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President Risser appointed Senators Lasee and Lehman to escort his excellency, the Governor, to the Joint Convention.
Senator Robson, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate adjourn until Thursday, February 1, upon the rising of the Joint Convention.
Senator Robson, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate recess until 6:30 P.M.
1:14 P.M.
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6:30 P.M.
The Senate reconvened.
The Chair, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate recess for the purpose of awaiting the Governor's State of the State Address in Joint Convention in the Assembly Chambers at 7:00 P.M.
The Senate stood recessed.
6:35 P.M.
The Senate proceeded in a body to the Assembly Chamber to meet in Joint Convention to receive the State of the State Message.
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Senate President Risser in the Chair.
The Committee to wait upon the Governor appeared with his excellency the Governor, who delivered his message as follows:
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“Speaker Huebsch, Speaker Pro Tem Gottlieb, President Risser, Majority Leader Robson, Lieutenant Governor Lawton, Constitutional Officers, Supreme Court Justices, members of the Legislature, tribal leaders, members of the Cabinet, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens of Wisconsin.
Let me begin by congratulating the new leadership in the Assembly and Senate. It's a new day in our state...and I believe we do can great things for Wisconsin.
Three months ago, we were entrusted with a sacred responsibility by the people of Wisconsin. On November 7th, they issued a mandate not for any party, but a mandate for action. They want us to end the divisiveness and partisan fighting, and focus instead on making progress for middle class families. Democrats, Republicans...let us pledge tonight: we will come together...to get things done.
In the past year, we've added tens of thousands of new jobs, made new breakthroughs in medical research, and expanded our manufacturing base while other states faced a decline. We changed the minimum wage to give working families a raise, we changed laws to keep sex predators away from our kids, and we changed lives by protecting and investing in our schools.
Today, we're safer, stronger, and ready to seize the opportunities of our time...
The opportunity to lead the nation in renewable energy - using our resources - smartly - to power our cities and power new jobs...
The opportunity to revolutionize medical science with stem cell research, pioneered right here in Wisconsin.
The opportunity to make health care affordable for every Wisconsin family...
The opportunity to fulfill a promise to the next generation - to make college affordable and available to every kid willing to do the work and make the grade.
Yes, in 2007 Wisconsin is a place where anything is possible. And over the next four years, let's make it our number one priority to expand the opportunities available to every citizen of Wisconsin.
There's one challenge we have to address head-on: the middle class squeeze. From filling up the tank to paying the health care premium, it's still too hard for many families to make ends meet.
Wisconsin must remain the state of opportunity for all. We must fight to ensure that middle class families thrive.
Two weeks from tonight, I'll present a budget designed to do just that, while putting our fiscal house in order. It will cut waste and yes, cut taxes for hardworking Wisconsin families.
Fiscal Responsibility
We must always stay true to a basic Wisconsin value: living within our means. In the 1990's, state government created a huge financial mess for us. It was a ticking time bomb of runaway commitments and excessive spending that exploded four years ago, and we are still cleaning up the wreckage.
We've cut the size and cost of government, eliminated overhead, balanced two straight budgets, and cut the so-called structural deficit in half. Yet we still have more work to do, or we'll face a growing imbalance between what we spend and what we take in. In my budget, we'll make some tough choices, and take the next steps to put our state on a permanent path of fiscal responsibility.
We'll work on behalf of middle-class families on many fronts, from producing clean and affordable energy to creating new, high paying jobs. But two priorities stand out above the rest: first, making quality health care affordable to all, and second, preparing our kids for the jobs of tomorrow.
Health Care
The simple truth is, the time has come for the wealthiest nation in the world to provide access to affordable, comprehensive health insurance for its citizens - and Wisconsin can lead the way.
The steady march of medical science has extended and improved the quality of our lives, but it has also driven up the cost so that fewer and fewer families can now afford it. Health care spending has gone up dramatically in recent years, but incomes haven't kept up. More people go without insurance, more employers can't afford to provide it, and worst of all, a growing number of our kids go without the care they need.
It is a national problem, and it is costing our nation dearly.
Families who can't afford insurance end up in emergency rooms; minor ailments that could have been treated or prevented end up as major illnesses. The cost is passed along to everyone else who has insurance.
Here in Wisconsin, the number of people with health coverage from their employer fell by 10 percent from 2001 to 2004. And unless we take action now, the situation will only get worse.
Tonight, I propose a bold effort to make Wisconsin America's health care leader. It represents a comprehensive strategy to reduce cost, improve quality and expand access to affordable health care coverage.
At the heart of this effort is BadgerCare Plus, which begins with a simple premise: in Wisconsin, no child should go without health care.
First, through BadgerCare Plus, starting next January, we'll offer every Wisconsin family - regardless of their income -- the chance to buy coverage for their kids, starting at about $10 a month. No family will be denied coverage for their child just because their income goes up.
Second, I meet working people all over this state who fit the income requirements for BadgerCare, but are denied access because they don't have children. So tonight, I am proposing a major expansion to cover these people as well ... helping more than 71,000 hardworking men and women get the health care they need.
Many of them are working two and three jobs to get by...and they deserve affordable health care.
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Under my plan, an individual making about $20,000 a year will have access to coverage whether or not they have a child...and pregnant mothers making up to $30,000 will be covered as well.
Third, we'll simplify and streamline the eligibility process for BadgerCare and Medical Assistance. And we'll partner with private organizations to identify eligible kids and sign them up for insurance.
Fourth, following the recommendations of my Healthy Wisconsin council, we'll create a purchasing pool to help businesses - particularly small businesses - afford catastrophic health coverage for employees. And we will provide resources to help doctors and hospitals use computer technology to greatly reduce medical errors that cost thousands of lives and billions of dollars every year.
Finally, I believe health care reform doesn't have to be complicated and bureaucratic. My plan is straightforward, and easy to navigate.
One application form. One piece of paper. No cumbersome bureaucracy.
Because of the way we are structuring the program, the federal government will pay most of the cost - bringing us an additional $60 million from Washington. The state's share will be paid for in my budget...including money we'll save by streamlining the program and taking greater advantage of managed care.
More importantly, as more of our fellow citizens have access to insurance, they'll spend more time with their family doctor and less time in the emergency room. When someone has a major illness, it will be paid for by their insurance...not yours and mine. That will reduce the cost of insurance for everyone, saving an average Wisconsin family up to $500 a year.
If - in your heart - you believe no child, no worker, no family should go without health coverage...if you believe the cost of inaction - in lives and dollars - is both immoral and unacceptable...
If - as Democrats, Republicans, Wisconsinites - you take this bold step forward...here is what you will achieve:
At least 98 percent of our people will have access to health care coverage...more than any other state in the nation. More than any other state in the nation.
We can make it happen.
Tobacco
When we're talking about health, there's one more thing we need to confront: tobacco.
I've devoted much of my public career to this fight. As Attorney General, I helped lead the national effort to take on Big Tobacco and beat them in court for the first time in forty years. We made them take down the billboards, get rid of the vending machines, and send Joe Camel into retirement.
As a result, teen smoking is down 40 percent since 2000 and sales to minors are now at their lowest level in Wisconsin history.
Despite this progress, too many of our kids are still lighting up. Too many lives are being cut short, and the cost has swelled into the billions.
In fact, Wisconsin taxpayers are forced to pay $500 million every year in Medicaid costs directly related to smoking.
And so, after consulting with public health leaders from around the state, I am proposing to raise Wisconsin's tobacco tax by $1.25 a pack...and set the money aside to pay the cost of tobacco-related illnesses.
Not only will it help fund our health care needs, it will save lives. Health groups like the American Cancer Society say that every day, 5,000 kids try their first cigarette and another 2,000 kids become regular smokers. One third of these kids will eventually die from their addiction. These health groups say that in every state where the tobacco tax has been increased, kids end up smoking less.
We all have family and friends who smoke - good people of good character - who want to quit and fight this addiction every day. And I want you to know that this increase will be coupled with a major new initiative to help you quit smoking and live healthier. We'll commit $30 million to help people who are smoking...stop smoking - because you are an important part of Wisconsin's future.
Finally, we must protect our families from the health hazards of secondhand smoke.
Because everyone has the right to breathe clean air at work and in public places, tonight, I am calling for legislation to make all public buildings and workplaces completely smoke-free.
Let's pass this bill to protect our families and most importantly...save children's lives.
Education
As I've often said, anyone who knows Jessica and me knows that my first priority is education.
I'd like you to meet someone who shows us that when we support and invest in the young people of Wisconsin, they can achieve anything.
Even when he was still a student at Brookfield Central, his teachers, coaches and fellow players knew that he was bound for great things.
Not only is he an All-American, but he's also been named twice to the Academic All-Big 10 team. This year, he was named the top lineman in America and he ranks as one of the best in history. He has helped lead the Badgers to two straight bowl victories and he'll be one of the top picks in the NFL draft. Won't you join me in thanking Joe Thomas for giving us all a reason to cheer these past four years.
Joe, I'd like to give you some free advice: you'd look great next season wearing the green and gold!
Joe has enjoyed tremendous support from all over Wisconsin these past four years. Now, let's demonstrate that same support for all our students - so that every young person can succeed.
Tonight, and in my budget next month, I'll offer a comprehensive education agenda to prepare our kids for the jobs of tomorrow.
We'll start with the Wisconsin Covenant...a promise to every high school student that if you work hard and make the grade, we'll make sure you have a place in higher education, and a financial package to pay for it.
Last fall, I joined with University of Wisconsin System President Kevin Reilly, Wisconsin Technical College President Dan Clancy, State Superintendent Libby Burmaster, and Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities President Rolf Wegenke. We signed an historic agreement to make the Wisconsin Covenant a reality.
I don't want any high school kid to think college isn't for them, or that it's only for rich people. I want every boy and girl to know...with the Wisconsin Covenant, college is within your grasp, just reach for it.
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In my budget, I'll provide funding for the Office of the Wisconsin Covenant. And to prepare for the day when the first Covenant scholars walk through the doors of our Universities, I'll propose a major increase in financial aid.
The Wisconsin Covenant will not only make college more affordable, it will make high school more meaningful. But we can go even further. To make sure our kids are prepared to compete in the world...I urge you to pass my proposal to make a third year of math and a third year of science mandatory for high school graduation.
Our education agenda will also make sure kids get the right start. As a first step, we should agree that it is not acceptable for Wisconsin to rank 50th in school breakfast participation. We'll triple the state's support for school breakfast...because we know that good learning depends on good nutrition.
Parents and teachers also know that students learn better when class sizes are smaller. As part of my budget, I'll ask you to honor the agreement we made last year...and provide a major investment to reduce class sizes from kindergarten to grade three.
Smaller classes, higher standards, good nutrition, a strong start in life, and a ticket to college for every kid willing to work for it. That's our education agenda, an agenda of opportunity.
