Study Committee Update: Direct Primary Care Committee Discusses Employer Models, Physician Burnout, Legislation

The Study Committee on Direct Primary Care (DPC) met for the second time on Aug. 29. The committee heard from several presenters and engaged in discussion on what the future work from the committee might look like. First, Rep. Joe Sanfelippo (R-New Berlin) and Sen. Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield) gave the committee an overview of the […]

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Study Committee Update: School Trust Funds Committee Discusses Fund Management Strategy

The Study Committee on Investment and Use of School Trust Funds met for the second time on Sept. 5. The meeting focused on how and by whom the school trust fund should be managed. Areas of interest to committee members included adopting new strategies to increase the fund’s returns and reexamining the Board of Commissioners […]

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Study Committee Update: Alcohol Beverages Enforcement Committee Discusses Three-Tier, Agency Enforcement

The Study Committee on Alcohol Beverages Enforcement met for the second time on Aug. 22. The hearing started with attorneys from Wisconsin Towns and Wisconsin Municipalities Associations discussing how they handle inquiries from their members as to what is and is not allowable under Wisconsin law. Both groups said that they predominantly deal with the […]

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EPA Proposes Affordable Clean Energy Rule

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released the proposed Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Rule, which replaces the 2015 Clean Power Plan. A rule promulgated during the previous administration, the Clean Power Plan imposed costly regulatory burdens on power plants in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. EPA proposed repealing the Clean Power Plan […]

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Study Committee on Investment and Use of School Trust Funds Meets

The Study Committee on the Investment and Use of the School Trust Funds met for the first time on Aug. 16, 2018. The committee, chaired by Rep. Terry Katsma (R-Oostburg) and Sen. Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee), is tasked with reviewing the investment process and loan programs under the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands (BCPL). The […]

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Study Committee on Property Tax Assessments Meets

The Study Committee on Property Tax Assessment Practices met for the first time on Aug. 7, 2018. The committee, chaired by Sen. Luther Olsen (R-Ripon) and Rep. Scott Allen (R-Waukesha), is tasked with reviewing and recommending changes to current property tax assessment practices in Wisconsin, including the role of comparable sales and market segments in […]

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Study Committee on Body Cameras Meets

The Study Committee on the Use of Police Body Cameras met for the first time on July 26, 2018. The committee, chaired by Sen. Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point) and Rep. Chris Taylor (D-Madison), is tasked with “review[ing] law enforcement policies regarding the use of body cameras and recommend[ing] legislation to establish uniform procedures regarding the […]

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Study Committee on Alcohol Beverages Enforcement Meets

The Study Committee on Alcohol Beverages Enforcement met for the first time on July 25, 2018. The committee, chaired by Rep. Rob Swearingen (R-Rhinelander) and Sen. Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac), is tasked with reviewing the structure and enforcement of Wisconsin’s alcohol regulation efforts within the Department of Revenue (DOR). The study committee comes after a […]

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Thompson Center Holds Criminal Justice Conference

The Tommy Thompson Center on Public Leadership held a two-day conference last week focusing on Criminal Justice Reform. The program discussed how lawmakers can address criminal justice reform in “more cost-efficient and liberty-enhancing” ways while still prioritizing public safety. Topics included prisoner re-entry into the workforce, prosecutorial discretion, and civil asset forfeiture. The first panels […]

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Special Session Bill Package Circulates

In early January, Governor Walker issued Executive Order 230, calling the Wisconsin State Legislature into special session to combat opioid abuse. In addition to calling for a special session, the governor directed his state agencies to take various administrative actions. The announcement came after the release of a report from the Governor’s Task Force on Opioid Abuse. […]

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