Rep. Kitchens: Montessori teaching license bill signed into law

MADISON – State Representative Joel Kitchens (R-Sturgeon Bay) released the following statement after 2017 Senate Bill 299, the Montessori Teacher’s License bill was signed into law as 2017 Act 106: “I am very pleased that the Montessori Teacher’s License Bill has been signed into law by Governor Walker. Wisconsin has been struggling with a teacher shortage over the last few years, especially in rural areas, and this bill is another great step in addressing this situation. This bipartisan bill will allow for additional qualified teachers to obtain their initial teaching license without compromising the standards we hold for educators in

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Rep. Considine: Attends bill signings

CONTACT: Rep. Considine (608) 266-7746 Rep.Considine@legis.wisconsin.gov Madison – Today, Governor Scott Walker signed two bills into law that were authored with the contributions of Rep. Dave Considine (D-Baraboo): Assembly Bill (AB) 250 and 251 were authored by the Assembly Education Committee, of which Rep. Considine is a member. Both bills make changes to update the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) administrative code regarding grant administration. AB 253 was authored by Rep. Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan) and Sen. Luther Olsen (R-Ripon). It clarifies, among other measures, that published foreclosure sale notices must include the street address of the property and the sum

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WI League of Conservation Voters: Walker DNR appointment a brazen political maneuver

CONTACT: Ryan Billingham, Communications Director, Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters, 608-208-1129 (office), 608-213-6972 (mobile/text), or ryan@conservationvoters.org   MADISON – Governor Scott Walker accelerated his dismantling of the state’s Department of Natural Resources and its ability to protect the state’s environment this week by appointing as its chief lawyer longtime political operative Jake Curtis. Curtis, a partisan ideologue who has openly advocated for policies that will destroy Wisconsin’s natural resources, now represents what was once one of the country’s finest conservation agencies. Curtis has recently supported efforts to allow America’s most toxic industry, sulfide mining, to run roughshod over Wisconsin’s waters,

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THU PM Update: UW-Madison Business School asks ‘alumni and friends’ to help recruit new MBA students

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — The UW-Madison Business School is calling on its “alumni and friends” to help recruit new students, following a decision to drop a plan to suspend for a year its full-time MBA program. The school had been mulling a shuttering of its MBA program entirely in favor of adding more specialized degrees. But after receiving pushback f… Please log in to access subscriber content. If you don’t have a subscription, click here for a WisPolitics free trial and to view the different subscription options. Username or E-mail Password * Remember Me    

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Gov. Walker: Signs 36 bills into law

Contact: Tom Evenson, (608) 266-2839 MADISON – Governor Scott Walker signed thirty-six bills into law today at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Senate Bill 198 – This bill harmonizes state and federal law to provide that heavy-duty vehicles with idle reduction technology and vehicles that operate on natural gas may exceed certain weight limits. Authored by Senator Jerry Petrowski (R—Marathon) and Representative John Spiros (R—Marshfield), the bill passed the Senate on a voice vote and was concurred by the Assembly on a voice vote. It is Act 85. Senate Bill 248 – This bill creates a state herb classification to the

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We Think Big: Orgs help youth crack code

The local consortium Tech Education Alliance (T.E.A.), representing 20 organizations, tech businesses and agencies working to provide accessible tech-oriented education for learners in Dane County, along with Code.Org are offering local opportunities to learn coding and computer science during the national Hour of Code and National Computer Science Education Week, December 4-10, 2017. The event, held in recognition of the birthday of computing pioneer Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, is an annual program dedicated to inspiring K-12 students to take interest in computer science. It is celebrated by 350 partners and 100,000 educators worldwide. Interest in tech education programs for students,

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Flynn campaign: Releases proposal to fix student loan crisis

Contact: Bryan Kennedy – (414) 517-3864 (Green Bay) – Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Matt Flynn today unveiled his proposal to fix the student loan crisis at an event at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay. Flynn said, “Banks, abetted by their Republican cohorts in the Legislature, are profiting at the expense of our students.” “When student loan programs began, the federal government loaned money directly to students, or bank loans were part of a federally-regulated and subsidized system,” Flynn continued. “The program was designed to allow students to focus on their education and to graduate with a degree in a timely manner.

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Rep. Pronschinske: Dispatcher assisted CPR bill receives public hearing

Contact: Rep. Treig E. Pronschinske (608) 266-7015 Madison – Today, Representative Treig Pronschinske (Mondovi) testified in support of Assembly Bill (AB 654) which would require dispatcher assisted bystander CPR training. The bill was authored by Rep. Pronschinske, along with Senator Jerry Petrowski (Marathon), in an effort to ensure that anyone in Wisconsin who dials 911 will receive dispatcher assisted CPR instructions if needed. This bill would require that a Public Service Answering Point, known as PSAP either have dispatchers trained to give telephone CPR instructions, or transfer the call to another PSAP who can. This bill provides funding for PSAPs

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State of Wisconsin Investment Board: Rick Smirl appointed SWIB Executive Director

Contact: Vicki Hearing vicki.hearing@swib.state.wi.us (608) 261-2415 Madison, Wisconsin – Rick Smirl has been appointed executive director of the State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB). Smirl is currently a partner and chief operating officer at William Blair Investment Management. The firm provides investment solutions to individuals, pension funds, insurance companies, corporations, state an… Please log in to access subscriber content. If you don’t have a subscription, click here for a WisPolitics free trial and to view the different subscription options.

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Foxconn deal to raise state’s profile for venture investment

Ripple effects from the Foxconn deal will raise the state’s profile for venture investment, says Department of Administration Secretary Scott Nietzel. He spoke as part of a panel at the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce Future Wisconsin Summit yesterday in Madison. “With Foxconn saying, ‘We want to be in Wisconsin, here’s the ecosystem that we want to build,’ that’s going to attract a lot of venture capital into the state,” he said. “We’re already seeing a lot of talk about venture capital re-looking at Wisconsin or looking at Wisconsin for the first time.” And though Democrats and environmental groups have voiced

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Rep. Subeck: Recent sexual assault report prompts proposal to allow local licensing of transportation network company drivers

Contact: Zach Madden 608-266-7521(office) 608-620-3884 (cell) Madison, Wisconsin – Today, Representative Lisa Subeck (D-Madison) introduced LRB-0964 which would allow municipalities to require Transportation Network Company (TNC) drivers be licensed locally. The legislation was prompted by a number of reports of criminal activity including robbery, battery, and sexual assault allegedly committed by TNC drivers since the 2015 implementation of a state law prohibiting local regulation of TNCs and their drivers by local units of government. The most recent allegation came last weekend when a driver for the TNC Uber was arrested after a 20 year old woman reported that after arriving outside

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Hovde won’t decide on U.S. Senate run until after the holidays

Hovde won’t decide on U.S. Senate run until after the holidays Madison businessman Eric Hovde has pushed back making a decision on running for the U.S. Senate until after the holidays. Hovde, who ran for the GOP Senate nomination in 2012, told WisPolitics.com earlier this year that he hoped to make a decision after dropping off his daughter at college and then taking a vacation with his wife to m… Please log in to access subscriber content. If you don’t have a subscription, click here for a WisPolitics free trial and to view the different subscription options.

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Baldwin to give to charity Garrison Keillor donations

Baldwin to give to charity Garrison Keillor donations U.S. Sen Tammy Baldwin is donating $5,350 to charity to divest her campaign of a donation from Garrison Keillor, the latest media figure to be hit with allegations of sexual harassment. Earlier this month, the Madison Dem announced she would donate $20,000 to charity to match the donations she received from Al Franken’s PAC after the Minnesota… Please log in to access subscriber content. If you don’t have a subscription, click here for a WisPolitics free trial and to view the different subscription options.

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Rep. Kitchens: Montessori teaching license bill signed into law

MADISON – State Representative Joel Kitchens (R-Sturgeon Bay) released the following statement after 2017 Senate Bill 299, the Montessori Teacher’s License bill was signed into law as 2017 Act 106: “I am very pleased that the Montessori Teacher’s License Bill has been signed into law by Governor Walker. Wisconsin has

Read More »

Rep. Considine: Attends bill signings

CONTACT: Rep. Considine (608) 266-7746 Rep.Considine@legis.wisconsin.gov Madison – Today, Governor Scott Walker signed two bills into law that were authored with the contributions of Rep. Dave Considine (D-Baraboo): Assembly Bill (AB) 250 and 251 were authored by the Assembly Education Committee, of which Rep. Considine is a member. Both bills

Read More »

WI League of Conservation Voters: Walker DNR appointment a brazen political maneuver

CONTACT: Ryan Billingham, Communications Director, Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters, 608-208-1129 (office), 608-213-6972 (mobile/text), or ryan@conservationvoters.org   MADISON – Governor Scott Walker accelerated his dismantling of the state’s Department of Natural Resources and its ability to protect the state’s environment this week by appointing as its chief lawyer longtime political

Read More »

Gov. Walker: Signs 36 bills into law

Contact: Tom Evenson, (608) 266-2839 MADISON – Governor Scott Walker signed thirty-six bills into law today at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Senate Bill 198 – This bill harmonizes state and federal law to provide that heavy-duty vehicles with idle reduction technology and vehicles that operate on natural gas may exceed

Read More »

We Think Big: Orgs help youth crack code

The local consortium Tech Education Alliance (T.E.A.), representing 20 organizations, tech businesses and agencies working to provide accessible tech-oriented education for learners in Dane County, along with Code.Org are offering local opportunities to learn coding and computer science during the national Hour of Code and National Computer Science Education Week,

Read More »

Flynn campaign: Releases proposal to fix student loan crisis

Contact: Bryan Kennedy – (414) 517-3864 (Green Bay) – Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Matt Flynn today unveiled his proposal to fix the student loan crisis at an event at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay. Flynn said, “Banks, abetted by their Republican cohorts in the Legislature, are profiting at the expense of

Read More »

Rep. Pronschinske: Dispatcher assisted CPR bill receives public hearing

Contact: Rep. Treig E. Pronschinske (608) 266-7015 Madison – Today, Representative Treig Pronschinske (Mondovi) testified in support of Assembly Bill (AB 654) which would require dispatcher assisted bystander CPR training. The bill was authored by Rep. Pronschinske, along with Senator Jerry Petrowski (Marathon), in an effort to ensure that anyone

Read More »

State of Wisconsin Investment Board: Rick Smirl appointed SWIB Executive Director

Contact: Vicki Hearing vicki.hearing@swib.state.wi.us (608) 261-2415 Madison, Wisconsin – Rick Smirl has been appointed executive director of the State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB). Smirl is currently a partner and chief operating officer at William Blair Investment Management. The firm provides investment solutions to individuals, pension funds, insurance companies, corporations, state

Read More »

Foxconn deal to raise state’s profile for venture investment

Ripple effects from the Foxconn deal will raise the state’s profile for venture investment, says Department of Administration Secretary Scott Nietzel. He spoke as part of a panel at the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce Future Wisconsin Summit yesterday in Madison. “With Foxconn saying, ‘We want to be in Wisconsin, here’s

Read More »

Rep. Subeck: Recent sexual assault report prompts proposal to allow local licensing of transportation network company drivers

Contact: Zach Madden 608-266-7521(office) 608-620-3884 (cell) Madison, Wisconsin – Today, Representative Lisa Subeck (D-Madison) introduced LRB-0964 which would allow municipalities to require Transportation Network Company (TNC) drivers be licensed locally. The legislation was prompted by a number of reports of criminal activity including robbery, battery, and sexual assault allegedly committed by

Read More »

Baldwin to give to charity Garrison Keillor donations

Baldwin to give to charity Garrison Keillor donations U.S. Sen Tammy Baldwin is donating $5,350 to charity to divest her campaign of a donation from Garrison Keillor, the latest media figure to be hit with allegations of sexual harassment. Earlier this month, the Madison Dem announced she would donate $20,000

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