Madison – Yesterday, the Assembly passed many bills, as we approach the end of the 2021-2022 Legislative Session. Rep. Dave Considine (D-Baraboo) released the following statement on the passage of this legislation:
“The Assembly passed a number of proposals that do not align with the needs of Wisconsinites. Assembly Bill (AB) 572 passed the Assembly yesterday, which protects firearm manufacturers from liability for unlawful use of a firearm by a third party. I find this bill frustrating as my colleagues continue to push for more and more liability for teachers and schools. AB 572 prioritizes the firearm industry over the safety of the people. This is unconscionable and ignores the growing problem of gun violence in our state and our country. Instead legislative leaders should take up bills like the one I recently introduced which creates the Firearm Self-Exclusion Program, along with other common sense proposals like Universal Background Checks and Extreme Risk Protection Orders.
“We also took up Assembly Joint Resolution (AJR) 112, as amended by Assembly Substitute Amendment (ASA) 2 which amends the Wisconsin Constitution to prohibit the Governor from allocating any federal funds without legislative approval. This Joint Resolution passed along party lines. I voted against this resolution as it would diminish the Governor’s ability to respond to emergencies and slow down the implementation of important funding. When the pandemic began in 2020, the Assembly went ten months without taking any actions to help Wisconsinites face the pandemic. I continually asked legislative leaders to bring us back and call an extraordinary session so that we could help the people of Wisconsin, without avail. If this resolution were in place in these early days, Governor Evers would not have had the ability take swift action and allocate funding. As a result, Wisconsinites would have been left without any support for 10 months.
“Since the pandemic began, Governor Evers has allocated $4.5 billion in available federal funding. This funding has gone directly to Wisconsinites in need. Governor Evers has distributed federal funds for small businesses, broadband expansion, farm support, food security, homelessness, workforce innovation, mental health services, education, and more. Aid has been allocated to all corners of the state, including the 81st Assembly District. Our district received around $3.5 million in small business grants from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, not to mention the millions of dollars that small businesses received from Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding. Without this funding and swift action from Governor Evers, countless small businesses would have had to close their doors. The pandemic has shown us that the Governor needs these powers.”
