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Important Updates from the League
⭐ JFC Public Hearings: As noted above, the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) has announced their 2025 state budget public hearings. Having a municipal voice represented at these hearings is crucially important! The League encourages municipal officials who are near a public hearing site and have no pressing conflicts to attend a JFC public hearing and speak on behalf of your municipality and municipalities throughout the state.
JFC public hearings are typically all-day affairs. While the hearings begin at 10am, you are encouraged to arrive early and fill out a slip at the front door. Persons will be called to speak in the order their slips are submitted, so the earlier the slip is received by the legislative staff at the hearing room's entrance, the sooner you will be called up to speak. Attendees are typically limited to three minutes when they're called to speak. Be certain your main points and requests are conveyed in those three minutes.
If you're able to attend a JFC public hearing but are unsure of what to discuss, the League's 2025-2026 Legislative Agenda may help to spark some ideas. For budget-relevant topics, the League will be putting the most emphasis on transportation funding and municipal utility low-interest loans through the Environmental Improvement Program. Other programs and funding streams that impact municipalities will also receive the League's attention in the budget process.
Documents outlining the League's budget requests will be linked on our 2025-2027 State Biennial Budget webpage later this week. These documents will also be linked in next Monday's Legislative Bulletin.
⭐ EMS Trainings: In last week's Legislative Bulletin, we mentioned three upcoming trainings for the Wisconsin Medicaid Supplemental Payment Program for Public EMS Providers. This exciting new program will help to close the gap between current Medicaid reimbursement rates and the true cost of providing emergency care and transportation to Medicaid recipients.
The trainings being hosted this week by Public Consulting Group through Microsoft Teams will help municipal officials understand what they need to do to participate in this voluntary program. EMS providers and other municipal officials engaged in EMS budgeting and billing are encouraged to attend one of the following three identical sessions.
Monday, March 24 - 11am to 1pm
Wednesday, March 26 - 10am to 12pm
Friday, March 28 - 10am to 12pm
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