Robert Cowles
Serving Wisconsin's 2nd Senate District
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Community Events |
One of my favorite parts of being your State Senator
is getting to meet constituents out in the community at
some of our great local events.
The 2nd Senate District is also home to many great
events and attractions. Whether you're a visitor or a
life-long resident, you will not run out of things to do
and see in Northeast Wisconsin.
To find an event or attraction in your area, visit the
Greater Green Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau,
the Fox Valley
Convention and Visitors Bureau, the
Shawano
County Chamber of Commerce, or the
Clintonville
Area Chamber of Commerce. To find more public
events, visit the community calendars on
WLUK
News and the
Appleton
Post-Crescent.
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Quick Fact |
Did you know that the three most recent MVPs in
Wisconsin, Rodgers, Yelich, and Giannis, all celebrate
their birthdays during the first week of December?
Earlier this year, I authored a bipartisan Joint
Resolution to honor our history of professional sports
excellence with 22 MVP awards won by athletes on
Wisconsin teams and recognize the recent success of
professional athletes in Wisconsin.
Learn more about this Joint Resolution which declares
the first week of December 2019 as MVP Week in Wisconsin
by reading
this Green Bay Press-Gazette article or by viewing
Senate Joint Resolution 55.
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Helpful Links |
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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
As tens of thousands of Wisconsinites come out of the
woods, begin thawing themselves out, and pack away the
blaze orange for another 355 days, hopefully many of the
residents in the 2nd Senate District didn’t find
themselves skunked during this deer hunting season.
Whether you’ve been in the woods with friends, around
the table with family, or both, hopefully this email
finds you coming off a good Thanksgiving holiday.
Recapping the past few weeks of action in the State
Capitol and around the district, in this e-newsletter,
you’ll find information on:
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Dozens of bills signed into law
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Parks Revitalization Act 2.0 passes the Senate
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Environmental Trust Financing used for the first
time
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Audit of Fast Forward program released
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TAD gets a boost in Northeast Wisconsin
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CNA Shortage Relief Legislation vetoed
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Recent events I've attended around the district
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And more
As always, feel free to
contact my office with any questions or concerns you
may have, and be sure to visit
my website and connect with me on
Facebook,
Twitter, and
Instagram for more regular updates from around the
2nd Senate District and in the State Capitol.
Thanks for reading!
Senator Robert Cowles Proudly Serving Wisconsin's
2nd Senate District
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Dozens of Bills Signed into Law |
A number of efforts I’ve co-sponsored were signed into
law in November. Some of these bills include:
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Senate Bill 380, now Act 56, opens the door for
modern health technologies like telehealth to
Medicaid recipients. These services increase the
ease of seeking care and provides more options for
some patients. This bill was authored by Senator
Kooyenga (R- Brookfield) and Representative
Loudenbeck (R-Clinton).
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Assembly Bill 22, now 2019 Wisconsin Act 27,
will ensure truck drivers can spot the warning signs
of human trafficking when they stop at truck stops
in Wisconsin and beyond. This bill was authored by
Representative Thiesfeldt (R-Fond du Lac) and
Senator Johnson (D-Milwaukee).
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Assembly Bill 195, now Act 43, makes it easier
for qualified educators to take advantage of
teaching license reciprocity in Wisconsin and may
encourage more educators to move and call Wisconsin
home. This bill was authored by Representative
Tranel (R-Cuba City) and Senator Marklein (R-Spring
Green).
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Assembly Bill 38, now Act 36, removes a barrier
towards public-private partnerships that can help to
advance more research within the UW-System while
still maintaining a safeguard against conflicts.
This bill was authored by Representative Murphy
(R-Greenville) and Senator Feyen (R-Fond du Lac).
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Senate Bill 142, now Act 47, prohibits the
UW-System and technical schools from penalizing
veteran students with late fees if their federal
tuition benefits aren’t paid in-time. This bill was
authored by Senator Kooyenga (R- Brookfield) and
Representative James (R-Altoona).
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Senate Bill 188,
now Act 68, allows more Wisconsin farmers to
consider hemp for a possible source of revenue by
making Wisconsin’s pilot program on hemp permanent
following federal law changes. This bill was
authored by Senator Testin (R-Stevens Point) and
Representative Kurtz (R-Wonewoc).
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Assembly Bill 193, now Act 42, allows
municipalities to utilize biennial budgeting,
similar to the state government, to help reduce the
administrative burden on municipal officials and
increase the stability in local government finances.
This bill was authored by Representative Gundrum
(R-Slinger) and Senator Kooyenga (R-Brookfield).
In addition to all of the bills above,
2019 Senate Bill 169 is now law! The new procedures for
wetland banks in this legislation helps to ensure that
mitigation happens closer to the site of the impacted
wetland and will make it more financially viable to
build banks in urban areas where they’re needed most.
These reasonable changes will provide more groundwater
recharge, improve water quality, store floodwater, and
build critical habitat for waterfowl and other species.
I was happy to co-author 2019 Wisconsin Act 59 with
Senators Wanggaard (R-Racine) and Wirch (D-Somers) and
Representatives Tusler (R-Harrison) and Ohnstad
(D-Kenosha). Read more about this legislation and how it
will benefit a local wetland bank that’s currently in
development on
the Press Times’ website.
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Parks Revitalization Act 2.0
Passes the Senate |
In November, the State Senate was in-session to
consider a number of proposals. The agenda included
2019 Senate Bill 125, named the Parks
Revitalization Act 2.0 which I authored with
Representatives Rob Summerfield (R-Bloomer) and Joel
Kitchens (R-Sturgeon Bay), which passed by a vote of
33-0.
To help preserve our state’s outdoor recreation
industry, we not only need to attract new visitors,
but we need to keep visitors coming back. Most
visitors will never notice that the drinking
fountains, shower facilities, or vault toilets are
up-to-date. But if that water infrastructure is run
down or out-of-service, it will impact the visitor’s
experience in our State Parks and may impact their
plans to come back or visit other State Parks in the
future.
The water facility and infrastructure upgrades that
would be completed under the Parks Revitalization
Act 2.0 will help to improve visitor experience,
promote parks-based tourism, and protect the health
and safety of millions of State Park visitors for
decades to come. Not only will this bill help to
ensure the delivery of clean water to visitors in
State Parks, but by replacing some dilapidated
outhouse facilities, we can help to prevent septic
waste from contaminating ground and surface water
near facilities.
Senate Bill 125 allows the DNR to spend up to $5.2
million in authorized, but unobligated Stewardship
funds from prior fiscal years on critical health and
safety and high priority water infrastructure
projects in highly-visited Wisconsin State Parks and
Forests. This legislation builds on progress from
last session’s
2017 Wisconsin Act 71 which provided $4.5
million from a similar funding stream, but
recognizes that more work needs to be done to clear
the backlog in State Parks’ water infrastructure.
The Parks Revitalization Act 2.0 now requires
approval by the full Assembly after already being
unanimously recommended for passage by the Assembly
Committee on Forestry, Parks and Outdoor Recreation.
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Environmental Trust Financing Used for the First Time |
Recently, the state Public Service Commission (PSC)
unanimously approved settlement agreements between
utility ratepayers and WEC Energy Group, the parent
company of We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service.
The agreement for the first time utilizes a
mechanism known as Environmental Trust
Financing; a unique structure which was
created by legislation I authored with former
Representative Scott Jensen (R-Waukesha).
This settlement represents a victory for both
utility ratepayers and energy producers. Utilizing
Environmental Trust Financing has set-up the
framework to retire more aging utility liabilities
without overburdening ratepayers. I applaud this
balanced approach and I hope that this sets a path
for even more economically-friendly and sustainable
planning by utility companies.
The settlement refinances about $100 million of the
remaining cost associated with the Pleasant Prairie
coal-fired plant that’s slated to close before its
usable lifespan expires. By refinancing this
investment, the potential impact to utility
ratepayers is mitigated by tens of millions of
dollars through a bond with lower financing costs
than conventional financing methods. The power that
was generated at the former coal plant will be
replaced with energy that’s generated through other
methods.
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Audit of Fast Forward Program Released |
The nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB)
recently released an audit of the Fast Forward
Program (Report
19-24), Wisconsin’s workforce training grant
program administered by the Department of Workforce
Development (DWD). As a result of 209 grants, 9,451
individuals completed program training, were counted
as program successes, and received an average wage
increase of $1.85 per hour. These individuals
represented 52.9% of the 17,881 individuals whom
grant recipients were contractually required to
train.
LAB found that DWD did not attempt to verify the
accuracy of the information grant recipients’
submitted. LAB recommended that DWD make
improvements, take additional actions to assess
program results, and use the assessment results when
awarding future program grants.
LAB also reviewed DWD’s files for 242 grants
totaling $57.0 million. LAB found that DWD did not
consistently comply with statutes and administrative
rules when awarding grants, require recipients to
repay grant funds for not meeting contractually
specified results, or provide sufficient management
and oversight of all contracts. LAB made
recommendations for DWD to improve program
administration.
It is critical to accurately verify the results of
our workforce training and economic development
programs to ensure that our state’s investment is
being realized, which is why I requested this audit. Utilizing data that is already
collected by this Department to verify the results
of the grant awards is a ‘no-brainer’ and should
have been implemented from the beginning. DWD should
be working to incorporate the audit’s
recommendations to help improve the administration
of this program moving forward.
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TAD Gets a Boost in Northeast Wisconsin |
On Monday, November 18th, the state Department of
Justice announced the release of this year’s Treatment
and Diversion (TAD) grants. Included among the
recipients was Shawano County which received $107,000 to
support a newly established adult drug court. Shawano
County now joins existing programs that are operating
in-part as a result of state funding in Brown,
Outagamie, and Waupaca Counties.
I’ve attended a number of graduations from the Brown
County drug courts which has caused me to become a
supporter of the treatment and diversion model for
nonviolent drug offenders. By using diversion methods
and rehabilitation, we’re reducing recidivism and saving
taxpayer funds while improving our communities. This is
truly a win-win scenario, and I was proud to support the
state’s continued investment in TAD programs when I
voted for the 2019-2021 State Budget.
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CNA Shortage Relief Legislation Vetoed |
It’s unfortunate that Governor Evers recently chose to
veto the bipartisan CNA Shortage Relief Legislation. At
a time in our state when nursing homes and home health
agencies are being forced to turn away residents due to
a lack of staffing necessary to provide care, this
legislation is needed more than ever as a partial
solution to the CNA shortage; especially in our rural
and northern communities.
2019 Assembly Bill 76, which I authored with
Representative Warren Petryk (R-Eleva), aligns the
required hours of instructional programs to train
certified nursing assistants (CNA) with federal training
requirements and the requirements in surrounding states
like Minnesota. This bill, which changes training hours, but not
standards, was passed with bipartisan support in both
houses of the Legislature and received bipartisan
co-sponsorship.
This very reasonable legislation is a small change to
help students become the caretakers that the residents
of these facilities deserve sooner while still ensuring
a credible licensure process. Assembly Bill 76, in
addition to earning bipartisan support, had the support
of a wide variety of organizations including LeadingAge
Wisconsin, The Mayo Clinic Health System, Outagamie and
Washington Counties, Disability Service Provider
Network, Americans For Prosperity, Home Care Association
of America, and more.
During the same week that Governor Evers vetoed Assembly
Bill 76, he also vetoed three other proposals that
received bipartisan support in both houses of the
Legislature.
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Recent Events Attended |
I have the opportunity to attend a number of community
events each week. These events are central in my role as
an elected official as they allow me to stay up-to-date
on the latest news from businesses, non-profits, and
local governments. I also get to welcome dozens of
residents from Northeast Wisconsin into the Capitol each
week as they come to my office to talk about the issues
important to them in their professional and personal
life. Here is just a sampling of some of the events I’ve
recently attended around the district and meetings I’ve
had in the Capitol:
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In advance of the recent Startup Week, I attended
the kickoff for Startup Green Bay at the Urban Hub.
Startups account for 65% of new job growth and
provide unique opportunities for professionals and
community members to become engaged in economic
growth. Startup Green Bay will ensure that Northeast
Wisconsin doesn’t fall behind on this important
innovation trend. Learn more about this event on
WLUK’s website.
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Trout are not only a vital part of our ecology, but
they play a huge role in our economy as well. I’ve
been a long-time supporter of Trout Unlimited, a
nonprofit focused around trout and trout habitat
conservation, and I recently attended one of their
monthly meetings in Green Bay.
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Veterans deserve our respect and gratitude every
day, but on Veterans Day, we make sure that we
express that gratitude to the veterans in our lives
and in our communities. Over Veterans Day Weekend, I
attended a half-dozen events focused around
veterans, including one at St. Paul Elder Services
in Kaukauna (pictured below).
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I was invited to speak to and had the opportunity to
engage with members of the Rotary Club of Shawano on
November 25th at the Daily Grind. We discussed a
number of the issues important to them, including
water quality, our agricultural economy, and Shawano
Lake.
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The badger state has a lot to offer for consumers
with all types of different tastes. Perhaps there
was no place that this was more evident than at the
30th Annual CP Auction, HOMEGROWN, which I recently
attended in the Green Bay area.
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There’s a lot of musical talent among the region’s
youth and young adults. Some of the best of this
talent was recently on-stage for Talent Jam at the
Meyer Theatre on November 23rd, and I had a chance
to sit in the audience and listen to these musicians
perform songs they wrote or provide their take on a
timeless classic.
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One of the most important things I do as a State
Senator is engage with local government officials. I
recently attended a H2ALOS meeting consisting of
local government leaders from Hobart, Howard,
Allouez, Ashwaubenon, Lawrence, Oneida, and Suamico
to discuss some of the issues important to them and
the area’s residents.
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In Other News... |
Here are some other stories I wanted to share with
you:
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If you’re in the holiday spirit, perhaps there’s no
better place to enjoy a festive atmosphere than at
WPS’s Garden of Lights at the Green Bay Botanical
Garden. Once again, the crew at the Botanical
Garden, led by Executive Director Susan Garett, has
done an amazing job putting together an
awe-inspiring show. The
Green Bay Press-Gazette offered a sneak-peak of
the lightshow, but be sure to check it out for yourself
before the seasons over.
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Congratulations to Mandy and Jeremy Van Schyndel of
Kaukauna on
being recognized with the Outstanding Adoptive
Parent Award during a recent ceremony in the State
Capitol!
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If you haven’t noticed yet, the season of Jack Frost
is here. Residents who may dread this time of year
because they’re uncertain how they’ll pay for their
heating bill should check out
the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program for
seasonal energy assistance information.
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