Meaningful discussions needed with Governor

The weather is starting to cool down, the kids are back in school and soon the leaves will change. The Central Wisconsin State Fair and Labor Day are behind us for another year.

The legislature is returning from its summer recess, a period of time when we have more time to spend back in our districts and learning more about what our constituents want us to fight for in Madison. The message remains loud and clear: people need jobs and want to maintain their Wisconsin quality of life – good schools, services and a vital community to be involved in.

Unfortunately, our kids are returning to larger class sizes. Our towns and cities are weathering cuts to shared revenue passed by the majority party. The recent cuts to public employees’ paychecks are going to mean less money to spend at the fish fry or at local small businesses.

The real solutions to these challenges lie in meaningful discussion and debate between legislators on both sides of the aisle and with Governor Scott Walker. Time and time again in the past nine months my colleagues and I have urged those in the majority party and the governor to sit down at the table and discuss the way forward for Wisconsin. We have introduced numerous amendments to bills on the floor of the state Assembly which were voted down before they had a chance to be discussed. Unfortunately, our suggestions have been met with very little of a response, and not much legislation introduced by the minority party has been considered, let alone been given a public hearing.

I have authored a select amount of legislation this year important to central Wisconsin that have bipartisan support and I am hopeful that the majority party will grant my requests for a public hearing and let these bills move to the floor of the state Assembly. I have again introduced legislation to restrict the sale of novelty lighters to minors. We all learn at a very young age to not play with matches and lighters, but unfortunately novelty lighters that look like toys are becoming more and more popular. I have worked with the Pittsville Fire Department on this life-saving legislation, and I hope that it can be debated on the floor of the state Assembly.

You may have heard of cougar sightings and attacks throughout the state in the past year. I have introduced a bill to help protect agricultural production in case of a cougar attack.

Currently, someone who owns, leases, or controls land on which certain wild animals cause damage to crops or livestock can apply to the county for wildlife damage claim payments. The bill that I introduced adds “wildlife damage caused by cougar” to the type of damage for which a person is eligible to receive wildlife damage payments. We must do what we can to protect the livelihood of our farmers.

Also, I am working on drafting legislation relating to standards for coroners. Many people forget until they see it on the ballot every four years in November that the coroner is a partisan elected official. This bill rewrites state statutes to clarify what coroners and medical examiners need to do in preparing bodies and conducting investigations, and creates a governing board to institute training and testing requirements for coroners and medical examiners. After consulting with the Wisconsin Coroners and Medical Examiners Association, I believe that instituting these changes clarifies what coroners and medical examiners should be following.

Also, creating a governing board would arm our constitutional officers with the skills to do their jobs correctly and efficiently. This is a necessary change to current law which will make coroners and medical examiners more accountable to the people.  

I am hopeful that the legislature can come together to do what is best for the people of Wisconsin. As always, my office is available to assist you with concerns you may have, or how this or any legislation will impact you. I can be reached via e-mail at Rep.Vruwink@legis.wisconsin.gov or by phone toll-free at 1-888-534-0070.

Amy Sue Vruwink represents part of our local area in the state Assembly.