April 3, 2023 at 10:55 a.m.
Political Digest
Late last month, legislative Democrats introduced the Restore Roe Act, a bill that would repeal the 1849 criminal abortion ban and restore access to abortion in Wisconsin. The ban was enacted before women gained the right to vote and a decade before the first shots of the Civil War.
State Reps. Lee Snodgrass (D-Appleton) and Kristina Shelton (D-Green Bay) said the ruling overturning Roe v. Wade criminalized abortion providers.
"In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court gave the landmark Roe v. Wade decision which protects legal abortion access," they said. "The 1849 law would make it a felony for any doctor to perform abortion services with penalties that include prison time. With the overturning of Roe, Wisconsin is left with uncertainty regarding the status of criminality regarding abortion care."
Snodgrass said the bottom line was that the right of an individual to make their own healthcare decisions includes making decisions about abortion.
"Abortion is part of comprehensive health care, period," she said. "In a country where freedom and individual liberties are upheld so enthusiastically, it's shocking how Republican legislators in states like Wisconsin have attempted to wrench control away from pregnant people by preventing them from determining their own futures based on their own, unique and individual circumstances."
The Restore Roe Act is what the people of the state want and Republicans need to stop half measures and come to the floor for a real debate on the future of abortion rights in the state, Snodgrass said.
Shelton called for restoring full reproductive freedoms, including abortions, in Wisconsin.
"The overwhelming majority of Wisconsinites agree - the archaic 1849 abortion ban needs to be overturned entirely," Shelton said. "Along with Gov. Evers and my Democratic colleagues, I promised my constituents that I would always fight to protect access to abortion and reproductive rights. The Restore Roe Act, legislation that I am thrilled to co-sponsor, will ensure the reproductive freedom women have counted on for decades. Our lives depend on it."
Lawmakers introduce community solar legislation
State Sen. Duey Stroebel (R-Cedarburg), Rep Scott Krug (R-Rome), and Rep. Rob Brooks (R-Saukville) have introduced a bill to allow consumers to access community solar in Wisconsin.
Community solar allows participants to subscribe to a portion of a solar project and receive credit on their electricity bill for the power produced. Community solar projects can be located almost anywhere and are often placed on small parcels of under-utilized farmland.
The lawmakers say they are an alternative to installing individual rooftop panels on homes and businesses. Right now, many individuals are unable to participate in solar because they are not a homeowner or the site is not suitable.
"This bill would help average Wisconsinites, small businesses and non-profits benefit from solar energy without fronting thousands of dollars in up-front costs to install their own system," Stroebel said. "Community solar will create local jobs, drive innovation and competition, spur economic growth and ultimately lead to savings for Wisconsin ratepayers."
Krug said local control was an important facet of the bill.
"Unlike the large 1,000+ acre utility scale solar developments that only have oversight at the state level, local governments and residents would have a direct say in the approval process for smaller community solar projects," Krug said. "If signed into law, this bill would require a two-thirds vote by the local government to approve these projects."
Brooks said solar was rapidly growing across the country.
"Wisconsin currently prevents consumers from reaping the benefits of solar unless you are able to install panels on your roof," Brooks said. "This bill seeks to cut red tape and allow community solar in our state. No mandates and no Wisconsin subsidies are included in this bill. This is the conservative approach to renewable energy policy."
Brooks said more than 20 states allow community solar projects, and the bill would bring Wisconsin into the twenty-first century.
Gallagher introduces bill to ban Biden from cancelling student loans
Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wisconsin), along with Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-Georgia) have introduced the Student Loan Accountability Act, legislation that would prohibit the Biden administration from canceling student loan debt on a mass scale and prevent forgiven loans from being tax-exempt.
Additionally, the bill would block the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from sharing Americans' tax data for the purpose of implementing mass loan cancellation.
"President Biden's attempt to forgive student loans is reckless and unconstitutional," Gallagher said. "It benefits the affluent at the expense of hardworking Americans and is a slap in the face to anyone that worked to pay off their debt, saved money for theirs or their kids tuition, or served in the military to earn education benefits. This bill takes action to make it abundantly clear that the Biden administration cannot unilaterally forgive student loans and continue to abuse executive authority to placate his radical progressive base."
Ferguson said that there is no such thing as "forgiveness."
"Joe Biden's big government socialist proposal wouldn't just miraculously make student loan debt disappear," he said. "This radical move is fundamentally unfair and would cost hardworking taxpayers at least $400 billion - meaning Americans who have fully paid off their student loans, worked hard to pay for their education, or chose not to enroll in college are stuck footing the bill."
While the Supreme Court debates the constitutionality of the proposal, Ferguson said the legislation would quickly put the discussion to rest.
"Congress must focus on market-driven solutions that bring down the cost of higher education, including reducing the government's role in the student loan market," he said.
The Student Loan Accountability Act would prohibit the Department of Education, Department of Justice, and the Department of Treasury from taking any action to cancel or forgive the outstanding balances, or portions of balances, of covered loans, and it would repeal Section 9675 of the American Rescue Plan Act that provided tax-free treatment of forgiven student loan debt.
It would also prohibit the IRS and the Department of Treasury from sharing any tax data for the purpose of administering a student loan cancellation plan.
Kaul: 20 new special agents joining Wisconsin DOJ
Wisconsin attorney general Josh Kaul has announced that 20 new special agents are joining the Department of Justice (DOJ) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI).
The agents started with the department during the month of March and have already begun their specialized training within the department.
"DOJ's Division of Criminal Investigation does outstanding work investigating serious crimes across the state," Kaul said. "DCI special agents make Wisconsin safer, and I'm proud that we're welcoming a number of new special agents to DCI."
The new class of special agents includes agents that will be located at DCI's Milwaukee, Madison, Eau Claire, Appleton, and Wausau offices. DCI will also have an agent stationed in the La Crosse region for the first time in decades. The new class investigative specialties include narcotics, arson, and internet crimes against children.
DCI is responsible for investigating crimes that are statewide in nature or importance. DCI special agents and analysts work closely with local, county, tribal, state and federal officials to investigate and prosecute crimes involving homicide, arson, financial crimes, illegal gaming, multi-jurisdictional crimes, drug trafficking, computer crimes, homeland security, public integrity and government corruption as well as crimes against children.
The division also performs special investigations requested by the Governor or the Legislature and provides extensive training to local, state and federal officers on current issues in law enforcement.
Assembly Dems want more transparency
The eight first-term Democratic state representatives who call themselves the "Assembly Dems Class of 2023" have joined together to promote increased transparency in the Wisconsin Legislature.
Currently, they point out, the Wisconsin legislature has exempted itself from the same open records retention requirements that exist for the rest of state and local government. The Assembly Dems Class of 2023 have all signed on to legislation proposed by Sen. Chris Larson and Rep. Jimmy Anderson to end this exemption. This proposal was also included in the governor's budget.
"The Assembly Dems Class of 2023 join together to support increased transparency in the state legislature," the group said in a statement. "Our class has a strong local government background with over three decades of local elected service. That local government service currently comes with a higher standard for retention of documents than that of the state legislature. We have joined together to make sure our legislative colleagues hold themselves to the same standard that we were held to in local government. We ran for office to create a more open, honest, and accountable legislature-this legislation is an important first step in that direction."
The class includes Rep. Clinton Anderson (D-Beloit), Rep. Mike Bare (D-Verona), Rep. Ryan Clancy (D-Milwaukee); Rep. Jenna Jacobson (D-Oregon), Rep. Alex Joers (D-Middleton), Rep. Darrin Madison (D-Milwaukee), Rep. Lori Palmeri (D-Oshkosh), and Rep. Melissa Ratcliff (D-Cottage Grove).
Rodriguez joins coalition to protect reproductive freedom
A caucus of 22 lieutenant governors representing more than 165 million people have announced the formation of a Reproductive Freedom Coalition, and Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez is one of the founding members.
The multi-state coalition will work together to protect and expand reproductive freedom and access to health care in the wake of what they say are unprecedented attacks following the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
In a statement, the group said it would serve as a firewall to extremist attacks on reproductive freedom in legislatures and courtrooms.
"Despite the unique nature of the situation in each state, this network will work as a united front to share model legislation and executive orders, methods for protecting health care providers from prosecution, ways to maximize federal funds for reproductive health care, and means of support for manufacturers of abortion medication and contraception as they face legal uncertainty," the group stated.
"Every person deserves the right to make their own reproductive health care decisions without interference from elected officials who know nothing about their faith, their family, or their circumstances," Rodriguez said. "As a nurse and public health professional, I have witnessed the devastating effects for women and families who do not have access to a full range of reproductive care including prenatal, contraception, infertility, and abortion care."
In Wisconsin, Rodriguez said, the assault on women continues through efforts to uphold the state's unconstitutional and dangerous 1849 abortion ban, restrict access to contraception, outlaw medication abortion, and criminalize nurses and doctors for doing their jobs.
"To those seeking freedom and bodily autonomy-whether you're a young professional deciding how to begin your career, a couple choosing when to start a family, or a mom raising your kids my message is simple: we respect reproductive rights in Wisconsin and in America," she said. "I am proud to stand with my colleagues across the country and will continue fighting to guarantee reproductive freedom in every state and for every person."
Johnson joins colleagues to overturn Biden student loan plan
This week, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) joined Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), the ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, John Cornyn (R-Texas), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), and 34 of their Republican colleagues in introducing a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution of disapproval to overturn President Biden's student loan cancellation plan, which they say would transfer up to $20,000 in student loan debt per borrower onto taxpayers, costing an estimated $400 billion.
The CRA would also end the pause on student loan payments, which costs taxpayers an estimated $5 billion each month and has been extended six times under the Biden administration.
"This unconstitutional power grab is grossly unfair to families who did not send their kids to college and to those who managed to pay off their student debt," Johnson said. "Biden's student loan bailout does not 'forgive' debt but transfers $400 billion onto the backs of taxpayers. I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join us in halting this unfair policy."
Cassidy said Biden is not forgiving debt but shifting the burden of student loans off of the borrowers who willingly took on their debt and placing it onto those who chose to not go to college or already fulfilled their commitment to pay off their loans.
"It is extremely unfair to punish these Americans, forcing them to pay the bill for these irresponsible and unfair student loan schemes," Cassidy said.
Cornyn said the Biden administration's tuition bailout was bad public policy, and the proposed resolution would block the president from driving up inflation, incentivizing universities to raise tuition, and forcing hardworking Americans to pay off the debts of wealthy graduates.
LeMahieu says Evers's tax relief claims fall short
Senate majority leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) said this week the governor's proposed tax relief is really just another tax burden, after the Legislative Fiscal Bureau issued a memo covering State Tax and Fee Modifications included in the governor's 2023-25 budget recommendations.
The Fiscal Bureau memo shows the governor would increase taxes and fees by $108 million during the two years covered by this budget period.
"The governor claims his plan cuts taxes but the facts show a huge tax increase," LeMahieu said. "Hard working families in Wisconsin are already struggling with inflation caused by reckless spending in Washington."
Based on the memo, a family earning the median income of $70,000 would only see a tax reduction of $100. The governor's claim was that this family would see a $200 tax cut, LeMahieu said. The memo does not include the possible impact of local sales and property tax increases allowed under the governor's plan.
"The Republicans will deliver a budget that is responsible and has a true tax cut for everyone," he said. "We will continue to build on the successes we delivered during the past two budgets."
Comments:
You must login to comment.