Progressive Thinking

Senator Smith breaks down his past two weeks of meetings filled with citizens from all walks of life and stresses the importance of sharing real life experience to improve our state.

MADISON - A typical week in our Madison office includes meetings with constituents who drive to Madison to advocate for organizations spanning all sorts of topics they are concerned about. In person meetings in the Capitol with citizens from the 31^st Senate District are always uplifting and educational for me.

Oftentimes organizations will dedicate an annual lobby day for their members to visit the Capitol and educate legislators like me. In the last two weeks of February alone we hosted visitors for Dairy Business Day, the American Planners Association Day, Wisconsin Beverage Association Day and Nurses Day at the Capitol.

We also met with citizens representing the Association of Independent Colleges, the American Council of Engineering Companies, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin over the course of three days.

Other meetings peppered throughout the week included students from UW River Falls and Altoona High School, River Falls Chamber of Commerce members, Carpenters Union members and ABATE of Wisconsin advocating for motorcycle riders rights. Again, all those groups and individuals met in-person with me in my office during the last two weeks.

No two meetings are the same, and each group brings at least 2-3 different topics to discuss. It’s a lot of juggling to squeeze everyone into the schedule and it’s incredible to learn the amount of information I gather from citizen lobbyists.

On top of those previously mentioned meetings was the annual Chippewa Valley Rally last Wednesday. Every year area chambers of commerce have their own special advocacy day to promote their region or city. There’s Central Wisconsin Days and Superior Days, for instance. But, for me, it’s a source of pride when so many excellent advocates from the Chippewa Valley take over the halls of the Capitol for one day and lobby my colleagues about our region. This year there were 124 people wearing the familiar Chippewa Valley Rally scarves talking to legislators and staff from all over the state. It makes a great impression.

Citizen lobbying is still the most valuable and inspiring form of advocacy we have. During the course of the year, thousands of citizens visit their Capitol building to speak to their legislators. Some come as individuals representing themselves while others attend with a large group.

While it may work well for some to drive to Madison to lobby us, it isn’t possible for most people. Their form of lobbying shows up in our mailbox or by telephone. That’s incredibly impactful, particularly if the letter or email is composed by the individual rather than a form-generated email.

What many people may not realize is that our office is really an office of constituent service. People call us when they have difficulties navigating a state agency or service. It could be someone needing answers about Medicaid or unemployment insurance. It could be questions for the Department of Workforce Development about layoffs or information about apprenticeship programs. Or, when in need, we can connect people to the Office of Commissioner of Insurance about flood insurance or the Department of Safety and Professional Services about getting a professional license. The staff in my office spend much of their time connecting people to the professionals that can help.

As your State Senator, I appreciate everyone from all walks of life informing me about your hard earned life experience and finding ways to improve our state. There’s nothing more valuable than sharing real life experience.

We can accommodate groups of any size. We had 24 nurses for their advocacy day while one doctor of pediatrics met with me to lay out their needs for state support. Some larger meetings we move to a conference room while most we can handle in our office. There’s no meeting too small or too large when it comes to ordinary citizens sharing their stories.

We like to say that the Capitol is the People’s House for a reason. Even if you just happen to be visiting for fun we welcome you to stop in our office in room 19 South, meet the staff and give a few words of advice. We’re there to listen and learn.

Senator Smith represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.

Sen. Smith and Rep. Emerson examine the challenges presented by the recent HSHS closures in the Chippewa Valley and the importance of maintaining flexibility with the $15 million approved by the legislature.

EAU CLAIRE - The announcement that HSHS was closing Both Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s Hospitals by April 21^st came as a surprise to everyone in the Chippewa Valley.

Thankfully, all of us have pulled together to solve this crisis. The rapid departure of HSHS leaves Chippewa Valley communities reeling from 2 hospital closures, 19 clinic closures, 1,600 people unemployed and over 40,000 patients wondering how their healthcare needs will be filled.

Everyone felt the urgency when the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce managed to pull together a meeting of officials and professionals to brainstorm what the next moves would be to fill the void left behind.

Bipartisan agreement was found to transfer the unused $15 million from HSHS for expanding behavioral health to other area providers. However, the disagreement is whether we should restrict them while responding to this crisis. It’s like showing up to a fire and we all agree to turn on the water, but some think a garden hose will do the trick instead of letting the firefighters use what they need.

We did our homework from the start by talking to the healthcare providers in the area that are trying to figure out how to pick up the pieces. We met with officials from Oakleaf, Marshfield, Mayo and even HSHS to learn what we could do to help. We connected them with state agencies to answer questions and determine ways to implement services easier and faster. We connected with the Department of Justice, the Department of Health Services, the Department of Safety & Professional Services as well as the Department of Administration.

We learned that the greatest needs include expediting licensing and expanding urgent care, obstetrics, behavioral health, dialysis, and even primary care services. Most importantly, we learned we needed to prevent losing valuable medical professionals who were employed by HSHS. Even if other hospitals and clinics physically expand they won’t be able to provide the services needed without the personnel. Bricks can’t take a pulse and drywall can’t perform dialysis.

Colleagues of ours hurriedly put together two bills, Senate Bill 1014 (BS 1014) and Senate Bill 1015 (SB 1015) – SB 1015 reappropriates the $15 million; SB 1014 limits the funds only to emergency room construction, but not for medical personnel to staff it. If the authors of the bill would’ve done their homework like we did, they would’ve understood the importance of keeping these funds flexible.

Patients and health care providers shouldn’t have to wait for political maneuvers. This is a crisis and the funds should be immediate and flexible.

After the bills were introduced and public hearings held, we introduced amendments to the bills to remove the restrictions. We approached area Republicans with a solution but they failed to get their Republican colleagues behind the much needed changes based on area healthcare providers.

Simply put, we would be better off if the restrictions in SB 1014 don’t become law – promising $15 million with no realistic way to use it is foolish. This is an unusual case when doing something is worse than doing nothing. If the bill sent to the governor were to be signed into law, the Chippewa Valley will be back at square one with a lot of wasted effort for no gain.

Written by Senator Jeff Smith & Representative Jodi Emerson.

Senator Smith represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.

Senator Smith writes about the Wisconsin Senate Scholar Program and the importance of participating in our democracy.

MADISON - In the Wisconsin State Senate there is a program for high school juniors and seniors to learn more about how your Wisconsin State Senate operates. It’s called the Wisconsin Senate Scholars Program. It is designed for students who want to learn what goes on in their government and in the Capitol building.

Senate Scholars spend an entire week learning and participating in all facets of the legislative process. They meet with their Senator and staff, legislative support agencies, the press, lobbyists, representatives, the executive branch, the judicial branch, as well as many others who work within state government. Scholars can even be on the Senate floor while the senate is in session. The week’s activities culminate in a mock legislative hearing at which Senate Scholars provide and obtain testimony and then hold an executive session to vote a bill out of committee.

Admission to the program is highly competitive and limited to 33 academically exceptional high school juniors and seniors from around Wisconsin. Expectations are high as Senate Scholars must have outstanding academic qualifications and experiences that demonstrate an ability to perform tasks with a high degree of responsibility.

It’s fun to meet these future leaders as they work the Senate floor and attend hearings. And it is especially fun when one of the scholars comes from my own district. Last week Perry Kotz, a senior at River Falls, was among the scholars I had the honor of meeting. Perry must have impressed his fellow scholars as well since they chose him to be Committee Chair in the mock hearing they held.

Learning how government works firsthand is a valuable experience and I’m confident it makes an impression that leads to a lifetime of civic engagement for most who have the opportunity to participate. I would encourage all our young women and men to find ways to become engaged. Whether it be on their student council or volunteering for local civic groups and campaigns.

It’s always inspiring when teenagers petition their school board, city council, or county board on issues that affect their own life experience. The work of our government impacts everyone’s life. It is never too early or late to learn how it works and participate in democracy.

Spending an entire week in Madison at the State Capitol is truly a unique opportunity, but there are so many ways people can engage locally. First and foremost is voting – this is our fundamental right and responsibility to choose who represents our communities. Some candidates are active community members who may run for office locally, for the state or even the federal government. This is truly an incredible opportunity and builds a stronger government with individuals ready to serve with diverse viewpoints and experiences.

I’ve been asked how I decided to run for office numerous times. It’s hard not to get carried away with a long story, but it started with one issue that sparked my interest in a life of service. I was a late bloomer. It wasn’t until my children started school and I became engaged as a Parent Teacher Organization (PTA) member. From there, my interest in the public service continued to grow.

There are scores of individuals like me whose “long stories” began with working on a local issue that matters most to them. Eventually as you gain experience, people will notice and they will ask you to lead. Resist the temptation to say, “no,” or, “I’m too busy.” Eventually a life of service grounded with a single step becomes a full sprint.

There are countless pathways for participating in our government. I encourage everyone to keep exploring new opportunities to serve in your community. Someday when you’re asked how you started, you will say: “It’s a long story.”

Senator Smith represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.

Sen. Smith writes about how Republicans are using constitutional changes to get around the Governor’s veto pen.

MADISON - The best way for anyone in power to hold onto power is to change laws and limit public participation. We have seen that strategy played out many times for over a decade in Wisconsin.

Maybe the most obvious was when Tony Evers was elected as Governor, defeating the incumbent Scott Walker, and Josh Kaul was elected Attorney General. Both Evers and Kaul are Democrats and the gerrymandered Republican majority in the legislature went right to work to limit their powers. They called a lame duck session of the legislature in December of 2018 before Governor Evers and Attorney General Kaul were sworn in to weaken their powers through law changes. This set the stage for an uneasy relationship between the governor and the legislature which has not served anyone well.

Voters in Wisconsin have had only one option to try and stop this continual power consolidation. Voters have shown up and elected Democrats in almost every statewide election over that timeframe since. The result may not always show in legislation, but it sure does show in the jittery behavior of the Republicans who still control the legislature.

I’m sure you have heard the news about the Wisconsin Supreme Court that ruled the current legislative districts are unconstitutional and ordered new maps to be drawn. That ruling has Republicans frantically trying to do everything possible to hold onto power despite voters continually rejecting their agenda. They are using every trick up their sleeves to maintain their gerrymandered majorities in the Senate and Assembly.

I’m sure by the time you read this there will have been even more shenanigans attempted since I submitted this column. It’s nearly impossible to keep up with the schemes and angles Republicans have come up with almost daily.

While desperately clinging to gerrymandered maps, Republicans have found another way to stop voters from toppling their nearly 30 year control of the legislature. They are taking aim at our state’s constitution. Constitutional changes are introduced as resolutions to bypass the Governor’s veto pen. Once a resolution passes twice by both houses over the course of two consecutive sessions, it goes directly to voters in a referendum. It’s a cynical way to govern by changing our constitution for short-term political maneuvers.

While you will see several of these constitutional questions on your ballot over the course of this year, there is one I still hope we can stop. It is an attempt to permanently and effectively limit the way we conduct elections in Wisconsin.

Republicans are advancing a resolution to ban ranked choice voting in our constitution. Senate Joint Resolution 94 (SJR 94) was heard at a public hearing in the Senate Shared Revenue, Elections and Consumer Protection committee last week. It is a direct response to a bill I have championed for two sessions called Final Five Voting (FFV).

Keep in mind that if we were to adopt a change like FFV it would be in statutes which can easily be amended or even removed through future legislation if it doesn’t provide the improvements to our elections we hope it would. Republicans are so afraid of losing power they will go to great lengths to protect the status quo. You know, the status quo that has resulted in a Congress that can’t pass a budget or get anything meaningful done.

During the public hearing, SJR 94 attracted a lobbyist to come from Texas to testify that Wisconsin should change our constitution to their liking. I asked why lobbyists from other states should be so interested in interfering with how we vote in Wisconsin. We didn’t get a satisfactory answer, only that they think it’s a bad idea. Gee thanks for your concerns, Texas.

Everyone should be alarmed by political leaders actively attempting to derail any chance for change. We don’t need to agree on everything, and we shouldn’t, but we should all stand together against schemes that entrench power and limit our choices through misguided constitutional changes.

Senator Smith represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.

Senator Smith outlines the most common consumer complaints from DATCP and reinforces the importance of protecting personal information from professional scammers.

MADISON - Constituents visit the Capitol every week to lobby their Senators and Representatives on topics they care deeply about. Last week, hundreds of people came to Madison for Ag Day at the Capitol, the Credit Union League and the Rural Electric Cooperatives. I always enjoy the opportunity to meet with folks from western Wisconsin to learn more about their trade and how decisions made in Madison affect all of us back home.

A strong contingent of credit union members from the 31^st Senate District came to the Capitol to discuss a variety of issues affecting credit unions and their members. Topics ranged from financial literacy to childcare needs and elder abuse. While I have written and spoken often on the subject of childcare as well as financial literacy, I thought more awareness was needed to stop scammers.

Elderly family members and friends are often the most targeted. Elder abuse takes on many forms – physical, emotional, psychological and financial. During my conversations with credit union members, I heard stories that made me shudder. Consumer protection against scammers is important to prevent financial elder abuse.

While Credit Unions and Banks train their employees to recognize the warning signs when a client withdraws large amounts of money, they can’t stop every case. How does it happen? Why would someone transfer their savings to a stranger? Of course the targets are more often elderly and alone. There have been instances of scammers keeping their targeted person on the phone for 6 or 7 hours to wear them down. These thieves often get away with tens of thousands of dollars with no chance of tracking them down.

These stories are truly heartbreaking. It reminds us all that we must protect vulnerable family and friends from these scams. We need to make sure our loved ones know how to respond to someone who calls with questionable stories asking for or demanding money. Instruct them to call you or someone else they trust before continuing any conversation that seems suspicious.

Coincidentally, our Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) released their annual list of the top ten consumer complaints that give us some indication of what to look out for.

As usual landlord issues top the list with security deposit returns, evictions, unauthorized entries, inadequate disclosures, and unsatisfactory service being common complaints.

Telemarketing complaints came in a close second – many of which are scammers preying on the elderly. These complaints involved robocalls, phishing and spoofing, imposter scams, and Wisconsin Do Not Call Registry issues.

Fortunately there are things happening to prevent these unwanted criminal calls. Last year, DATCP teamed up with the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) to join the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and agencies from all the other 49 states and the District of Columbia to create the Operation Stop Scam Calls initiative. This group is tasked with cracking down on illegal telemarketing operations responsible for billions of unwanted calls to U.S. consumers. This group successfully started a lawsuit against a company that allegedly sent or transmitted approximately 157 million calls to Wisconsin phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry.

Other complaints that topped the list include some familiar cases. Fly by night home improvement services, telecommunication companies, medical services companies, motor vehicle companies and many more.

Sometimes, we hear these stories about people who are conned out of thousands of dollars and we think to ourselves, “I’m smart enough to know better.” Just remember, these people are professionals. We need treat them that way. Don’t let your guard down. Protect your personal information and always verify with someone before sending any money, especially when someone tells you the opportunity is too good to pass up or you are in trouble if you don’t do what they want.

There is much to be vigilant about so we are not taken advantage of. Looking out for ourselves and the elderly is something we can all do to protect ourselves from abusers who attempt to scam us at every turn.

Senator Smith represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.