Always something interesting at the capitol. During the Christmas season beautiful music echoes throughout. Today a high-school group from New Glarus sang.
Support Our Troops
Thank you Tom Michalski – WI State Representative District 13 for dropping off books to support our troops serving overseas. I’m so thankful for everyone in the Wisconsin State Capitol who have contributed.
At the Capitol
Below are bills that received a vote in a committee executive session during the week of December 4th :
- Assembly Bill 440 relating to: permits for the overweight transport of certain fluid milk products
- Passed out of committee by a vote of 14-0
- Committee: Agriculture
- Summary
- Authorizes the Department of Transportation to issue annual or consecutive month permits for the transportation of fluid milk product in vehicle combinations that exceed general highway weight limitations.
- Assembly Bill 655 relating to: a transition to grass pilot program and making an appropriation
- Passed out of committee by a vote of 14-0
- Committee: Agriculture
- Summary
- Creates a “transition to grass pilot program” in the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to provide support and grants to farmers who are implementing livestock grass-based managed grazing systems and farmers and agribusinesses in the grass-fed livestock business.
- Assembly Bill 419 relating to: creating an online, interactive carbon calculator for farmers
- Passed out of committee by a vote of 14-0
- Committee: Agriculture
- Summary
- Requires the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to develop and maintain, or contract with a third party to develop or maintain, an online, interactive carbon calculator that can be used by farmers in this state to determine the carbon emissions produced directly and indirectly from their agricultural activities.
- Assembly Bill 118 relating to: public records identifying confidential law enforcement informants
- Passed out of committee by a vote of 7-0
- Committee: Government Accountability and Oversight
- Summary
- Extends that nondisclosure requirement concerning the personally identifiable information of confidential law enforcement informants to records or parts of records maintained by any official or body subject to the public records law, not just law enforcement agencies.
- Assembly Bill 145 relating to: obtaining attorney fees and costs under the state’s public records law when an authority voluntarily or unilaterally releases a contested record after an action has been filed in court
- Passed out of committee by a vote of 7-0
- Committee: Government Accountability and Oversight
- Summary
- Supersedes the supreme court’s decision in Friends of Frame Park. Under the bill, a requester has prevailed in whole or in substantial part if the requester has obtained relief through any of the following means: 1. A judicial order or an enforceable written agreement or consent decree. 2. The authority’s voluntary or unilateral release of a record if the court determines that the filing of the mandamus action was a substantial factor contributing to that voluntary or unilateral release.
- Assembly Bill 578 relating to: financial exploitation of vulnerable adults
- Passed out of committee by a vote of 7-2
- Committee: Financial Institutions
- Summary
- Allows financial service providers to refuse or delay financial transactions when financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult is suspected. The bill authorizes financial service providers to take certain other actions to prevent or detect financial exploitation of vulnerable adults.
- Assembly Bill 569 relating to: the location and operation of driver schools
- Passed out of committee by a vote of 11-0
- Committee: Jobs, Economy, and Small Business Development
- Summary
- Current law provides that a driver school may not be established within 1,500 feet of a Department of Transportation office where operator’s licenses are issued or official driving skills tests are given. This bill eliminates that prohibition.
- Assembly Bill 385 relating to: indication of Hmong veteran status on an operator’s license or identification card
- Passed out of committee by a vote of 12-0
- Committee: Transportation
- Summary
- Adds to the definition of “veteran” any person who was admitted to the United States under the Hmong Veterans’ Naturalization Act.
- Assembly Bill 209 relating to: model academic standards related to American Indian studies, informational materials related to a school board’s obligation to provide instruction on American Indians, and the American Indian studies requirement for teacher licensure
- Passed out of committee by a vote of 15-0
- Committee: Education
- Summary
- Requires the state superintendent to incorporate American Indian studies into the model academic standards. These standards must address certain historical and contemporary information that pupils are expected to know. At a minimum, this information must include significant events, tribal sovereignty, and culture relating to the federally recognized tribes and bands located in Wisconsin.
- Assembly Bill 210 relating to: pupils wearing traditional tribal regalia at a graduation ceremony or school-sponsored event
- Passed out of committee by a vote of 15-0
- Committee: Education
- Summary
- Provides that school boards and charter schools may not prohibit a pupil who is a member of, a descendent of a member of, or eligible to be enrolled in, a federally recognized, whether currently or in the past, American Indian tribe or band from wearing traditional tribal regalia at a graduation ceremony or school-sponsored event.
- Assembly Bill 212 relating to: requiring school districts to report information related to American Indian children attending school in the school district
- Passed out of committee by a vote of 15-0
- Committee: Education
- Summary
- Current law also requires each school district to submit an annual school district report to DPI. This report must include various information related to the school district, including the number of children taught in the schools of the school district, the number of hours of direct pupil instruction provided in each school of the school district, and the names of all teachers employed by the school district during the school year. The bill expands the requirements of this report, requiring each school district to report the numbers, ages, and tribal affiliation of American Indian children attending the schools of the school district.
- Assembly Bill 214 relating to: a lifetime license that authorizes an individual to teach an American Indian language in an American Indian language program and modifying rules promulgated by the Department of Public Instruction
- Passed out of committee by a vote of 15-0
- Committee: Education
- Summary
- Under this bill, if an American Indian tribe or band opts to review individual applicants for a lifetime license, DPI must notify the tribal government whenever an individual applies for a tier III lifetime license in the language that is associated with the tribal government.
In-District Doings
I attended the Apartment Association of Northeast Wisconsin dinner. I was able to discuss the importance of sharing their point of view on legislation that will directly affect them and tenants in Wisconsin.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Senator Ron Johnson on how Wisconsin fits into national issues.
Blue Books Are Here!
District #5 residents, please contact my office for your copy while supplies last.
Click Here to Follow My Work in the Assembly
Upcoming Events in District 5
Santa Pub Crawl: December 16th, 2023
5:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Wisconsin Ave, Kaukauna
Community Art Night: December 20th, 2023
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Pulaski VFW Hall
January 2024
Packers vs. Bears 4th Annual Deviled Eggs Cook Off: January 7th, 2023
11:00 AM
121 W. Wisconsin, Kaukauna
Do you know of an event in District 5?
Please contact my office with any upcoming events. I look forward to sharing your event details in the next Goeben Gazette.
Click Here to Sign Up for My E-Update
Contact Information
My staff and I are here to serve you. If you have general questions or concerns regarding legislative matters, or if you need assistance with a state agency, please feel free to contact us. We are here to assist you!
We are also happy to schedule a meeting with you, either here in Madison, or in District 5.
Representative Joy Goeben
State Capitol, Room 209 North
PO Box 8952
Madison, WI 53708
[email protected]
(608) 237-9105 or Toll Free (888) 534-0005