A MESSAGE FROM JESSE
As you may know, it’s census time! April 1, 2020 is Census Day. Every 10 years, the federal government conducts a population count of everyone in the United States. Data from the census provide the basis for distributing more than $675 billion in federal funds annually to communities across the country to support vital programs impacting housing, education, transportation, employment, health care, and public policy.
The data is also used to redraw the boundaries of congressional and state legislative districts and accurately determine the number of congressional seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Responding to the census is your civic duty, and the data collected from the 2020 Census is very important in improving your overall community. It is the first census in which people will be able to participate via the internet. However, the Census Bureau still needs to hire thousands of part-time and full-time field workers so that areas without internet access know about and end up taking the census.
It’s very important that you are counted! You can apply to work as a census worker and make sure people in your area are counted here.
Assembly Bill 744
Today, I testified on Assembly Bill 744 with my colleague, Senator Kathy Bernier. Currently in Wisconsin, if a prisoner throws or expels any bodily substances at or toward an officer or other person in a prison facility, a court may order the prisoner to undergo testing for communicable diseases if there is probable cause to believe there was potential for transmitting a communicable disease to the victim.
This bill will allow a court to require such testing for any criminal defendant who throws or expels any bodily substance at or toward a public safety worker or prosecutor. Being familiar with exposure incidents, it is frustrating for the officer. When they are dealing with someone who may be a needle-user, and are exposed to a bodily fluid, usually blood, or spit, it is stressful. Usually they get exposed to the fluid via eyes, nose, and/or mouth, and it is bad. What would go through your minds if you swallowed someone’s spit, or blood? It isn’t good.
It will give public safety workers and prosecutors the peace of mind that if an offender expels or throws a bodily substance at them, testing will occur, and it will occur in a timely manner. We need to make sure public safety workers return home to their families after such an exposure, knowing testing will be done, and results will be coming. Our public safety workers protect and serve us on a daily basis, and I look forward to this legislation passing so we can protect and serve them. It is the common sense thing to do.
State of State Address
Yesterday, Governor Evers gave his State of the State address to a joint meeting of the State Legislature. There are things I don’t agree with the Governor on, and there are things that I am interested in learning more about. There was some slight jabs last night from the Governor, but I was definitely intrigued by his idea of helping rural communities and our dairy farmers. Although we have not seen his ideas or been involved in them, I am interested in what he is proposing and I will look them over. I want to work with anyone who wants to work with me to help make our communities stronger. If you have ideas on how we can make our communities better please reach out to me, I am all ears.
Slow Down or Move Over
In Wisconsin, we have the slow down, or move over law. That means if you see emergency vehicles alongside the road, or a car stopped, you need to slow down, or move over to protect the people on the side of the road. It’s so important for us to remember to be alert and cautious when driving so we don’t hurt first responders and the people they are helping when we are on the road. Be safe out there!
Thanks for Visiting!
This week, I had members from credit unions, dairy farmers, ABATE of Wisconsin, and UW-Stout students visit my office! I love when constituents visit my office and share what is going on in their lives and their profession.
In the News
Eau Claire Leader Telegram: CVTC will ask for $48.8M in referendum
I hope this information is helpful. If there is anything I can ever do, please do not hesitate to ask.
Sincerely,
