WISCONSIN CATHOLIC CONFERENCE
Capitol Update
|
|
Contents
1. Catholics at the Capitol Thank You and Resources
2. WCC Urges Support for State Budget Priorities
3. Governor Vetoes Protections for Places of Worship
4. Assembly Passes Holocaust and Genocide Education
5. WCC Supports Transportation for Milwaukee Private School Students
6. WCC Supports Temporary Expansion of Choice Eligibility
7. WCC Supports Greater Flexibility in Regulations for Pandemic-Impacted Schools
8. Upcoming Hearings of Interest
9. New Bills of Interest
|
|
Catholics at the Capitol Thank You and Resources
Many thanks to all who attended our first-ever, virtual Catholics at the Capitol on April 21. After a short orientation session, participants met virtually with their state legislators to discuss the WCC's state budget priorities. Materials provided as part of the day are available on the Catholics at the Capitol website.
The WCC especially thanks all who sent in their legislative visit summaries. These are very valuable because they provide the staff with important insights into what individual legislators are thinking.
If you haven’t already done, so please consider contacting your legislators (see next article).
WCC Urges Support for State Budget Priorities
As part of its Catholic at the Capitol event, the WCC urged support for its state budget priorities, which are detailed in its 2021-2023 State Budget Issue Brief. These include proposals related to pregnant and parenting women, affordable housing, Medicaid, mental health, juvenile justice, Earned Income Tax Credit, broadband, immigrant driver’s cards, special education, school nutrition, and clean water. The WCC opposes funding abortion providers, gender-neutral statutory language, gender identity employment provisions, and restricting parental choice in education.
The Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau has yet to release the customary memorandum describing the non-fiscal policy items within the state budget (SB-111/AB-68), which are frequently removed from the proposal by the co-chairs of the Joint Committee on Finance (JCF). However, the co-chairs have already signaled that they will reject the Governor’s budget and work from a base budget, as was done last session. Please contact your legislators and urge them to ask the JCF to include the measures identified in the WCC Issue Brief. To contact your State Senator or Representative, visit the Wisconsin State Legislature website at http://legis.wisconsin.gov and use the “Find Your Legislator” tool, or call the State Legislative Hotline, 1-800-362-9472.
Governor Vetoes Protections for Places of Worship
On April 23, Governor Evers vetoed AB-24 (Thiesfeldt, Jeremy), which the WCC supported. The bill, which passed in both houses, would have prevented local public health officers' from closing places of worship during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Governor's veto fails to recognize the essential services that places of worship provide to their members and the broader community. People of good will are urged to contact the Governor's office and respectfully request that he recognize and protect the free exercise of religion, especially during these challenging times.
Assembly Passes Holocaust and Genocide Education
On April 13, on a voice vote, the Assembly passed SB-069 (Darling, Alberta), which requires instruction on the Holocaust and other genocides in social studies curricula. The bill now awaits the Governor’s action. The WCC provided written testimony in support.
WCC Supports Transportation for Milwaukee Private School Students
On April 21 and 22, the WCC registered in support of companion bills SB-221 (Bradley, Julian) and AB-160 (Rodriguez, Jessie), which would require the Milwaukee Board of School Directors to honor school transportation contracts made to provide busing or other transportation services for Milwaukee resident students attending in-person learning at a private school. Neither committee took further action.
WCC Supports Temporary Expansion of Choice Eligibility
On April 21, the WCC registered in support of SB-41 (Kooyenga, Dale), which lifts Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (WPCP) income eligibility for the 2021-2022 school year to the same income eligibility limits used by the state's two other Parental Choice Programs. The committee took no further action.
WCC Supports Greater Flexibility in Regulations for Pandemic-Impacted Schools
On April 21 and 22, the WCC registered in support of SB-302 (Stroebel, Duey) and AB-261 (Wittke, Robert), which extend the Wisconsin of Department of Public Instruction's (DPI) current authority to waive certain school regulatory and compliance requirements in light of the pandemic, including certain requirements for private schools participating in the parental choice and Special Needs Scholarship programs. Neither committee took further action.
|
Upcoming Hearings of Interest
(N.B. Only bills of interest are flagged. In most cases, committees will be considering other bills as well.)
Assembly Education, 1:00 pm, Tue, Apr 27, 412-E
School Funding as Related to the Counting of Students
Invited Speakers:
- Dept. of Public Instruction
- Legislative Fiscal Bureau
Senate Health, 11:00 am, Tue, Apr 27, 330-SW
SB-228 Cremation (Testin, Patrick) The use of alkaline hydrolysis to cremate human remains and providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures.
Assembly Family Law, 12:00 pm, Tue, Apr 27, North Hearing Room
AB-270 Marriage (Wittke, Robert) Marriage solemnization requirements and marriage document requirements, issuance, and validity.
Senate Housing, Commerce & Trade, 11:00 am, Wed, Apr 28, 201-SE
Wisconsin’s Current Real Estate and Housing Conditions.
Workforce/Affordable housing and the challenges Wisconsin faces.
Invited Speakers:
- Kurt Paulsen – UW Madison Dept of Urban and Regional Planning.
- Mark Eppli – UW Madison School of Real Estate
- Joaquin Altoro – WHEDA’s CEO
- Staff member from WHEDA on affordable/workforce housing
|
New Bills of Interest
SB-322 School Athletics (Bernier, Kathy) Designating athletic sports and teams operated or sponsored by public schools or private schools participating in a parental choice program based on the sex of the participants. Referred to Senate Human Services, Children & Families
SB-323 College Athletics (Bernier, Kathy) Designating University of Wisconsin and technical college sports and athletic teams based on the sex of the participants. Referred to Senate Human Services, Children & Families
SB-309 Telehealth (Kooyenga, Dale) Funding for free and charitable clinics and defining telehealth. Referred to Senate Insurance, Licensing & Forestry
SB-306 Telehealth (Jacque, Andre) Coverage of telehealth services. Referred to Senate Insurance, Licensing & Forestry
AB-261 DPI (Wittke, Robert) The department of public instruction's waiver authority related to parental choice programs, the Special Needs Scholarship Program, and independent charter schools. Referred to Assembly Education
AB-262 Abortion (Wichgers, Chuck) Induced abortion reporting. Referred to Assembly Health
AB-270 Marriage (Wittke, Robert) Marriage solemnization requirements and marriage document requirements, issuance, and validity. Referred to Assembly Family Law
AB-273 History (Myers, Lakeshia) Required instruction in African American history in the elementary and high school grades and making an appropriation. Referred to Assembly Education
AB-286 Schools (Duchow, Cindi) A school extension learning recovery program following the 2020-21 school term. Referred to Assembly Education
|
Websites of Interest
Wisconsin Eye – Independent, nonpartisan video coverage of state government proceedings.
|
|
Capitol Update is a periodic e-mail on legislative issues from the Wisconsin Catholic Conference.
|
|
Wisconsin Catholic Conference
© 2021
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
