MADISON, Wis – The Wisconsin State Assembly held the final Assembly Session of the calendar year. During the session, the Assembly heard 43 bills.
Following the floor session, Representative DeSanto (D-40) released the following statement:
“On the last session day of the calendar year, I believe that the Assembly should be focused on legislation that will help Wisconsinites, like lowering costs, strengthening our public schools, and making sure Wisconsinites are fed. These are issues that I have heard about countless times from my constituents. Instead of addressing issues that people care deeply about, Republicans are pushing forward bills that would close schools and make it harder to teach. Meanwhile, countless bills with bipartisan support, such as post-partum Medicaid expansion, sit in committee to likely never see time on the Assembly floor.
“I was very concerned and disappointed by the number of bills that incentivized school consolidation. For over a decade under Republican leadership, public school funding has fallen far behind inflation and our schools are struggling to do more with less. The bills that we heard today, especially those aimed at consolidating schools, are just another step in their plan towards dismantling public education. When school districts consolidate it hurts students, communities, and local economies. Consolidation fundamentally changes communities, disproportionately negatively affects rural communities, and forces families to make difficult choices about whether to subject their kids to hours on the bus or leave the district. This is wrong. We should be supporting schools with the resources that they need and strengthening them.
“We need to defend our schools, not defund or close them.”
