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In this update:

• Legislative Updates
• Administration Updates
• Committee Schedule
• Upcoming Events

Legislative Updates

Assembly not in session next week

Assembly Majority Leader Tyler August (R) announced the Assembly will not be in session next week. He did request members to keep the week of April 21st open for a possible floor session. After that, the next potential floor session will be the week of May 13th. 

Administration Updates

Natural Resources Board votes for new rulemaking for PFAS

The Natural Resources Board voted in favor of the agency beginning rulemaking to establish PFAS groundwater standards. A prior attempt in 2022 by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was paused after the rule was found in violation of the REINS Act, which requires legislative approval for any rulemaking that costs $10 million or more over a two-year period. Meanwhile, Democrats and Republicans separately introduced legislation last session that would have addressed the impasse over PFAS groundwater standards, but both proposals failed. DNR Groundwater Section Manager Carla Romano said it is possible the REINS Act could be triggered again. “We unfortunately cannot really say if it’s going to be triggered or not, there’s still a possibility,” she said. “But again, until we have the chance to look at the data, we cannot really assess if the economic impact analysis will say that we will exceed the [$10 million] over a two-year period.”

The board members approved the new rulemaking with the proposed limits for six PFAS compounds that align with the Department of Health Services’ recommendations. Business groups argued high implementation costs are a concern, emphasizing the most recent version of the proposed rule regulates more substances than the previous proposal. They asked the DNR to contact more stakeholders and provide an analysis of compliance costs before an economic impact analysis is prepared. Ms. Romano said they cannot evaluate the economic impact until the statement of scope is approved, “However, we encourage stakeholders to submit at any time information that we should consider in drafting the economic impact analysis later on, again, if and when the scope statement is approved,” Ms. Romano said.

DHS Secretary at WI Health News

Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Kirsten Johnson was the featured guest at a Wisconsin Health News luncheon to discuss the next budget, Medicaid cuts, and public health crises. Sec. Johnson was asked about the Trump administration cutting public health programs funded through “COVID-money.” Sec. Johnson said, “It’s easy to say this is all COVID-money. In actuality, all of these dollars were coming in before COVID, intended to build infrastructure, intended to build our public health response and ability to bolster our services ... The idea that this is ‘COVID-money’ is really misleading.”

Topics included in the event:

• Trump administration public health cuts[
• Department of Health and Human Services
• Measles outbreak
• Medicaid
• Governor Evers’ budget proposals

Watch the event here.

Evers appoints Brig. Gen. Strub to lead WI National Guard

Governor Tony Evers (D) has appointed Brigadier General Matthew Strub to lead the Wisconsin National Guard following Interim Adjutant General Brig. Gen. David May’s retirement from military service. In the press release, Gov. Evers said, “I want to thank Interim Adjutant General May for his leadership and his willingness to continue serving the Wisconsin National Guard and our state over the past year. During a time of great uncertainty, May has consistently answered my call to serve, and I could not be more grateful for him and his nearly three decades of service to our state and country.”

Brig. Gen. Strub enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve in 1986 as a helicopter mechanic. He served 11 years in the Wisconsin State Patrol and joined the Wisconsin Army National Guard full-time in 2005. In the last two decades, he commanded the Wisconsin Army National Guard Aviation Flight Facilities, was the deputy chief of staff for Aviation and Safety, deputy chief of staff for Personnel, and was the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s chief of staff. Brig. Gen. Strub has served in his current role since 2022.

“I am honored and grateful for the trust placed in me by Gov. Evers to serve as the next adjutant general of the Wisconsin National Guard,” said Brig. Gen. Strub. “I look forward to being a trusted partner with state and federal agencies, as well as our civilian partners, to ensure Wisconsinites are safe, secure, and live in an environment where every family can prosper.”

Read his official National Guard biography here.

Committee Schedule

The following meetings have been noticed as of 1:00 pm Friday. Committee and Agency meeting notices are frequently updated and can be found here (for the Legislature) and here (for the Administration).

Monday, April 14

• No meetings currently scheduled

Tuesday, April 15

• Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Veteran and Military Affairs

Public Hearing at 11:00am

Wednesday, April 16

• Senate Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development

Public Hearing at 11:30am

Executive Session at 11:31am

Thursday, April 17

• Senate Committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry

Public Hearing at 10:00am

• Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities

Informational Hearing at 1:00pm

Friday, April 18

• No meetings currently scheduled

Upcoming Events

April 18th at 8:30am - Capitol Chats with Representative Deb Andraca (virtual)

Please reach out to Lauren Lubenow (lauren.lubenow@michaelbest.com) to RSVP or for more information on these events.

ABOUT US

If you would like any additional information about the above topic, or if you would like to find time to discuss the above matter in more detail, please do not hesitate to contact your Michael Best Strategies contact.

Have a great day, 

Wisconsin GR Team

Government Relations Team

Our Team |  michaelbeststrategies.com

One South Pickney Street, Suite 700

Madison, WI 53703

Phone: 608-257-3501

Fax: 608-283-2275