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
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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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April 11, 2014 |
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Dear Friends and Neighbors - It's beginning to feel a lot like spring (finally!) and although the 2013-14 legislative floor session wrapped up last week, legislative committees and work groups continue to meet at the Capitol. This newsletter will highlight some of the recent topics that have come up for discussion, including income inequality, workforce development, health care access, and rural transportation, as well as the Holmen High School Iron Chef Competition, the Lower Wisconsin Riverway Master Plan and the unclaimed property program. 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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| Equal Pay Day is a Reminder of Wisconsin’s Income Inequality | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| With National Pay
Equity Day being observed earlier this week, we should all take a minute to think about an
important question. Would Wisconsin families be better off in
these tough economic times with an extra $8.3 billion in their
pockets? That’s how much families are shortchanged each year due to the gender income inequality gap in Wisconsin according to recent data. With a growing number of households reliant on income from both parents, this wage gap is jeopardizing the economic security of many families across our state. The issue of income inequality has been widely documented and we know that pay discrimination continues to be a significant obstacle for many women, veterans and minorities who are trying to make ends meet. Wisconsin workers are the backbone of our economy and the profit creators for local businesses, but their economic freedom has been limited as a result of the uneven playing field. While our state had been a leader in combating workplace discrimination, the decision by Republicans to repeal the Equal Pay Enforcement Act in 2012 has been a major setback. This move made it easier for corporations to skirt the law and created additional barriers for victims of pay discrimination to seek justice. In order to ensure all employees are compensated fairly for their work, Democrats have pushed to restore the Equal Pay Enforcement Act. This commonsense move is overwhelmingly supported by Wisconsin families who recognize the need to eliminate pay discrimination and ensure workplace fairness. Additionally, there is a growing public majority that supports closing the income inequality gap by increasing our minimum wage and indexing it to inflation. Today, a single parent working a minimum wage job 40 hours a week earns just $15,080 a year. Productivity is at an all-time high, yet many individuals working full-time are forced to raise their family in poverty because wages haven’t kept up. If our minimum wage had increased at the same rate as the wages of corporate executives over the past 40 years, it would be over $30 an hour rather than the current $7.25 hourly rate. Across the Mississippi River, our neighbors in Minnesota are taking the lead and recently announced a plan to raise their minimum wage to $9.50 an hour. Illinois and Michigan have already acted to increase their minimum wages, but Wisconsin families are being left behind. By increasing our state’s minimum wage we can grow the middle class, lift thousands of working families off public assistance programs and provide the spark that is needed to jump-start our sluggish economy. Men and women across Wisconsin deserve to be treated fairly and compensated for their hard work. In order to strengthen our families and communities, we need to stand up for workers and address the growing income inequality gap before it is too late. |
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| Passage of Bills to Improve Workforce Development, Health Care Access, and Rural Transportation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| On the final session day of the 2013-14
floor period, the Senate passed over 50 legislative proposals
including several I co-authored. Many of the bills approved by
the Senate will directly benefit families in western Wisconsin
and were passed with strong bipartisan support. Assembly Bill 226 (AB 226), also known as the “Workforce Advancement Training (WAT) Grant” bill, was among the proposals passed on April 1st. This legislation to support job training and business development was introduced by Rep. Steve Doyle (D-Onalaska) and myself. As we continue to look for ways to boost our state’s economy and accelerate workforce development efforts, the WAT Grant bill will give our Technical College System more flexibility to respond to changes in the local economy. This legislation will enable both emerging and existing companies to diversify their operations and compete in new markets. In addition to AB 226, the Senate also approved final passage of the “Cancer Treatment Fairness Act” (Senate Bill 300) and the “Implements of Husbandry” bill (Senate Bill 509). The Cancer Treatment Fairness Act will improve treatment options for cancer patients by ensuring parity for insurance coverage of oral chemotherapy medication. The Implements of Husbandry legislation will allow farmers to legally operate oversized equipment on Wisconsin’s roads while providing modern standards for public safety. While there have been many disagreements on policy issues over the past year, I am glad we were able to find bipartisan support for these important bills in the final days of session. The Cancer Treatment Fairness Act will help lower health care costs for cancer patients and provide families with access to the most effective treatment options. Additionally, the Implements of Husbandry bill will update our transportation laws to accommodate modern agricultural equipment and make roads safer for both farmers and motorists. |
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| Holmen High School Iron Chef Competition | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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This past week I had the
honor of serving as a judge for the 2nd Annual Holmen High
School Iron Chef Competition. The event promotes healthy, local
food and is coordinated by Mike Gasper, the school nutrition
director for Holmen School District; Sarah Halverson, F.C.C.L.A.
advisor and instructor for Holmen School District; and Maggie
Smith, Coulee Region Farm2School coordinator. |
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| 2014 Government Leadership Award | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The 2014 Rehabilitation for
Wisconsin/Wisconsin Rehabilitation Association Government
Leadership Award will be presented to Senator Jennifer Shilling
(D-La Crosse) at the Rehabilitation and Transition Conference in
Green Bay, Wisconsin on May 1, 2014. “Empowering individuals with special needs to identify their unique abilities and maximize their potential continues to be a priority for me as a state senator,” said Sen. Shilling. “Strengthening job training and employment assistance services for people with disabilities is a smart investment for taxpayers, workers, and businesses. I am honored to receive this award, and I remain committed to helping our friends and neighbors with disabilities secure quality, long-term employment.” Each year, Rehabilitation for Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Rehabilitation Association solicit nominations for this prestigious award. Decisions about who will receive the award are made based on the nominee’s contributions to legislation, policies, and/or practices affecting people with disabilities. Past winners of the award include Representative Peter Barca, Representative Pat Strachota, Wisconsin Department of Health Services Secretary, Kitty Rhoades, and Senator Kathleen Vinehout. “We nominated Senator Shilling for her ongoing commitment to advocating for individuals with disabilities in Wisconsin, and for her recent legislative success in strengthening job training through increased funding to the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation,” said Mary Kessens, Riverfront, Inc. President and CEO. The legislation, co-authored by Senator Shilling and Representative Katrina Shankland, increases federal funding for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), which operates under the Department of Workforce Development. Access to employment services and counseling provided by the DVR allows people with disabilities to secure employment and increase self-sufficiency. The passage of this legislation, known as 2013 Wisconsin Act 58, will expand access to employment for individuals with disabilities by significantly reducing waiting lists at the DVR. |
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| Public Meeting to Discuss Updating the Lower Wisconsin Riverway Master Plan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Department of Natural Resources (DNR),
with the assistance of Tower Hill State Park, is starting the
process to review and update the 25 year-old master plan for the
Lower Wisconsin State Riverway. To get the public involved in
the process, the DNR is holding two public meetings to discuss
the initial phases of the project and to share information about
the planning process and to see what the public would like to
see included in the project. The meetings will take place on
April 22 in Sauk City and April 23 in Boscobel from 4 to
7:30pm, with a short presentation at 6:30pm in each meeting. If you cannot make the meeting, you are allowed to submit comments to the DNR by mail or email until July 31, 2014, as that is when the comment period for the beginning phase of planning ends. The Lower Wisconsin State Riverway is a 92-mile passageway stretching from Prairie du Sac to the Mississippi River, and is one of the longest remaining stretches of free-flowing river in the Midwest. More information on the State Riverway can be found here, and information on the planning process and Public Involvement Plan can be found here. Meeting Information: Tuesday, April 22nd, Sauk City - 4-7:30pm Sauk City Public Library 515 Water Street, Sauk City, WI Wednesday, April 23rd, Boscobel - 4-7:30pm Tuffley Community Center 104 E. Oak Street, Boscobel, WI |
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| 2014 Fish and Wildlife Spring Meetings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| On Monday April 14th, the Department of
Natural Resources (DNR) and the Conservation Congress will be
hosting 72 public hearings in each Wisconsin county, starting at
7pm for people interested in an opportunity to provide their
input on proposed hunting and fishing rule changes and advisory
questions. These meetings will be combined with county DNR
meetings where attendees can introduce and vote on solutions to
natural resources related issues. The spring meetings will cover three major areas; proposed wildlife and fisheries rule changes, election for county Conservation Congress delegates, and Conservation Congress proposals for future rule changes. This year, there is only one rule change to allow trolling statewide. Additionally, DNR wildlife staff will be available to provide information and answer questions regarding the implementation of new deer hunting rules and how they will affect hunting in 2014. If you would like to attend one of these county meetings, the locations are listed below. Meetings will occur at 7pm on Monday, April 14th. Crawford County: Prairie du Chien High School (800 E. Crawford Street) La Crosse County: Onalaska High School Performing Arts Center (700 Hilltopper Place) Monroe County: Meadowview School Cafetorium (1225 N. Water Street) Vernon County: Viroqua High School Commons (100 Blackhawk Drive) |
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| Unclaimed Property Program | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Unclaimed property is a financial asset
that hasn't had owner activity for over a year or more. This
includes assets like checking and savings accounts, stocks,
refunds, customer deposits or overpayments, credit balances,
matured life insurance policies and uncashed death benefit
checks. Property becomes unclaimed when there isn't owner
activity with the account for five years, and when the holder
(bank, credit union, insurance company, etc.) is not able to
contact the owner. The Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR)
then serves as a custodian of the property indefinitely. With
the Wisconsin Unclaimed Property Program, you are able to check
if you have any unclaimed property online, see the value of it,
and there is also information on the next steps to take to claim
the property. You can check
here to
see if you have unclaimed property in Wisconsin. To avoid having unclaimed property, make sure to: 1. Update addresses when you move with every agency that holds onto your property 2. Promptly cash refunds, rebate and dividend checks 3. Respond to stock shareholder service requests 4. Resolve insurance claims in full 5. Identify co-owners or beneficiaries of accounts 6. Use store or vendors credits within a year 7. Update accounts following marriage, divorce, death of a spouse or name change 8. Inventory type and location of finances and provide to trusted friend, family or advisor. If you have further questions, you can call the Wisconsin DOT at 608-267-7977 or email them with questions here. |
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| Reduce, Reuse, Recycle with Spring Sports | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 With
spring sports starting up for the season, there are a lot of
opportunities to reduce, reuse and recycle this spring. When
buying a new pair of shoes, most of the packaging equipment that
comes with shoes is recyclable, including plastic film, hard
plastic and cardboard packaging. There are also great recycling
programs for old shoes like
Shoebox Recycling
and
Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe. Shoebox sends your shoes to people in
needs and Nike transforms shoes into scraps that are used to
produce high quality sports surfaces like turf fields and
tracks. A way to save money is by purchasing sports equipment
from sports resale shops, or by using hand-me-downs from older
siblings, cousins, friends, etc. In addition, old bikes and
skateboards can be recycled or scrapped for parts at a local
bike or resale store.Food and drink consumption at games is also a good way to recycle. Make sure fields and sport complexes have recycling and trash bins so you can recycle plastic drink bottles and aluminum cans after games. Fueling up on snacks like apples and oranges are also good because the cores, peels and rinds are completely biodegradable, and can be composted. To learn more about recycling with spring sports, click here. |
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| Keep Wildlife Wild Initiative | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) recently launched an initiative to help citizens understand
how to best help injured wildlife. This initiative also regards
keeping wild animals as pets. The DNR wants to promote keeping a
wild animal in its natural world, and if you see an injured
animal, call a
licensed wildlife rehabilitator or the DNR for help.
While most attempts to help injured animals are
well-intentioned, separating an animal from its environment can
cause physical or mental harm, or break up a wildlife family,
putting other animals at risk as well. The Keep Wildlife Wild
initiative was created to prevent unfortunate situations that
result in unintended consequences to the wild animals or people
trying to assist it. To learn more about the Keep Wildlife Wild initiative, click here. |
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| Calendar of Events | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| State Legislation Update | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Signed into Law: AB-24. The method of recounting votes cast with automatic tabulating equipment. ACT 176. AB-202. Certification of elections observers. ACT 177 AB-419. Counting votes for write-in candidates. ACT 178 SB-262. Labeling of duplicate ballots. ACT 179 SB-264. Securing the ballot container. ACT 180 SB-265. Party representation for elections officials serving at polling places. ACT 181 SB-267. Recording the type of identifying document provided by an elector as proof of residence. ACT 182 SB-252. Authorizes a city or village to require the Department of Revenue to redetermine the value of the tax incremental base of certain tax incremental districts. ACT 183. SB-449. Authorizing the transfer of certain tax credits earned in connection with economic development in this state. ACT 184 SB-348. The sales and use tax exemption for aircraft parts, maintenance, and labor. ACT 185 SB-300. Co-payments, deductibles, or coinsurance for oral chemotherapy and injected or intravenous chemotherapy. ACT 186 AB-733. An addition to the 2013-15 Authorized State Building Program. ACT 187 AB-244. Special distinguishing registration plates displaying the words In God We Trust. ACT 188 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. ACT 189 AB-805. Nonprofit organization grant program administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs; grant reduction, suspension, or termination and record-keeping and audit requirements for various grant programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. ACT 190 SB-330. Purchase of military service under the Wisconsin Retirement System. ACT 191 SB-370. State procurement and construction contracts with disabled veterans-owned businesses. ACT 192 SB-338. Expanding the authority of towns to create tax incremental financing districts. ACT 193 AB-447. Granting immunity for certain criminal prosecutions for offenses relating to a controlled substance or a controlled substance analog. ACT 194 AB-701. Opiod treatment programs. ACT 195 AB-702. Development of a system of short-term sanctions for individuals who violate conditions of extended supervision, parole, probation, or a deferred prosecution agreement. ACT 196 AB-668. Providing grants to counties that offer substance abuse treatment and diversion from incarceration. ACT 197 AB-448. Programs for the disposal of drugs, including controlled substances, and certain medical or drug-related items, and the regulation of prescription drugs. ACT 198 AB-445. Identification presentation and monitoring for certain prescription drugs. ACT 199 AB-446. Training and agreements for administering the drug naloxone, requiring emergency medical technicians to carry naloxone, and immunity for certain individuals who administer naloxone. ACT 200 AB-641. Stalking and sexual offenses under the code of military justice. ACT 201 SB-527. Liability and immunity of sport shooting ranges. ACT 202 SB-565. Milwaukee County mental health functions, programs, and services, creation of the Milwaukee County Mental Health Board. ACT 203 SB-500. Motor vehicle fuel tax exemption certificates. ACT 204 SB-237. Requirements concerning barbering and cosmetology licensure. ACT 205 AB-290. An expenditure of $90,000 from the general fund for payment of a claim against the state made by Robert Lee Stinson. ACT 206 SB-631. Base pay paid to a former district attorney appointed to an assistant district attorney position. ACT 207 SB-223. Employer access to, and observation of, the personal Internet accounts of employees and applicants for employment; educational institution access to, and observation f, the personal Internet accounts of students and prospective students; landlord access to, and observation of, the personal Internet accounts of tenants and prospective tenants. ACT 208 SB-68. Termination of maintenance upon the payee’s or payer’s death and notices relating to maintenance. ACT 209 AB-669. Rule-making procedures and practice standards for certified public accountants. ACT 210 SB-458. Standards for admission into a course offered by a school district of a pupil enrolled in a home-based private educational program. ACT 211 SB-576. The sale of limited lines travel insurance. ACT 212 SB-196. Restricting use of drones. ACT 213 SB-373. Law enforcement standards. ACT 214 SB-433. Prohibiting municipalities from providing alcohol beverages retailers with identification scanners. ACT 215 SB-501. Agricultural emergency permits issued by the DOT for vehicles transporting oversize loads. ACT 216 SB-574. Energy emergencies and vehicle weight limits. ACT 217 SB-256. Violation of motor vehicle salvage dealer licensing requirements and providing a penalty. ACT 218 AB-799. Pedestrians crossing railroad tracks and penalties for violations relating to railroad crossings. ACT 219 AB-284. The length limit for certain vehicle combinations operated on the highway without a permit. ACT 220 SB-630. The display of historical registration plates on collector vehicles. ACT 221 AB-598. Changing the method for charging interest that may be charged on special assessments and changing the interest rate paid on claims for certain unlawfully assessed property taxes and creating an exception for local levy limits. ACT 222 AB-727. 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. ACT 223 AB-180. Penalties and testing for operating-while-intoxicated offenses. ACT 224 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. ACT 225 SB-245. Applications for public assistance programs, offenses in public assistance programs. ACT 226 SB-389. Indexing for inflation of, and making other changes to, the college savings plan income tax deduction. ACT 227 SB-414. Objecting to property tax assessments. ACT 228 AB-644. Sales tax bad debt return adjustments for private label credit card bad debt. ACT 229 SB-524. Portable electronics insurance. ACT 230 AB-258. Maintenance and removal of vegetation obstructing the view of outdoor advertising signs along highways under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation. ACT 231 AB-368. Purchases or transfers of rifles or shotguns in other states. ACT 232 AB-670. The registration of antique snowmobiles. ACT 233 SB-155. The prohibition on telephone solicitations to residential customers. ACT 234 AB-500. Emergency detention pilot program in Milwaukee County. ACT 235 SB-560. Regulation of hospitals. ACT 236 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. ACT 237 AB-453. Uses and disclosures of protected health information. ACT 238 SB-375. The use of an epinephrine auto-injector on school premises or at a school-sponsored activity. ACT 239 SB-579. Licensure of physicians. ACT 240 SB-391. Allowing health care providers licensed outside the state to participate in and requirement on nonprofit agencies in the volunteer health care provider program. ACT 241 AB-120. Inadmissibility of a statement of apology or condolence by a health care provider. ACT 242 SB-367. Distributing a sexually explicit image without consent. ACT 243 SB-573. Regulation of mobile dentistry. ACT 244 AB-485. The sales of eggs. ACT 245 AB-32. Intoxicated Driver Program (Joint Legislative Council) Tribal treatment facility participation in the intoxicated driver program. ACT 246 AB-592. Solicitation of a fee be a business or an individual for a public record, granting rule-making authority. ACT 247 AB-596. Renewable resource credits, removal of certain natural gas service laterals, natural gas public utility service in municipalities, and granting rule-making authority. ACT 248 SB-452. Creating an exemption to the prohibition against underage persons entering or being on premises operating under a retail alcohol beverage license. ACT 249 SB-453. The furnishing of intoxicating liquor taste samples at certain retail trade association events. ACT 250 AB-456. Reporting on county performance on providing core mental health services and requiring the exercise of rule-making authority. ACT 251 SB-561. The disclosure of juvenile court records to, and admission to juvenile court hearings of, an entity engaged in the bona fide research, monitoring, or evaluation of activities conducted under a federal court improvement grant. ACT 252 AB-388. Traffic violations resulting in harm to vulnerable highway users, driver education instruction. ACT 253 AB-274. Aiding a felon. ACT 254 SB-271. Substitute special education teachers and paraprofessional staffing services ACT 255 SB-286. The student information system, a school and school district accountability system low-performing schools and school districts, and charter school contracts. ACT 256 SB-589. Number of school days and hours of instruction held in a school year and state aid for summer classes. ACT 257 SB-598. Utilizing an alternative process for educator effectiveness. ACT 258 SB-457. Cooperation of Wisconsin licensed real estate brokers with out-of-state real estate brokers, salespersons, and time-share salespersons, powers of out-of-state brokers, requiring the exercise of rule-making authority. ACT 259 AB-675. Evaluation of infants for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and referral of infants who have that condition for services and treatment. ACT 260 AB-676. Prohibiting the disclosure of a determination that a person has abused or neglected a child for purposes of a caregiver background check when that abuse or neglect has not been substantiated. ACT 261 SB-226. Seizure of property used in the crime of child enticement. ACT 262 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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