November 14, 2023
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Two Cowles Bills Pass Senate
On Final Day of Fall Floor Session
MADISON – Senator Robert Cowles (R-Green Bay) released the following statement after two bills he authored, Senate Bills 241 and 460, passed the State Senate during Tuesday’s floor period:
“Today’s action by the State Senate means we’re one step closer to delivering support to students across our great state,” Senator Cowles said. “We’re currently facing a shortage of school psychologists in Wisconsin. Senate Bill 241 establishes the framework to get boots on the ground to tackle the youth mental health crisis we’re seeing not only in Wisconsin, but nationwide.”
Senate Bill 241 would create a new School Psychologist Loan Forgiveness Program, incentivizing current school psychology students looking to work as mental health officials in public schools. There is a critical need for more mental health resources in Wisconsin’s schools, in both our most rural communities and our largest city. This program will support the development of more young professionals to provide better care for our students’ mental health.
Senator Cowles added, “With Senate passage of SB 460, we’re continuing our progress in fighting reckless driving by offering additional protections for our road and rail workers. Increasing the fines for traffic offenses committed in railroad work zones will keep the work of Wisconsin’s nearly 3,000 rail employees chugging along safely.”
Senate Bill 460 doubles the fines imposed for traffic violations committed in the vicinity of railroad construction or maintenance crews and zones. These protections, mimicked in the bill, have long existed for highway work zones, and similar fine increases are also added to areas where emergency services, roadside assistance, and utility work crews have been requested.
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