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Capitol Update

February 8, 2016Like us on Facebook

Contents Include:
1.  Upcoming Floor Periods
2.  WCC Supports Bone Marrow and Organ Donor Bill
3.  WCC Supports Bills to Combat Child Sex Trafficking
4.  Heal Without Harm Press Release on Planned Parenthood
5.  New Bills of Interest
6.  Websites of Interest
 
Upcoming Floor Periods
The Senate has scheduled a floor session for tomorrow, February 9.  The Assembly plans to be on the floor on the following days:
Tuesday, Feb. 9
Thursday, Feb. 11
Tuesday, Feb. 16
Wednesday, Feb. 17
Thursday, Feb. 18
 
WCC Supports Bone Marrow and Organ Donor Bill
The WCC registered in support of Senate Bill 517 (Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills) and companion Assembly Bill 752 (Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine), which would permit an employee to take unpaid leave for the purpose of serving as a bone marrow or organ donor.  Both bills have received public hearings and are moving quickly through the Legislature.
 
WCC Supports Bills to Combat Child Sex Trafficking
The WCC registered in support of Senate Bill 618 (Sen. Sheila Harsdorf, R-River Falls) and companion Assembly Bill 737 (Rep. Amy Loudenbeck, R-Clinton), which would add child sex trafficking to the definition of "abuse" in the Children's Code.  As such, a child who is the victim of child sex trafficking may be the subject of a child in need of protection or services petition alleging that the child is a victim of abuse.  The bill also requires the sheriff or police department to refer to an agency, and the agency to investigate, a case of child abuse in which a person who is not a caregiver of the child is suspected of permitting, allowing, or encouraging the child to engage in prostitution or of trafficking a child for purposes of a commercial sex act.  SB 618 passed unanimously out of committee and is available for a vote in the full Senate. 
 
Heal Without Harm Press Release on Planned Parenthood
On January 28, the Heal Without Harm coalition, of which the WCC is a member, issued a press release on recent revelations that Madison Planned Parenthood provided organs from aborted babies to University of Wisconsin researchers. 
                                       
New Bills of Interest
SB-591 School Mental Health Services (LeMahieu, Devin (R)) Mental health services in schools. Referred to Senate Health and Human Services
 
SB-595 Educational Costs and Financial Literacy Info (Marklein, Howard (R)) Requiring institutions of higher education to provide information to students relating to educational costs and financial literacy. Referred to Senate Universities and Technical Colleges
 
SB-596 DWD Workforce Training Appropriations (Kapenga, Chris (R)) Consolidation of various appropriations to the Department of Workforce Development for various workforce training programs into a single appropriation to that department for workforce training, restructuring of the career and technical education incentive grant program administered by that department, and making appropriations. Referred to Senate Workforce Development, Public Works and Military Affairs
 
SB-604 ABLE Accounts (Marklein, Howard (R)) Repealing the authority to create ABLE accounts in this state and creating tax benefits for contributions to ABLE accounts in other states. Referred to Senate Revenue, Financial Institutions and Rural Issues
 
SB-614 Representations of Nude Children (Olsen, Luther (R)) Capturing and distributing a representation of a nude child and providing a criminal penalty. Referred to Senate Judiciary and Public Safety
 
SB-615 Special Needs Scholarship Program (Vukmir, Leah (R)) Special needs scholarship program. Referred to Senate Education
 
SB-617 Surplus Retention Limitations (Marklein, Howard (R)) Surplus retention limitations for providers of rate-based services purchased by the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Health Services, or a county department of human services, social services, community programs, or developmental disabilities services. Referred to Senate Government Operations and Consumer Protection
 
SB-618 Child Sex Trafficking (Harsdorf, Sheila (R)) The crime of child sex trafficking, the inclusion of child sex trafficking in the definition of child abuse, the investigation of a child abuse report in which a person who is not a caregiver of the child is suspected of permitting, allowing, or encouraging the child to engage in prostitution or of child sex trafficking for purposes of a commercial sex act, and providing a penalty. Referred to Senate Judiciary and Public Safety
 
SB-631 Registration of Charitable Organizations (Marklein, Howard (R)) Registration and other requirements for charitable organizations, professional fund-raisers, fund-raising counsel, and professional employer organizations and modifying rules promulgated by the Department of Financial Institutions. Referred to Senate Revenue, Financial Institutions and Rural Issues
 
SB-638 Vehicle Liability Insurance (Kapenga, Chris (R)) penalties for violations related to the motor vehicle liability insurance requirement, proof of financial responsibility, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty. Referred to Senate Insurance, Housing and Trade
 
SB-639 Oversight of Law Enforcement (Wanggaard, Van (R)) Creating a legislative committee on the oversight of law enforcement and investigation. Referred to Senate Judiciary and Public Safety
 
SB-640 Independent Audits of Private Schools (Olsen, Luther (R)) Independent financial audits of private schools participating in a parental choice program, a civics exam as a condition for obtaining a high school diploma, and factors for determining school and school district performance on the school and school district accountability report. Referred to Senate Education
 
SB-644 Alcohol and Other Drug Assessments (Darling, Alberta (R)) Alcohol and other drug assessments in counties and correctional institutions and making an appropriation. Referred to Senate Judiciary and Public Safety
 
SB-645 Community Services Grants (Darling, Alberta (R)) Grants for community services to reduce recidivism and making an appropriation. Referred to Senate Judiciary and Public Safety
 
SB-653 Medically Accurate Information (Erpenbach, Jon (D)) Medically accurate information, conscientious beliefs of reproductive health care providers, health care provider liability insurance, eliminating certain abortion requirements, prohibiting employment retribution and discrimination, actions against a person seeking or providing health care, and providing a criminal penalty. Referred to Senate Health and Human Services
 
SB-656 Alcohol Beverage Violations (Petrowski, Jerry (R)) Prohibiting issuance of citations for alcohol beverages violations to certain underage persons in connection with sexual assault or certain other crimes and prohibiting certain disciplinary sanctions if the underage person is a student. Referred to Senate Judiciary and Public Safety
 
SB-670 Officiates at a Marriage (Carpenter, Tim (D)) Persons authorized to officiate at a marriage. Referred to Senate Government Operations and Consumer Protection
 
SB-675 Conviction Records on Job Applications (Taylor, Chris (D)) Prohibiting consideration of the conviction record of an applicant for employment before the applicant has been selected for an interview. Referred to Senate Labor and Government Reform
 
SB-687 Long-Term Care Districts (Marklein, Howard (R)) Long-term care districts and care management organizations. Referred to Senate Health and Human Services
 
SB-688 Low-Income Energy Assistance (Vinehout, Kathleen (D)) Eligibility for certain low-income energy assistance. Referred to Senate Natural Resources and Energy
 
SB-701 Eliminating Abortion Prohibitions (Risser, Fred (D)) Eliminating certain abortion prohibitions. Referred to Senate Judiciary and Public Safety
 
SB-703 Teacher Loan Program (Darling, Alberta (R)) The teacher loan program. Referred to Senate Universities and Technical Colleges

AB-778 Registration for Charitable Organizations (Craig, David (R)) Registration and other requirements for charitable organizations, professional fund-raisers, fund-raising counsel, and professional employer organizations and modifying rules promulgated by the Department of Financial Institutions. Referred to Assembly Financial Institutions
 
AB-782 Vehicle Liability Insurance (Sanfelippo, Joe (R)) Penalties for violations related to the motor vehicle liability insurance requirement, proof of financial responsibility, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty. Referred to Assembly Insurance
 
AB-793 Teacher Loan Program (Quinn, Romaine (R)) The teacher loan program. Referred to Assembly Mining and Rural Development
 
AB-794 Student Loan Reimbursement (Brooks, Edward (R)) Student loan reimbursements for certain individuals domiciled in rural counties, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. Referred to Assembly Mining and Rural Development
 
AB-797 Rural Physician Residency Program (Brooks, Edward (R)) Funding for the rural physician residency assistance program and making an appropriation. Referred to Assembly Mining and Rural Development
 
AB-808 Alcohol Beverage Violations (Ballweg, Joan (R)) Prohibiting issuance of citations for alcohol beverage violations to certain underage persons in connection with sexual assault or certain other crimes and prohibiting certain disciplinary sanctions if the underage person is a student. Referred to Assembly Criminal Justice and Public Safety
 
AB-816 Same Sex Marriage (Spreitzer, Mark (D)) Marriage between persons of the same sex and extending parentage rights to married couples of the same sex. Referred to Assembly Family Law
 
AB-819 Unemployment Insurance (Knodl, Daniel (R)) Various changes to the unemployment insurance law. Referred to Assembly Jobs and the Economy
 
AB-828 Audits of Choice Schools (Kitchens, Joel (R)) Independent financial audits of private schools participating in a parental choice program, a civics exam as a condition for obtaining a high school diploma, and factors for determining school and school district performance on the school and school district accountability report. Referred to Assembly Education

AB-852 Eligibility for Earned Income Tax Credit (Mason, Cory (D)) Expanding eligibility for the earned income tax credit; hospital best practices for postpartum patients and newborns; hospital staff privileges and written agreements required for nurse−midwives; coverage of nurse−midwives under the injured patients and families compensation fund; a report on information related to hospital neonatal intensive care units; an electronic application and information system to determine eligibility and register for public assistance programs; directing the Department of Health Services to request a Medical Assistance waiver; evidence−based home visitation program services for persons who are at risk of poor birth outcomes or of abusing or neglecting their children; designating race and ethnicity on birth certificates; a report on fetal and infant mortality and birth outcomes; requiring informed consent for performance on pregnant women of certain elective procedures prior to the full gestational term of a fetus; cultural competency training for certain students enrolled in the University of Wisconsin System and the technical college system; granting rule−making authority; and requiring the exercise of rule−making authority. Referred to Assembly State Affairs and Government Operations
 
AB-856 Long-Term Care Districts (Krug, Scott (R)) Long-term care districts and care management organizations. Referred to Joint Finance

Websites of Interest

2015-16 Session Schedule 

Senate Directory 

Assembly Directory 

Senate Committees 

Assembly Committees 

Weekly Schedule of Committee Activities 

Who Are My Legislators or type your address in the top right hand corner of the Legislature's Home Page: http://legis.wisconsin.gov/ 

Wisconsin Eye - Independent, nonpartisan video coverage of state government proceedings.

Capitol Update is a periodic e-mail on legislative issues from the Wisconsin Catholic Conference.

 

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