties of the board of veterans affairs; reimbursement of veterans’ tuition at tribal colleges; documentation for eligibility to veterans ones; operation of veterans homes; eligibility and procedural requirements for veterans home loans, veterans personal loans, county veterans service grants, and American Indian veterans grant; and funeral honors, burial, and disinterment of veterans. Referred to Veterans Committee. AB-735. Own risk and solvency assessments, supervisory colleges, consolidated hearings for mergers of insurance companies, proxy voting by mutual policyholders, a presumption and exceptions with respect to the disclosure of insurance-related information. Referred to Insurance Committee. AB-736. Rule-making procedures and modifying and creating administrative rules related to long-term care insurance. Referred to Insurance Committee. AB-737. Requiring the department of Transportation to contract for driver improvement course services, forwarding by courts of traffic violations convictions. Referred to Judiciary Committee. AB-738. Requiring an ignition interlock device to be installed for committing a drunken driving offense. Referred to State Affairs and Government Operations Committee. AB-739. Overtaking and passing vehicles. Referred to Transportation Committee. AB-740. Eligibility for a license to carry a concealed weapon for a member of the U.S. armed forces stationed in Wisconsin. Referred to Criminal Justice Committee. AB-741. The requirement that a Wisconsin works agency establish a children’s services network and the membership of the Milwaukee Child Welfare Partnership Council. Referred to Children and Families Committee. AB-742. Licensure of physicians. Referred to Health Committee. AJR-89. Memorial – Joe Pavelski. Referred to Rules Committee. AJR-90. The military service of Legislative Council staff attorney and United States Army Captain Chadwick Brown. Referred to Rules Committee. AJR-91. U.S.A Olympic long track and speed skater Tucker Fredricks. Referred to Rules Committee. AJR-92. Commemorating the Great Lakes shipping industry and those whose lives were lost in shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. Referred to Rules Committee. AJR-93. Honoring the friendship between Wisconsin and Turkey. Referred to Rules Committee. AB-743. The operation of all-terrain vehicles and utility terrain vehicles on highway bridges. Referred to Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage Committee. AB-744. Licenses for new dairy plants, food warehouses, food processing plants, retail food establishments, and meat establishments. Referred to Agriculture Committee. AB-745. Milk procurement fees. Referred to Agriculture Committee. AB-746. Limits on liability for persons offering agricultural tourism activities. Referred to Agriculture Committee. AB-747. Creating special provisions for a city or village to create a tax incremental district in recently annexed territory. Referred to State and Local Finance Committee. AJR-94. Commending and congratulating Chancellor Charles W. Sorenson for his contributions to the University of Wisconsin-Stout and the state of Wisconsin. Referred to Rules Committee. AB-748. Requirements for new private schools seeking to participation in a parental choice program and requiring a private school participating in a parental choice program to maintain accreditation. Referred to Education Committee. AB-749. Number of school days and hours of instruction held in a school year and state aid for summer classes. Referred to Education Committee. AB-750. Preemption of local ordinances that require employees of a local governmental unit, employees of a contractor of a local governmental unit, or employees who perform work funded by a local governmental unit to be paid at a minimum wage rate specified in the ordinance and preemption of residency requirements for laborers, workers, mechanics, and truck drivers employed on local projects of public works to which the prevailing wage law applies. Referred to Labor Committee. AB-760. A grant program to support creative industries, job creation, or economic development in this state. Referred to Tourism Committee. AB-764. Notifications to law enforcement officers and dissemination to the public when registered out-of-state sex offenders enter a community. Referred to Criminal Justice Committee. AB-765. Chiropractor registration to practice acupuncture, fee-splitting with a nonchiropractor acupuncturist. Referred to Health Committee. AB-766. Collective bargaining for public employees, prohibiting employees other than public safety employees from bargaining collectively on insurance contributions and employee required contributions to retirement. Referred to Labor Committee. AB-767. Unlawful use of a global positioning device. Referred to Criminal Justice Committee. AB-768. Authorizing Marquette University to create a police department and employ university police officers. Referred to State Affairs and Government Operations Committee. AB-769. The definition of project costs under the tax incremental financing program. Referred to State Affairs and Government Operations Committee. If you would like to read the bill texts or 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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