WI Governor and legislators agree on some things

It has been a relatively busy week for Wisconsin lawmakers and Governor Tony Evers. After a 2019 legislative session that saw very few accomplishments outside of passing a new state budget, lawmakers have been busy passing bills and sending them to the Governor for his signature. The state senate approved the confirmation of two more of Governor Evers’ cabinet secretaries, more than a year after their appointment. Better late than never. The Senate also passed bills restricting the use of certain chemicals from firefighting foam called PFAS which have been showing up in Wisconsin’s water supplies. The Senate also approved one of eight bills providing money to fight homelessness in the state, although the rest of the bills, despite bipartisan support, have yet to pass. Senators passed a bill allowing people to take selfies at their polling place, which seems unnecessary, and somewhat irreverant for what is otherwise a place of decorum. Governor Evers signed two bills into law, one of which seeks to prevent the spread of Lyme disease by forcing state parks to sell insect repellent. The other bill signed into law allows for the collection of restitution from government workers guilty of misconduct. It stems from a case out of Eau Claire, where the former county treasurer and deputy treasurer were found guilty of misappropriating money. The change in state law allows the county to solicit restitution from the former employee’s state retirement account. These may be small steps, but collectively show that despite their differences, state lawmakers can agree on some things to make life a little better in Wisconsin.