Mining Bill Moves Forward

This past Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Workforce Development, Forestry, Mining and, Revenue & the Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economy and Mining voted to pass Assembly Bill (AB) 1 & Senate Bill (SB) 1, widely known as the Mining Bill.

Both versions of the Mining Bill were passed out of their respective committees with eleven amendments. A majority of the amendments were supported in a bipartisan fashion and addressed environmental concerns that arose during the Public Hearing the committees held on the legislation.

The Mining Bill has now been referred to the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee, where the merits of the legislations fiscal impact will be discussed. I expect and am looking forward to having the bill come before the full Senate for final consideration as early as the first week in March.
 

Ellen Nowak Confirmed as PSC Commissioner

Ellen Nowak, the former Chief of Staff to Waukesha County Executive Dan Vrakas, was appointed by Governor Walker to a full term as a Commissioner to the Public Service Commission. Since July of 2011, Ellen has been serving the PSC as Commissioner after the resignation of former Commissioner Lauren Azar.

Since joining the PSC, Commissioner Nowak has had the responsibility of managing the regulations of Wisconsin’s public utilities, including electric, natural gas, water, combined water and sewer utilities and aspects of local telephone service.

As the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Government Operations, Public Works, and Telecommunications, I was pleased to provide Commissioner Nowak with unanimous support in my committee on her way to receiving bipartisan support for her confirmation in the full Senate.

Congratulations to Ellen!  We're very proud of her and know that she will continue to do an excellent job for the citizens of Wisconsin.
 

Local Company Supports Our Troops

Back in December, I had the privilege to attend a very moving and inspiring event put on by Hunzinger Construction Company of Brookfield.

During the Holiday Season, Hunzinger along with the generosity of others throughout the community, put together care packages for our men and women in the United States Armed Forces. I was recently informed of the totals of their shipments and was touched by the outpouring of support their annual Christmas shipments had received.

Because of the generosity of so many, Hunzinger was able to send out 250 care packages, weighing a total of 6,378.7 pounds, to 34 different military stations across Afghanistan. Each care package included food items, toiletries, and letters to boost their spirits during the Holiday Season.

The next shipment to our brave members of the military is set for March 8th to show support during the Easter holiday. If you would like to contribute, please feel free to contact my office and my staff will provide further information.
 

TeenPact Visits the Wisconsin State Capitol

Each year TeenPact, a group of home school children come to the State Capitol for a week long hands-on experience to learn about the legislative process. I once again had the honor to be one of their two sponsors.

TeenPact is a dynamic, hands-on leadership school for Christian students. Their mission is to train students to understand the political process, value their liberty, defend their Christian faith and engage the culture at a time in their lives when, typically, they are focused on other matters.

As a sponsor, I spoke to them about the “hot button” issues facing our state, about how I became interested in the political process, and about how young people can play a role in our government.

These were remarkable students and I am very proud of the work they have done.  I know that they all have bright futures in store for them.

Senator Farrow takes questions from members of TeenPact
 

Meet My Senate Staff

Andrew Gustafson – Chief of Staff
Gustafson returns to the Senate after a four year stint in the Assembly, having served as Chief of Staff to then Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald. Born and raised in Green Bay, Andrew graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and is happily married with two young daughters.

Scott Rausch – Committee Clerk & Communications Director
Rausch begins his service to the State Senate as the Clerk to the Senate Committee on Government Operations, Public Works, and Telecommunications, and also serves as Communications Director for the office. He brings ten years of experience working in the political/public sector, with eight years of service to the Wisconsin State Assembly and two years as a Congressional Aide. Scott received his undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin – Parkside.

Deej Lundgren – Policy Advisor
Lundgren serves as my Policy Advisor. He brings experience from the private sector, non-profit sector and various levels of government to the office. He received his undergraduate from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He currently lives in the Madison area, where he resides with his wife and two boys.

Jake Margis – Legislative Aide
Margis was raised in the 33rd Senate District and serves the office as a Legislative Aide. He comes to the office from the Waukesha Victory Center. Jake earned his Political Science degree from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. He still resides in the district and looks forward to his future plans of running his own small business or perhaps running for office one day.

Jenna Zantow – Scheduler & Legislative Assistant
Zantow wears a variety of hats in the office including policy work, scheduling, and helping the office run smoothly. Jenna has previously held a variety of roles in state government. She currently attends Edgewood College where she expects to earn her degree in Political Science at the end of May. Jenna hopes to continue her work with the State Legislature after her graduation.

Dan Baker – Legislative Intern
Dan is also a 33rd Senate District native, who is originally from Sussex. He is currently in his freshman year at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where he is studying Political Science and Strategic Communications. Dan will be serving as my office’s intern for the remainder of his Spring Semester.

TeenPact 2013 in the Rotunda of the State Capitol

Please feel free to contact my office with any thoughts or questions you may have. It is a pleasure serving you in the State Senate.