Budget Floor Session Underway
As we speak, the Assembly is in session debating final passage of the state budget. We believe we have come to a bipartisan agreement with the governor for the budget and anticipate passing it in the next 12 hours. Updates to come next week.
Session (6/24)
On Tuesday 6/24 the Assembly met for session. I voted in favor of all bills below except AB 59. The bills in this newsletter are all related to grants and programs. The remainder of the bills will come in the following weeks.
AB 59 establishes that federal capitalization grants can be used by privately owned utilities for the replacement of lead pipes.
I voted against AB 59 because the owners of the only private utility in the state are the Canadian pension system and BlackRock (pending finalized sale) and the current parent company is from Minnesota. I don’t think we need to use taxpayer dollars (even if they are federal) to pad the bottom line of companies from like BlackRock or the Canadian Pension Plan.
AB 176 removes the financial status from the eligibility requirements for receiving services for an individual with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia from the Department of Health Services. This was requested due to inflation leaving many people who still struggle financially to access this needed care, and many available funds were being left unspent.
AB 187  expands a current program to provide grants to volunteer fire departments and volunteer fire companies. This grant will help provide financial coverage for training to be given to individual firefighters. To be eligible municipalities must provide a 100 percent match of funds to the firefighters. Any funds provided through the grant and not used must be returned to the Department of Administration (DOA) to be put in the general fund.
I authored AB 187 to create a financial incentive to increase recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters. You can watch my speech here.
AB 233 builds on the important work of Child Advocacy Centers by adding two new centers to the current statutory program. It creates a new CAC in Sheboygan County and creates the Child Advocacy Centers of Wisconsin which would provide resources to all state CACs. The bill changes the name of several existing CACs in the statute to match name changes the Centers have or wish to make.
AB 279 establishes grants for talent recruitment to provide incentives to recruit families outside of Wisconsin to relocate to municipalities in this state.
AB 293 extends the expiration date of the law that allows the Department of Justice (DOJ) to award grants to cities with a population of over 30,000 to fund community-oriented policing-house programs to July 1, 2027.
Groundbreaking of Fox Communities Credit Union near the Target in Bellevue
On Monday the 23rd Senator Jamie Wall and I attended the groundbreaking of a new Fox Communities Credit Union.
In-District Events
Thursday, July 3, Independence day celebration at KBA Ballpark, KBA Lane, Kellnersville
Thursday, July 3, Food trucks, inflatables, live music, and fireworks at Sunset Park, Kimberly starting at 4:30 p.m.
Friday, July 4, Independence day celebration at Walsh Field, Two Rivers starting at 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 9, Music in the Park at WayMorr Park, Greenleaf from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, July 12, Antique Tractor Pull at 2858 School Rd, Greenleaf starting at 11:30 a.m. More information can be found here.
Saturday, July 12, World Snake Day Celebration at 1000 Beaulieu Ct, Kaukauna from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
