Catholics from around the state gathered at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in Madison on April 10, 2013, for the Wisconsin Catholic Conference's 8th biennial advocacy day. The theme of "Reclaiming the Common Good in the Year of Faith," was exemplified in the day's events starting with a morning prayer service with presider, Bishop Robert Morlino of Madison, and a keynote address offered by Bishop Peter Christensen of Superior. A question-and-answer panel of bishops and Catholic lay persons also offered participants the opportunity to reflect upon how Catholics can advance the common good in a way that persuades citizens in a pluralistic society.

Participants attended breakout sessions on issues such as Catholic social teaching, religious liberty, the dignity of life, end-of-life care, environmental stewardship, marriage and society, prison reform, parental choice, peace and non-violence in the Holy Land, health care, employment, and solidarity and subsidiarity. Participants also discussed how to better advocate for policy reform from a Catholic perspective. Governor Walker briefly addressed the gathering, and at the close of the day's events attendees went over to the Capitol to meet with their legislators.

Materials from the day's events, such as WCC Issue Briefs, WCC 2013 Public Policy Positions, and legislative directory are available on the WCC's website. Special thanks to the bishops, sponsors, speakers, volunteers, staff, and participants who made this day a success.

The next Catholics at the Capitol will be held in the spring of 2015.

Upcoming Hearings of Interest

(N.B. Only bills of interest are flagged. In most cases, committees will be considering other bills as well.)

Assembly Speaker's Task Force on Mental Health

10am, Thursday, April 18

Aurora Sinai Medical Center, Rapkin Auditorium, 945 N. 12th Street, Milwaukee

Invited speakers followed by public input:

Milwaukee Health Care Partnership

Children's Hospital

Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force

Rogers In Health

NAMI - Greater Milwaukee

Wisconsin United Coalition of Mutual Assistance Associations

Hmong American Friendship Association

Assembly Family Law

10am, Tuesday, April 23, 415-NW

AB-17. Adoption (Larson) Restoring information from an original birth certificate after adoption.

Assembly Children and Families

10 am, Wednesday, April 24, 300-NE

Executive Session and Informational Hearing on:

DCF 37. Information to be provided to foster parents.

DCF 39. Relinquishing custody of a newborn.

DCF 42. State adoption information center.

DCF 50. Facilitating the adoption of children with special needs.

DCF 51. Adoption of children with special needs and pre-adoption preparation training.

DCF 53. Adoption information search and disclosure.

DCF 54. Child placing agencies.

DCF 56. Foster home care for children.

Joint Committee on Finance

10am, Thursday, April 25, 412-E

The Executive Session will be held on the budgets of the following agencies:

Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board

Military Affairs

Environmental Improvement Fund

Natural Resources -- Departmentwide

Board of Commissioners of Public Lands

Fox River Navigational System Authority

Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board

Tourism

Assembly Criminal Justice

10 am, Thursday, May 2, 300-NE

AB-10. Nude Child Photos (Kleefisch) Representations depicting nude children and requiring a sex offender registration for adults who commit the offense against a child who is under the age of 16.

AB-28. Sexually Violent Persons (Joint Legislative Council) Criteria for supervised release from commitment as sexually violent persons, placement of females committed as sexually violent persons, permitted outings under direct supervision for individuals on supervised release, and supervised release and discharge of individuals committed as sexually violent persons.

AB-59. Searches (Endsley) Searches by a law enforcement officer of a person on probation, parole, or extended supervision.

New Bills of Interest

SB-137. Physicians (Grothman) The duty of physicians to inform patients of treatment. To Judiciary and Labor.

AB-126. Charter Schools (Kooyenga) Contracts for additional charter schools. To Education.

AB-127. Resale Store (Tittl) A property tax exemption for a nonprofit resale store. To Ways and Means. To Tax Exemptions.

AB-138. Firearms (Richards) Sales and transfers of firearms. To Criminal Justice.

AB-139. Treatment Options (J. Ott) The duty of physicians to inform patients of treatment options. To Judiciary.

AB-150. Parental Rights (Joint Legislative Council) Posttermination of parental rights contact between a child and a birth relative of the child. To Family Law.

AB-151. Child Protective Services (Joint Legislative Council) The right of a parent to have counsel in a proceeding for a child alleged to be in need of protection or services. To Family Law.

AB-152. Child Protective Services (Joint Legislative Council) Children in need of protection or services jurisdiction over, and grounds for involuntary termination of parental rights. To Family Law.

AB-160. Unborn Child (Jacque) Wrongful death of an unborn child. To Health.