Archbishop Listecki Speaks Out against Rent-to-Own Companies
Noting that the Church's "preferential option for the poor" motivated him to speak out, Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki on Friday, April 26, delivered a statement expressing his opposition to a provision in the state budget that would exempt rent-to-own (RTO) businesses from key provisions of the Wisconsin Consumer Act (WCA).
Speaking at a press conference at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Milwaukee, Archbishop Listecki joined the Chamber's President and CEO, Maria Monreal-Cameron, Lutheran Bishop Jeff Barrow of the Greater Milwaukee Synod of the ELCA, Senator Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend), Senator Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee), Bruce Speight, director of the consumer advocacy group WISPERG, and others.
Please contact your legislators immediately and urge opposition to the RTO provision, echoing the sentiments of Archbishop Listecki, namely that 1) rent-to-own transactions are predatory and constitute usury; 2) public policies should not encourage businesses that depend on ignorance and indebtedness; 3) and low-income families and individuals are those most likely to lose money and go into debt. For additional information, see the WCC Rent-to-Own Issue Brief.
To find contact information for your State Representative or Senator, visit the Wisconsin State Legislature website at http://legis.wisconsin.gov and click on "Who Represents Me," or call the State Legislative Hotline, 1-800-362-9472.
Still Time to Contact Legislators on State Budget Priorities
The Joint Finance Committee has scheduled its next executive session on Thursday, May 9. None of the four budget issues of interest to the WCC are on the agenda. Therefore, there is still time to contact your legislators to advocate for the WCC's four budget priorities. A summary of these priorities can be found here and Issue Briefs for each priority:
New Bills of Interest
SB-143. Employment (Hansen) Authorizes the circuit court to order a person who engages in discrimination in employment, unfair honesty testing, or unfair genetic testing to pay compensatory and punitive damages. To Judiciary and Labor.
SB-153. Domestic Abuse (Harsdorf) Jurisdiction in matters relating to domestic abuse restraining orders and injunctions, child abuse restraining orders and injunctions, and harassment restraining orders and injunctions. To Transportation, Public Safety, and Veterans and Military Affairs.
SB-160. Domestic Abuse (Petrowski) Training standards for law enforcement officers regarding domestic abuse incidents and complaints, and law enforcement reports following a domestic abuse incident. To Transportation, Public Safety, and Veterans and Military Affairs.
SB-161. Restraining Orders (Petrowski) Temporary restraining orders and injunctions for domestic abuse, child abuse, individuals at risk, and harassment, confidential name change petitions, and ex parte orders with a judge substitution. To Transportation, Public Safety, and Veterans and Military Affairs.
AB-171. Domestic Abuse (Loudenbeck) Jurisdiction in matters relating to domestic abuse restraining orders and injunctions, child abuse restraining orders and injunctions, and harassment restraining orders and injunctions. To Criminal Justice.
AB-175. Domestic Abuse (Jacque) Training standards for law enforcement officers regarding domestic abuse incidents and complaints, and law enforcement reports following a domestic abuse incident. To Public Safety and Homeland Security.
AB-176. Restraining Orders (Jacque) Temporary restraining orders and injunctions for domestic abuse, child abuse, individuals at risk, and harassment, confidential name change petitions, and ex parte orders with a judge substitution. To Public Safety and Homeland Security.
