Robert Cowles

Serving Wisconsin's 2nd Senate District

Quick Fact

Did you know December 30th was National Bacon Day? Some of the best bacon in the U.S. comes right from the 2nd Senate District. Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats in Wittenberg has been in operation since 1933, and the original smokehouse is still standing in front of their store. In addition to Nueske’s, many other great artisan meat shops exist in Northeastern Wisconsin, including Maplewood Meats in Howard which was established in 1983.

Helpful Links

Looking Back at 2017 and Welcoming 2018

Happy New Year! To start the first Updates from the State Senate E-Newsletter of 2018, we’re going to look back on some of the highlights from 2017 by the numbers.

• 6 Bills I’ve Authored Were Signed into Law, including my efforts to combat credit card skimmers in Wisconsin, assist homeowners in replacing contaminated wells and failing septic tanks, reforming regulations for redeveloping blighted lands, and replacing failing water infrastructure in State Parks.

• 21 Bills I’ve Authored Were Introduced, including my efforts to remove lead drinking water pipes from our communities, put more accountability on the Department of Transportation, combat child neglect and the exposure of children to drug endangered environments, transition veterans from military service into the civilian workforce, and save our pets in emergency situations.

• 22 Audits Were Released, including evaluations by the Audit Bureau of the State Highway Program, Veterans Home at King, and Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. These audits serve as key tools towards ensuring accountability. As Co-Chair of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee which oversees the Audit Bureau and orders evaluations, I believe that requesting, understanding and following-up on these audits are one of my most important roles as a legislator.

• Hundreds of Community Events Attended and Meetings Held both in the district and in Madison. These events and meetings help my staff and I keep a barometer on the latest developments in the district and the issues important to constituents and residents of Northeast Wisconsin.

Progress on Bills I'm Co-Sponsoring

Several bills I’m co-sponsoring have seen progress in recent weeks. Learn more about these bills below:

• Assembly Bill 205, now Act 132, was signed into law in December. This legislation enacts fiscal prudence on state leases by requiring the Department of Administration to conduct a cost-benefit analysis comparing the proposed lease to the purchase of a suitable space. It also requires that it must evaluate comparable lease options to ensure that the proposed lease rates do not exceed rates on comparable properties. This accountability measure ensures that these lease deals, which often cost tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars, do not waste the taxpayer’s money.

• Senate Bill 417, now Act 135, was also signed into law in December. This legislation enters Wisconsin into the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC). Our entrance into the eNLC ensures that our nurses can continuing practicing across state lines in the 20+ states participating in the eNLC. This bill will also help expand the career options for Wisconsin’s nurses. Learn more about this bill on the LaCrosse Tribune’s website at this link.

• Assembly Bill 565, which removes a section from state statute allowing a fee of up to $10 for requesting a credit freeze, had a public hearing in December with no one speaking against the bill. This legislation is in response to the Equifax breach when many Wisconsin consumers learned that Equifax and other credit reporting companies could charge a fee to stop collecting your financial data. This bill by Senator Testin and Representative Ott removes a barrier on consumer protection.

• I’ve also signed on to two notable bills recently, including Assembly Bill 758 which is a bipartisan proposal to make it easier for the UW to contract with businesses and nonprofits for research contracts, and LRB 5027 which encourages people with disabilities to receive the training they need to enter the workforce. Both of these proposals are early in the legislative process, and have not seen any progress yet.

Winter Free Fishing Weekend

Twice a year, the Department of Natural Resources sets a weekend where anyone can go fishing and no permit is required. This year’s Winter Free Fishing Weekend is coming up on January 20th to 21st. This is a perfect opportunity for a seasoned ice fisherman or woman to introduce friends and family to the basics of ice fishing. Several community groups are also hosting events based on teaching the basics of ice fishing and introducing people to the sport. These events are posted on the DNR’s website at the link below.

If you get out during the Free Fishing Weekend and enjoy the sport or if you missed your chance to hit the ice but are interested in trying on a different weekend, buyers of fishing licenses who haven’t purchased a license in at least ten years can get their annual license at a reduced rate of only $5! Licenses last from April 1st to March 31st of the following year. So, if you’ve ever had the urge to get out ice fishing but haven’t, now’s a better time than any.

UW Team Uncovers Remains of WWII Pilot

Recently, a team from the University of Wisconsin at Madison uncovered the remains of a missing pilot from WWII in northern France. The effort to bring the lost soldier home after over 70 years took an international effort and two years of work by some very dedicated and qualified UW faculty. While the pilots sacrifice is a tragedy, the story of the work from UW-Madison’s Missing in Action Recovery and Identification Project is heartwarming as 1st Lt. Frank Fazekas will finally get the proper burial at Arlington that he deserves. This story is also informative of a larger problem as many souls from WWII and other conflicts are still lost on the battlefield. Read more about this story on the State Journal’s website at the link below:

Award from the Auto Collision Technicians Association

In November, I received an award for Legislator of the Year from Larry Terrrien, a businessman in Green Bay and the President of the Wisconsin Auto Collision Technicians Association. This award was largely due to my work as the Senate author of 2017 Senate Bill 90, now Act 55, which allows auto body repair shops efficiently deal with VIN decals in door jams. Before this bill was passed, repair-men or women would have to work around the decals, which could severely slow vehicle repairs, making it more difficult for the auto technician and making it costlier to the consumer. Act 55 will benefit both the technicians and the customers.

Thanks for Reading!

Feel free to contact my office with any questions or concerns you may have, and be sure to

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Senator Robert Cowles