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Capitol Update
March 29, 2019Like us on Facebook
Contents Include:
1.  Joint Finance Announces Public Hearings on State Budget  
2.  USCCB Urges Action on Issues Impacting Religious Freedom
3.  Legislators Act to Intervene in Planned Parenthood Lawsuit
4.  Wisconsin Bishops Promote Catholics at the Capitol 2019
5.  New Bills of Interest
6.  Hearings of Interest

Joint Finance Announces Public Hearings on State Budget
The Joint Committee on Finance (JCF) has announced it will hold four public hearings on the state budget proposal (Senate Bill 59/Assembly Bill 56).  The WCC will be identifying its budget priorities in the coming week.  Update readers are encouraged to attend and to make their concerns known. 

Hearing details are provided below. Please note that testimony will conclude at the time specified.  Written comments can be emailed to the Committee at [email protected], or sent via U.S. mail to Joe Malkasian, Room 305 East, State Capitol, Madison, WI 53702.  

USCCB Urges Action on Issues Impacting Religious Freedom
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is urging individuals to act on three different matters concerning religious liberty and religious organizations.  The first is to contact Congress in opposition to H.R. 5, the Equality Act, which would add "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" to the definition of sex throughout federal law.  The USCCB affirms that these sweeping changes have the potential to impact religious freedom, endanger privacy, regulate speech, hinder quality health care, and threaten charitable organizations and those whom they serve.  For more information and to take action, use the USCCB Action Alert on H.R. 5 .  It is anticipated that the House of Representatives will soon vote on H.R. 5.
 
The Lessening Impediments From Taxes (LIFT) for Charities Act of 2019 (H.R. 1545/S. 632) is bipartisan legislation that would repeal Internal Revenue Code Section 512(a)(7), more commonly known as the "parking lot tax."  The parking lot tax requires nonprofit organizations, including churches, to pay taxes on parking and transit benefits provided for their employees.  The Joint Committee on Taxation has estimated that this new tax provision will extract $1.7 billion from the nonprofit sector over 10 years.  To contact Congress and urge their support, visit the USCCB Action Alert on the LIFT for Charities Act !
 
The USCCB has also requested that individuals contact their U.S. Senators and urge them to reject any attempt to impose a religious test on nominees to the federal judiciary.  For more information about recent concerns over the nomination process and to take action, visit the USCCB  Action on Religious Tests for Judicial Nominees .
 
Legislators Act to Intervene in Planned Parenthood Lawsuit
Earlier this year, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin filed suit against numerous government officials in the State of Wisconsin seeking repeal of the statutory requirement that only doctors perform abortions, as well the requirement that the same doctor be in the room when a woman takes the first of two drugs for a chemical abortion.  Attorney General Josh Kaul and Department of Justice officials have indicated that they intend to represent the State on the matter.  Republican legislators have sought to intervene in the lawsuit, citing concerns over past ties and current litigation involving Planned Parenthood and the Attorney General.
 
Wisconsin Bishops Promote Catholics at the Capitol 2019
Every two years, hundreds of Catholics from around the state come to Madison for  a day dedicated to prayer, formation, and advocacy on Catholic social teaching and public policy issues.  Please view and share this  video appeal from the Catholic bishops of Wisconsin, inviting the faithful to join them at this special event.  For more information on the day, visit wisconsincatholic.org .
 
New Bills of Interest
SB-002  Pre-existing Conditions (Jacque, Andre) Coverage of individuals with preexisting conditions. Referred to Senate Committee on Health & Human Services  AB-001 (Petersen, Kevin)
 
SB-025  Human Trafficking Driver Ed (Johnson, LaTonya) Driver education instruction on human trafficking. Referred to Senate Committee on Universities, Technical Colleges, Children & Families  AB-022 (Thiesfeldt, Jeremy)
 
SB-028  Direct Primary Care (Kapenga, Chris) Direct primary care agreements. Referred to Senate Committee on Health & Human Services   AB-026  (Sanfelippo, Joe)
 
SB-034  Certificates of Qualification (Darling, Alberta) Creating a procedure for granting certificates of qualification for employment for persons convicted of a crime and making an appropriation.
Referred to Senate Committee on Judiciary & Public Safety   AB-030  (Hutton, Rob)
 
SB-037  Health Plan Coverage (Erpenbach, Jon) Coverage of preventive services, essential health benefits, and individuals with preexisting conditions; rating; and benefit limits under health plans.
Referred to Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
 
SB-039  Record Expungement (Darling, Alberta) Expungement of records of certain crimes. Referred to Senate Committee on Judiciary & Public Safety   AB-033 (Steffen, David)
 
SB-049  Prostitution Prosecution (Darling, Alberta) Prosecuting a person under the age of 18 with committing an act of prostitution.
Referred to Senate Committee on Judiciary & Public Safety   AB-041
(Billings, Jill)
 
SB-053  School Barricade Devices (Stroebel, Duey) Installation of a barricade device on an interior door in a school building. Referred to Senate Committee on Judiciary & Public Safety   AB-044 (Brooks, Rob)
 
SB-056  School Drills (Olsen, Luther) Fire, tornado, and school safety drills for public and private schools. Referred to Senate Committee on Education   AB-054 (Born, Mark)
 
SB-057  Pupil Records (Olsen, Luther) Pupil records. Referred to Senate Committee on Education   AB-053 (Born, Mark)
 
SB-059  Executive Budget (Joint Finance) State finances and appropriations, constituting the executive budget act of the 2019 legislature. Referred to Joint Committee on Finance   AB-056
 
SB-061  Shelter Admission (Darling, Alberta) A minor contracting for admission to a shelter facility or transitional living program.
Referred to Senate Committee on Universities, Technical Colleges, Children & Families   AB-052 (Loudenbeck, Amy)
 
SB-064  School Report Information (Kooyenga, Dale) Information on the school district and school accountability report. Referred to Senate Committee on Education   AB-067 (Kitchens, Joel)
 
SB-068  Child Pornography (Jacque, Andre) Possession of child pornography and providing a penalty. Referred to Senate Committee on Judiciary & Public Safety   AB-071 (Tusler, Ron)
 
SB-093  Advance Directives (Feyen, Dan) Authorizing creation and implementation of an advance directive registry and granting rule-making authority. Referred to Senate Committee on Government Operations, Technology, & Consumer Protection   AB-083 (Horlacher, Cody)
 
SB-107  Conversion Therapy (Risser, Fred) Prohibiting conversion therapy. Referred to Senate Committee on Health & Human Services   AB-111 (Stuck, Amanda)
 
SB-111  Virtual Instruction (Kooyenga, Dale) Allowing private schools participating in a parental choice program to provide hours of direct pupil instruction virtually. Referred to Senate Committee on Education   AB-129 (Jagler, John)
 
SB-113  Child Psychiatry (Darling, Alberta) Increasing funding for the child psychiatry consultation program and making an appropriation.
Referred to Senate Committee on Universities, Technical Colleges, Children & Families   AB-118  (Steineke, Jim)
 
SB-114  Stillbirth Tax Credit (Darling, Alberta) Creating a refundable individual income tax credit for the parent of a stillbirth.  Referred to Senate Committee on Agriculture, Revenue, & Financial Institutions   AB-128  (Ballweg, Joan)
 
SB-119  Housing Grants (Bernier, Kathy) Housing grants to homeless individuals and families and making an appropriation. Referred to Senate Committee on Utilities & Housing   AB-123 (Snyder, Pat)
 
SB-120  Housing Navigator Grants (Bernier, Kathy) Housing navigator grants and making an appropriation. Referred to Senate Committee on Utilities & Housing   AB-121 (Dittrich, Barbara)
 
SB-121  Housing Quality Standards Loans (Bernier, Kathy) Housing quality standards loans, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. Referred to Senate Committee on Utilities & Housing   AB-125 (Pronschinske, Treig)
 
SB-122  Shelter Grants (Darling, Alberta) Grants to homeless shelters, modifying administrative rules promulgated by the Department of Administration, and making an appropriation. Referred to Senate Committee on Local Government, Small Business, Tourism, & Workforce  AB-119 (Steineke, Jim)
 
SB-123  Skills Enhancement Grants (Darling, Alberta) Skills enhancement grants and making an appropriation.  Referred to Senate Committee on Local Government, Small Business, Tourism, & Workforce
 
SB-124  Homeless Employment (Feyen, Dan) Employment and training activities for homeless populations, the Council on Workforce Investment, and local workforce development boards. Referred to Senate Committee on Local Government, Small Business, Tourism, & Workforce  AB-122 (Rodriguez, Jessie)
 
SB-126  Caregiver Tax Credit (Testin, Patrick) Creating a nonrefundable individual income tax credit for certain expenses incurred by a family caregiver to assist a qualified family member.
Referred to Senate Committee on Agriculture, Revenue, & Financial Institutions   AB-126  (Skowronski, Ken)
 
SB-131  Self Insurance by Religious Sects (Bernier, Kathy) Self-insurance by religious sects for purposes of motor vehicle financial responsibility and liability insurance requirements. Referred to Senate Committee on Insurance, Financial Services, Government Oversight, & Courts   AB-140 (Kulp, Bob)
 
AB-021  Well Testing (Shankland, Katrina) Testing of private wells, compensation for well contamination and abandonment, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation.  Referred to Assembly Local Government
 
AB-050  DPI Dyslexia Specialist (Legislative Council) Employing a dyslexia specialist at the Department of Public Instruction and making an appropriation.  Referred to Assembly Education
 
AB-084  School Lunch Requirements (Tauchen, Gary) Imposing requirements related to school lunch and breakfast programs in certain schools.  Referred to Assembly Education
 
AB-094  Support Payments During Incarceration (Legislative Council) Reduction of child support payments during incarceration.  Referred to Assembly Family Law
 
AB-103  Birth Costs (Legislative Council) Eliminating administrative rule limitation on recovery of birth costs.  Referred to Assembly Family Law
 
AB-108  Private School American Indian Instruction (Legislative Council) Requiring private schools participating in a parental choice program and independent charter schools to provide instruction in American Indian history, culture, and tribal sovereignty.  Referred to Assembly Education
 
AB-120  Homeless Case Management (James, Jesse) Homelessness case management services and making an appropriation.  Referred to Assembly Workforce Development
 
AB-124  Housing Cost Grants (Plumer, Jon) Grants to defray housing costs and for diversion programming and making an appropriation.  Referred to Assembly Public Benefit Reform
 
AB-138  Immigration Policy Prohibition (Spiros, John) Prohibiting local ordinances, resolutions, and policies that prohibit the enforcement of federal or state law relating to illegal aliens or immigration status, authorizing certain elective officeholders to commence an enforcement action, providing a reduction in shared revenue payments, and creating governmental liability for damages caused by illegal aliens.  Referred to Assembly Federalism and Interstate Relations
 
Hearings of Interest
Joint Committee on Finance, 10:00 am, Wed, Apr 3, 412-E
Dept. of Public Instruction
Dept. of Transportation
Dept. of Health Services
 
Joint Committee on Finance, 10:00 am, Thu, Apr 4, 412-E
Dept. of Workforce Development
Dept. of Corrections
Dept. of Natural Resources
 
Joint Committee on Finance
Governor's 2019-21 Biennial Budget (SB 59/AB 56)
Friday, April 5, 2019, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Pontiac Convention Center
2809 North Pontiac Drive
Janesville, WI 53545
 
Wednesday, April 10, 2019, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Oak Creek Community Center
8580 South Howell Avenue
Oak Creek, WI 53154
 
Monday, April 15, 2019, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
University of Wisconsin - River Falls
University Center - Riverview Ballroom #260
500 Wild Rose Avenue
River Falls, WI 54022
Free Public Parking Accessible at: PAY 1 LOT, North Second Street, River Falls, WI 54022
 
Wednesday, April 24, 2019, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
University Union - Phoenix Rooms
2430 Campus Court
Green Bay, WI 54311

* Correction - WCC 2019 Public Policy Positions
In the opening edition of the  Capitol Update , the electronic link for the WCC's 2019 Public Policy Positions  w as provided in error.  Please
click here to view the document.  
Capitol Update is a periodic e-mail on legislative issues from the Wisconsin Catholic Conference.
 
Wisconsin Catholic Conference
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608/257-0004