WISCONSIN CATHOLIC CONFERENCE
Capitol Update
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Contents
1. WCC Supports Fetal Heartbeat Abortion Ban
2. WCC Opposes FoodShare and Medicaid Eligibility Limits
3. Senate Passes TAD Grants for Mental Health Treatment
4. Senate Passes Adult-Entertainment Venue Regulations
5. WCC Supports Youth Shackling Prohibition
6. WCC Supports Parental Choice Program Expansion
7. WCC Opposes Changes Impacting Grade Promotion and Parental Opt-Out
8. WCC Supports Greater Access to Teacher Permits
9. WCC Supports Prohibition of Unsolicited Images
10. Assembly Passes Parental Choice Program Early Admission
11. Assembly Passes Parental Choice Program Transfers
12. Senate Passes Police Reforms
13. New Bills of Interest
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WCC Supports Fetal Heartbeat Abortion Ban
On February 8, the WCC testified in support of SB-923 (Bradley, Julian), which prohibits performing or inducing an abortion before determining if the unborn child has a detectable fetal heartbeat, except if a medical emergency exists. If a fetal heartbeat is detected, the abortion is prohibited, unless a medical emergency exists. The bill is now available for a floor vote.
WCC Opposes FoodShare and Medicaid Eligibility Limits
On February 8 and 9, the WCC testified in opposition of SB-902 (Testin, Patrick) / AB-935 (Born, Mark), SB-905 (Stafsholt, Rob) / AB-934 (Penterman, William), and SB-912 (Kapenga, Chris) / AB-936 (Callahan, Calvin). In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the State of Wisconsin suspended efforts to enforce certain work requirements tied to the receipt of FoodShare benefits, which is the Wisconsin food stamp program. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) also halted efforts to implement newly-enacted drug testing and FoodShare Employment and Training (FSET) requirements.
AB-935 directs the DHS to resume enforcement of FoodShare work requirements and to seek federal approval of drug testing and FSET requirements. On February 17, the Assembly passed AB-935 by a vote of 58-34-4 paired. On February 22, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 21-12.
AB-934 requires that the DHS determine an individual’s Medicaid eligibility every six months. Currently, most Medicaid recipients must complete a program renewal at least once a year to determine ongoing program eligibility. On February 17, the Assembly passed the amended bill by a vote of 59-35-2. On February 22, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 20-13.
AB-936 takes away Medicaid eligibility from able-bodied, adult Medicaid participants up to age 65 who do not accept an offer of legal, paid employment or an offer of increased work hours or wages. To retain eligibility, the Medicaid recipient must accept the employment offer, regardless of the pay, benefits, or work schedule. On February 17, the Assembly passed the amended bill by a vote of 59-33-4. On February 22, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 21-12.
All three bills can now be sent to Governor Evers.
Senate Passes TAD Grants for Mental Health Treatment
On February 15, the Senate, on a voice vote, passed SB-791 (Jacque, Andre), which allows Treatment Alternatives and Diversion (TAD) grants to be used for the treatment of mental health conditions. The bill awaits action in the Assembly. The WCC testified in support.
Senate Passes Adult-Entertainment Venue Regulations
On February 15, the Senate, on a voice vote, passed SB-836 (Jacque), which seeks to prevent human trafficking from occurring in adult-entertainment establishments. The bill awaits action in the Assembly. The WCC registered in support.
WCC Supports Youth Shackling Prohibition
On February 15, the WCC provided a statement in support of a petition and proposed rule before the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which creates a uniform court procedure that prohibits the use of restraints on children in court.
WCC Supports Parental Choice Program Expansion
On February 16, the WCC registered in favor of AB-970 (Wittke, Robert), which eliminates income limits and any existing pupil participation limits for parental choice programs. The bill also increases the family income threshold that determines whether a private school may charge additional tuition to an enrolled pupil under the choice programs. Finally, the bill creates a temporary education expense reimbursement program for public school pupils. On February 22, the Assembly passed the bill by a vote of 59-34-2. The bill awaits action in the Senate.
WCC Opposes Changes Impacting Grade Promotion and Parental Opt-Out
On February 16, the WCC registered against AB-971 (Wittke), which directs when schools, including parental choice program schools, may promote pupils from the third grade to the fourth grade. It also eliminates the parental opt-out from statewide examinations for students in kindergarten through third grade. On February 22, the Assembly passed the amended bill by a vote of 60-32-2. The bill awaits action in the Senate.
WCC Supports Greater Access to Teacher Permits
On February 16, the WCC registered in favor of AB-975 (Thiesfeldt, Jeremy), which expands access to substitute teacher permits issued by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to certain students in teacher preparatory programs. On February 22, the Assembly passed the amended bill on a voice vote. The bill awaits action in the Senate.
WCC Supports Prohibition of Unsolicited Images
On February 17, the WCC registered in favor of SB-821 (Agard, Melissa), which prohibits sending unsolicited obscene or sexually explicit images by electronic means and establishes a private civil cause of action for sending such images. The committee took no further action.
Assembly Passes Parental Choice Program Early Admission
On February 22, the Assembly, on a voice vote, passed SB-597 (Wanggaard, Van), which permits early admission to kindergarten and first grade at a private school participating in a parental choice program. The bill can now be sent to the Governor. The WCC registered in support.
Assembly Passes Parental Choice Program Transfers
On February 22, the Assembly, on a voice vote, passed SB-608 (Jagler, John), which makes it easier for students enrolled in the Racine Parental Choice Program or the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program to transfer to a school in the statewide Wisconsin Parental Choice Program. The bill can now be sent to the Governor. The WCC registered in support.
Senate Passes Police Reforms
On February 22, the Senate passed three police reform bills that came out of the bipartisan Assembly Speaker’s Taskforce on Racial Disparities:
AB-329 (Steineke, Jim), passed on a voice vote, requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to collect information from law enforcement agencies and prepare an annual report to the Legislature about the issuance of search warrants and the use of no-knock or unannounced entries upon execution of search warrants.
AB-333 (Steineke), passed unanimously, permits crisis grants to counties, municipalities, or regions comprised of multiple counties or municipalities so they can establish and enhance law enforcement and behavioral health services emergency response collaborations.
AB-335 (Steineke), passed on a voice vote, creates a grant program under which the DOJ must award grants to law enforcement agencies for the purchase of body cameras.
The bills can now be sent to the Governor. The WCC registered in support of all three.
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New Bills of Interest
SB-962 Parent Rights (Darling, Alberta) Rights reserved to a parent or guardian of a child. Referred to Senate Education / AB-963 (Gundrum, Rick) Referred to Assembly Education
SB-966 DPI Reports (Darling, Alberta) The components, methods, and formulas the Department of Public Instruction uses to publish school and school district accountability reports and granting rule-making authority. Referred to Senate Education / AB-965 (Wittke, Robert) Referred to Assembly Education
SB-974 Choice Income Limits (Roth, Roger) Eliminating income limits for parental choice programs; eliminating pupil participation limits for the statewide parental choice program; private school tuition charged to a pupil participating in a parental choice program; and creating an education expense reimbursement program for the 2022-23 school year and the summer of 2023. Referred to Senate Education / AB-970 (Wittke, Robert) Referred to Assembly Education
SB-986 Teen Dating Violence (Petrowski, Jerry) Teen dating violence and sexual violence prevention education and training. Referred to Senate Education
SB-987 Nudity Representations (Jacque, Andre) Representations depicting nudity and providing a penalty. Referred to Senate Judiciary & Public Safety
SB-1002 Private Well Testing (Cowles, Rob) Grants for testing privately owned wells and providing education, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. Referred to Senate Natural Resources & Energy
SB-1004 Substitute Teachers (Darling, Alberta) Substitute teacher permits issued by the Department of Public Instruction. Referred to Senate Education / AB-975 (Thiesfeldt, Jeremy) Referred to Assembly Education
SB-1013 Medication Requests (Agard, Melissa) Permitting certain qualified individuals to make a request for medication for the purpose of ending their lives and providing a penalty. Referred to Senate Health
SB-1015 Professional Opinions (Nass, Steve) Right of health care providers to express professional opinions related to health or medical information or guidance. Referred to Senate Labor & Regulatory Reform / AB-1007 (Moses, Clint) Referred to Assembly Constitution and Ethics
SB-1016 Remedial Courses (Testin, Patrick) Reporting on, and charging high schools for the cost of, remedial courses at University of Wisconsin System institutions. Referred to Senate Education
SB-1023 Afghan Health Services (Testin, Patrick) Federal financial participation for health services for Afghan refugees. Referred to Senate Government Operations, Legal Review & Consumer Protection
AB-971 Pupil Promotion (Wittke, Robert) Promotion of pupils from the third grade to the fourth grade based on passage of the standardized reading test; reading readiness assessments in public schools; grants to increase licensure of reading teachers; sunsetting the Achievement Gap Reduction program; programs to identify and address pupils with dyslexia; parental opt-out of pupils in grades kindergarten to three from statewide examinations; and making an appropriation. Referred to Assembly Education
AB-977 Gender Transition (Allen, Scott) Gender transition procedures. Referred to Assembly Health
AB-1056 FoodShare Ineligibility (Sortwell, Shae) Ineligibility period in FoodShare and the Medical Assistance program for voluntary employment termination. Referred to Assembly Public Benefit Reform
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Websites of Interest
Wisconsin Eye – Independent, nonpartisan video coverage of state government proceedings.
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Capitol Update is a periodic e-mail on legislative issues from the Wisconsin Catholic Conference.
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Wisconsin Catholic Conference
© 2022
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