April 6, 2023 at 3:27 p.m.
Political Digest
Evers signs bill to help curb reckless driving
The law aims to curb reckless driving in Wisconsin by allowing counties and municipalities to enact ordinances authorizing law enforcement to impound a vehicle if its owner is cited for reckless driving and has a prior conviction for reckless driving and has not paid the imposed forfeiture for that offense.
"Everyone deserves to feel safe in our communities and on our roads and streets, whether they're taking their kids to school or driving home from work, but reckless driving and other dangerous behaviors are putting folks at risk across our state," Evers said. "I'm glad reckless driving is the first issue we're addressing this session, but our work cannot stop here. I call on the Legislature to support my budget initiatives that will build on this bill and make our roads safer by taking a statewide, multi-pronged approach to urgently addressing reckless driving and dangerous behavior on our roads."
The governor's 2023-25 biennial budget proposal includes investments to increase safety on Wisconsin's roads, including improving the safety of travel on Wisconsin's highways by providing 35 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions for additional state troopers and 10 FTE positions for motor carrier inspectors; providing $60 million to establish a new traffic calming grant program; providing $16,000 to develop and implement electric vehicle license plate stickers to assist first responders in emergency response for electric vehicles; and implementing driver licenses for all, regardless of documented status, to improve the safety of Wisconsin roads for everyone in Wisconsin.
The budget would also restore roadway design considerations in state law that support non-motorist infrastructure known as "Complete Streets," empowering local communities to safely integrate all modes of transportation; invest $6.5 million to cover the cost of comprehensive driver education for economically disadvantaged students; require that courts order the use of an ignition interlock device (IID) for all offenses involving the use of alcohol and operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, joining 30 other states and D.C. in requiring all offenders, including first-time offenders, to install an IID; and increase Wisconsin's seatbelt violation penalty from $10 to $25 to match neighboring states.
Additionally, Evers has previously announced more than $100 million in investments to support violence prevention and community safety efforts statewide, including to support the work of local and tribal law enforcement across the state and, notably, to prevent reckless driving through environmental design and upgrades to local roads in Milwaukee.
Community Medical Services applauds
over-the-counter sale of Narcan
Community Medical Services (CMS), a leading provider of evidence-based treatment for individuals struggling with opioid addiction, has praised the recent decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to allow for the over-the-counter sale of Narcan, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses.
Narcan, also known as naloxone, is a life-saving medication that has been shown to effectively reverse opioid overdoses when administered in a timely manner. The FDA's decision to allow for the over-the-counter sale of Narcan is a major step forward in addressing the opioid crisis and increasing access to this vital medication, CMS says.
"We applaud the FDA's decision to allow for the over-the-counter sale of Narcan," said John Koch, director of Community Outreach at CMS. "This decision will help to ensure that Narcan is readily available to those who need it, including individuals who may be at risk of opioid overdose or those who are caring for someone who is at risk."
Koch knows first-hand the benefits of having Narcan available. Koch, who was revived from overdoses three times using Narcan, credits access to the medication for saving his life. Koch emphasized that "I am living proof of the importance of access to Narcan. That is why we at CMS are committed to helping people and saving lives, and we will do everything we can."
CMS has handed out over 30,000 Narcan kits over the last three years to people nationwide. In Wisconsin, CMS, through the support of Narcan Direct and other community organizations, distributed over 2,000 Narcan kits.
Gallagher, Tiffany lead effort to halt funneling of campaign cash to spouses
Reps. Mike Gallagher (R-Wisconsin), Tom Tiffany (R-Wisconsin), Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina), and Claudia Tenney (R-New York) have reintroduced their Oversight for Members And Relatives (OMAR) Act, a bill that would put an end to the practice of federal candidates tapping their campaign accounts to enrich their spouses.
The OMAR Act would also require the disclosure of any other campaign compensation of immediate family members. The bill is based on a bipartisan proposal introduced in the 110th Congress by Rep. Adam Schiff, which passed the House of Representatives without opposition and was endorsed at that time by members of the House Democrat leadership team.
Gallagher said members of Congress should not be able to enrich themselves by paying their spouses with campaign money.
"It's crazy this is even legal in the first place," Gallagher said. "This bill puts an end to this despicable practice and is a common-sense way to restore trust in government and ensure people don't profit off running for Congress."
Tiffany said everyone, regardless of party, should all be able to agree that running for political office shouldn't be part of a family enrichment scheme.
"Public officials should serve their constituents; they shouldn't be serving up a plate of campaign cash to their spouse," Tiffany said. "The OMAR Act will help restore public confidence in Congress and prevent politicians from pocketing their campaign funds."
Mace said the American people want honesty and transparency in campaign finance, and a start to this is ensuring members of Congress don't funnel campaign money to members of their family.
"The OMAR Act is a good step in preventing any potential conflicts of interest, such as a member paying their husband's consulting firm $2.8 million," she said. "Public officials should always act in the best interest of their constituents, and this bill will help show the American people we're serious about enforcing this principle."
The lawmakers say members of both political parties have engaged in the ethically dubious practice of pocketing campaign funds by "hiring" their spouses and laundering the money as campaign-related expenses.
Fox News reported how an incumbent House member from Minnesota took advantage of this loophole and "paid nearly $2.8 million to her husband's political consulting firm so far in the 2019-2020 election cycle, including nearly 70% of her third-quarter disbursements." To put this huge sum in perspective, it appears to be more than all members of Congress paid their immediate relatives during the entire 2012 election cycle, combined.
Previously, Schiff called for House approval of a ban on campaign payments to spouses "an important step forward in restoring the public's confidence that elected officials are working in the public's interest and not their own." Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, too, praised the House action, saying it would "increase transparency in election campaigns."
Gallagher introduces STAND with Taiwan Act
U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wisconsin) and Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Arkansas) introduced the Sanctions Targeting Aggressors of Neighboring Democracies (STAND) with Taiwan Act of 2023, which they say would impose crippling, comprehensive economic and financial sanctions on China in the event that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) or its proxies initiate a military invasion of the island democracy of Taiwan.
"When I met with President Tsai of Taiwan last month, she told me she wakes up every day trying to increase the cost of a PLA invasion," Gallagher said. "In Congress, we need to help her achieve that goal. We can do so not only by clearing the back-log of foreign military sales to Taiwan and increasing American hard power in the Indo-Pacific, but also by outlining the severe economic costs of an invasion."
The STAND with Taiwan Act makes clear that should Xi choose to invade, the U.S. will not hesitate to respond with crippling and comprehensive economic sanctions on any person or company supporting a CCP invasion of Taiwan.
Sullivan said Taiwan stands on the frontline of the struggle between the American-led free world and the powerful, expansionist Chinese Communist Party regime.
"No one in America wants a war in the Taiwan Strait, but we cannot be blind to the implications of a successful CCP military takeover of Taiwan," Sullivan said. "This would deliver a devastating blow to the U.S. and global economy, lead our allies in Asia to question America's commitments, allow the CCP to break out further into the Pacific, and give Xi and his global authoritarian model extraordinary new legitimacy at home and abroad."
Sullivan said of the lessons learned the hard way from the Russian invasion of Ukraine is that comprehensive economic and financial sanctions have the best chance of deterring a conflict when they are clearly articulated and ready to go before the conflict begins.
"Congressman Gallagher and I are reintroducing the STAND with Taiwan Act to put the CCP on notice that no corner of its economy will be left untouched by sanctions, from finance to trade to its industrial capacity," he said. "We are urging our colleagues to join us in utilizing this critical instrument of American power -o ur global economic and financial strengths - to strongly deter a CCP invasion and keep the Taiwanese people free."
The suite of sanctions includes the targeting of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) members and Chinese financial institutions and industrial sectors. They would also prohibit U.S. financial institutions - including investment companies, private equity firms, venture capital firms, or hedge funds - from making any investments in a Chinese entity that benefits or is affiliated with the CCP.
The bill would also block the importation of certain goods mined, produced, or manufactured wholly, or in part, in the People's Republic of China.
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