WISCONSIN CATHOLIC CONFERENCE
Capitol Update
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Contents
1. Governor Signs State Budget
2. Governor Signs Relief for Pandemic-Impacted Schools
3. Governor Signs Water Quality Funding
4. Governor Signs Law Enforcement Reforms
5. Senate Passes E-Cycling Expansion
6. Senate Passes Policing Use-of-Force Standards
7. Assembly Passes Marriage License Reform
8. Legislature Adjourns
9. We’ve Moved!
10. New Bills of Interest
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Governor Signs State Budget
On July 8, Governor Evers signed the state budget (2021 Wisconsin Act 58). A future Capitol Update will provide an overview on budget items of interest to the WCC.
Governor Signs Relief for Pandemic-Impacted Schools
On June 29, the Governor signed SB-302 (Stroebel, Duey) as 2021 Wisconsin Act 56, which grants certain pandemic-related waivers to parental choice programs, the Special Needs Scholarship Program, and independent charter schools. The WCC registered in support.
Governor Signs Water Quality Funding
On July 8, the Governor signed SB-084 (Jacque, Andre) as 2021 Wisconsin Act 67, which provides grants to replace or repair private on-site wastewater treatment systems. The WCC registered in support.
Governor Signs Law Enforcement Reforms
On July 22, the Governor signed three bills to reform law enforcement practices. SB-121 (Wanggaard, Van), now 2021 Wisconsin Act 48, requires that law enforcement agencies may not authorize the use of choke holds by law enforcement officers in a policy or standard, except in life-threatening situations or in self-defense. SB-122 (Wanggaard), now 2021 Wisconsin Act 49, provides public access to law enforcement policies regarding the use of force. SB-123 (Wanggaard), now 2021 Wisconsin Act 50, requires the Wisconsin Department of Justice to collect and publish annual data on law enforcement use of force incidents. The WCC registered in support of all three bills and testified in support of their Assembly companions.
Senate Passes E-Cycling Expansion
On June 22, the Senate passed, on a voice vote, an amended SB-248 (Cowles, Rob), which expands the state electronic waste recycling program to include all public, tribal, private, and charter elementary or secondary schools. The bill now awaits action in the Assembly. The WCC registered in support.
Senate Passes Policing Use-of-Force Standards
On June 30, the Senate passed an amended SB-120 (Wanggaard, Van), after it had been amended and passed in the Assembly. The bill provides standards for the use of physical force by law enforcement officers and provides requirements for and protection to law enforcement officers who report the use of noncompliant force. The bill now awaits the Governor’s action. The WCC registered in support.
Assembly Passes Marriage License Reform
On July 22, on a voice vote, the Assembly passed an amended AB-270 (Wittke, Robert), which allows a marriage license to apply to any Wisconsin county and expands the list of valid identification documents that may presented, thereby making it easier for citizens and non-citizens to marry. The bill now awaits action in the Senate. The WCC registered in support.
Legislature Adjourns
Having passed the state budget, the full Senate and Assembly stand adjourned until the send of September. While bills will continue to be introduced and some committees will hold hearings, there will be no regular floor periods until Tuesday, September 28. Therefore, the Capitol Update will appear less regularly for the remainder of the summer and early fall.
We’ve Moved!
The WCC has moved offices. Our new office is now located at 106 E. Doty St., Suite 300, Madison, WI 53703. Our email, phone, fax, and website all remain the same.
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New Bills of Interest
SB-402 Foster Parents (Jacque, Andre) Creating a foster parents' bill of rights. Referred to Senate Human Services, Children and Families / AB-412 (Dittrich, Barbara) Referred to Assembly Children and Families
SB-439 MA Eligibility (Erpenbach, Jon) Expanding eligibility under the Medical Assistance program; funding infrastructure, land acquisition, and building projects; providing assistance and local government grants; maintaining an opioid and methamphetamine data system; transferring moneys to the budget stabilization fund; creating a University of Wisconsin System partnership program and admissions application fees; providing an exemption from rule-making procedures; and making an appropriation. Referred to Senate Government Operations, Legal Review & Consumer Protection / AB-444 (Riemer, Daniel) Referred to Assembly Health
SB-442 Prevention Grants (Larson, Chris) Violence prevention grants and making an appropriation. Referred to Senate Human Services, Children & Families / AB-458 (Bowen, David) Referred to Assembly Criminal Justice and Public Safety
SB-443 Transgender Task Force (Agard, Melissa) Establishing a task force to study the legal and societal barriers to equality for transgender, intersex, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming individuals. Referred to Senate Government Operations, Legal Review & Consumer Protection / AB-467 (Snodgrass, Lee) Referred to Assembly Organization
SB-449 School Grants (Wanggaard, Van) Grants to schools to provide critical incident mapping data to law enforcement agencies. Referred to Senate Judiciary & Public Safety
SB-452 Minimum Wage (Agard, Melissa) A state minimum wage, allowing the enactment of local minimum wage ordinances, and granting rule-making authority. Referred to Senate Labor & Regulatory Reform
AB-447 Law Enforcement (Bowen, David) Equipment of vehicles used by law enforcement agencies and training of law enforcement officers in first aid. Referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety
AB-448 Law Enforcement (Bowen, David) Prosecution decisions following deaths involving law enforcement officers. Referred to Assembly Judiciary
AB-449 Law Enforcement (Bowen, David) Information cards to be distributed by law enforcement officers. Referred to Assembly Criminal Justice and Public Safety
AB-450 Law Enforcement (Bowen, David) Prohibiting public safety bargaining units that represent law enforcement officers from bargaining reversal of firing by police chiefs. Referred to Assembly Labor and Integrated Employment
AB-451 Law Enforcement (Bowen, David) Disciplinary procedures for members of police and fire departments. Referred to Assembly Criminal Justice and Public Safety
AB-452 Law Enforcement (Bowen, David) Warrior-style training of law enforcement officers. Referred to Assembly Criminal Justice and Public Safety
AB-453 Law Enforcement (Bowen, David) Investigations of officer-involved deaths. Referred to Assembly Criminal Justice and Public Safety
AB-454 Law Enforcement (Bowen, David) Law enforcement training on use-of-force options and making an appropriation. Referred to Assembly Criminal Justice and Public Safety
AB-455 Law Enforcement (Bowen, David) Reporting of law enforcement use-of-force incidents and making an appropriation. Referred to Assembly Criminal Justice and Public Safety
AB-456 Law Enforcement (Bowen, David) Grants for law enforcement officers to use risk assessment tools prior to making an arrest and making an appropriation. Referred to Assembly Criminal Justice and Public Safety
AB-457 Law Enforcement (Bowen, David) Law enforcement agency policies on the use of force. Referred to Assembly Criminal Justice and Public Safety
AB-465 Body Cameras (Brostoff, Jonathan) Requiring the use of body cameras by law enforcement and providing a penalty. Referred to Assembly Campaigns and Elections
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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
© 2021
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