On top of that, many of the small businesses in our rural communities support and depend on our farm families.
To keep more of our family dairy farms, I propose a plan that would create a Family Farm Fund. This fund would provide scholarships to encourage students to take advantage of agriculture- related studies at a Wisconsin technical college or the UW-College of Agriculture that would help them begin a rewarding career in farming.
Our plan would also help farmers deal with the costs of ensuring that their farming practices preserve clean water in rural areas.
We also recognize that farmers are facing challenges with low commodity prices. That’s why, earlier today, I signed an Executive Order that expands resources for farmers to reach new markets across the country and around the world.
We also need to do more to connect people and businesses in rural areas to high speed Internet connections. As mentioned, we made a major new investment in broadband access grants for communities and in TEACH grants for schools and students. But we can do more. That’s why I’m calling on the Federal Communications Commission to finalize rules increasing access to broadband internet by advancing television white space technology. White space is the unused spectrum between broadcast television stations and it can deliver high-speed internet to underserved areas of Wisconsin.
Each of these items will help grow small businesses in Wisconsin. Therefore, I ask for the members of the Legislature to act on these items that require legislative approval before the end of session.
Our Ambitious Agenda also includes our work to reform state government – to make it more effective, more efficient and more accountable to the people.
We will continue to challenge the status quo.
With that in mind, we are pushing a major reform of the criminal justice system for serious juvenile offenders. Over the past year, we worked with county officials, members of the judiciary, policy experts and lawmakers from both political parties.
We looked at best practices in states like Missouri and elsewhere to see how to reform the system here in Wisconsin.
Thank you to Secretary Jon Litscher and Secretary Linda Seemeyer for their work and that of their incredible teams.
Instead of one or two large facilities, which has been the model for decades, our reform plan would create six smaller facilities spread throughout the state. Locations for five of the sites would be determined by collaborating with the 72 counties - since the offenders are sent to state facilities from individual counties. The other facility would be at Mendota Mental Health Institute as part of the nationally recognized program for mental health treatment.
The complex in Lincoln County would be converted to a medium security adult prison. It would likely focus on alcohol and drug abuse treatment. This additional space would also help limit the amount of money the Department of Corrections has to pay for contract beds outside of the state system.
The Department of Corrections has made many changes over the past few years to improve safety and treatment. These include additional positions, increased compensation, and changes in medicine distribution and more security cameras. The changes I am talking about today, however, are larger than that and are really about long-term reform of the system.
Today, I ask the members of the state Legislature to act on this plan by the end of session.
I particularly want to thank Representative Evan Goyke for his work on these reforms. Much of our plan parallels his work. He is now amending his bill to include our additions in mental health and trauma-informed care. Let’s work with the counties to pass this plan quickly so we can move forward with real reform.
Just like families all across the state have had to do, over the past 8 or 9 years, we have made tough decisions. They paid off. Our reforms are working. The economy is growing. And Wisconsin has a sizable surplus.
As I promised, when we have a surplus, we will give it back to you, the hardworking taxpayers. This is your reform dividend. You deserve it.
So, today, I propose that we create a child tax credit in Wisconsin.
Families across the state will receive $100 for every child, under 18, living at home.
A couple hundred dollars more in the family budget could really make a difference, particularly when getting ready for the next school year.
It could be a new pair of shoes, a winter coat, activity fees at school, or a co-pay at the doctor or dentist. We know sometimes Wisconsin families face challenges when making ends meet, and this new child tax credit can help.
Today, I am joined by families from all over Wisconsin who will benefit from our child tax credit.
Today, I ask members of the Legislature to pass my plan, so that by the time these kids, and all the others like them across the state begin school this fall, their parents will have a check in the mailbox.
The final part of our Ambitious Agenda for 2018 is providing stability in health care. Our citizens are crying out for a stable health care system. Washington has failed to act so it is time for us to lead in Wisconsin.
That is why, today, I propose the Health Care Stability Plan.
Most people receive their health care coverage from their employer. Premium increases for the majority of employer-based plans were fairly modest this year at about 5 percent.
The biggest concern I hear about is from those who are worried about pre-existing conditions. With that in mind, I propose that we enact a law in Wisconsin that will guarantee coverage of pre-existing conditions. That way someone who has cancer or another serious disease or ailment will not have to worry about obtaining or keeping coverage.
The members of the state Assembly have already moved forward, now I ask the members of the Senate to do the same.
This will provide comfort and stability for people all across Wisconsin.
For our senior citizens, most receive their health care through Medicare. While that is a federal and not a state program, we can provide certainty and stability for those who depend on SeniorCare.
In the past, there has been plenty of debate about whether this should be a federal or state government responsibility. It is clear that people want it at the state level.
Therefore, I am officially seeking a permanent waiver for the State of Wisconsin to provide SeniorCare.
Since it was first approved in 2002, the state has asked for an extension of SeniorCare four times. It is time to make this a permanent and stable program.
For the small number of people who seek coverage through the individual market, and not through their employer or through Medicaid or Medicare, I propose that the state provide assistance to keep those premiums from making health care coverage unreachable for many of our fellow citizens.
Under Obamacare, the so-called Affordable Care Act, premiums for people in the individual market are going up an average of 36 percent this year. Some are seeing much larger premium increases. For example, Kristine from Brown County saw her premiums go up by almost $2,000 a month, that’s a 120 per cent increase!
That is unsustainable and unacceptable.
Thankfully, our Health Care Stability Plan will help keep premiums at a reasonable level here in Wisconsin. This is a market-driven approach to bring stability to health care in Wisconsin.
Just as we did years ago when we found a unique way to cover everyone living in poverty for the first time in Wisconsin history, we have a unique way to help drive down premiums.
It is not a Republican or Democrat issue. It is a Wisconsin issue.
We listened to the people and created a Wisconsin solution.
As Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton said in the past, “the Affordable Care Act is no longer afford able.” Instead of seeking to put thousands more people onto government assistance through the Obamacare expansion, our plan helps drive down premiums to make health insurance plans more affordable and will likely to lead to more choices for consumers.
Our Health Care Stability Plan is the Wisconsin Way to provide stability and peace of mind for our citizens.
Along with coverage for general health care needs, we must continue to find new ways to fight the opioid and illegal drug addiction crisis in the state.
Since I’ve been Governor, I signed 28 pieces of legislation into law dealing with this challenge.
Thanks to Representative Nygren for putting together a bipartisan coalition to fight this epidemic and for joining our outstanding Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch as the co-chair of our commission.
Today, I ask you to pass the latest recommendations from this panel of experts.
We know that if we can get people treatment or, better yet, keep them from addiction in the first place, it will not only create a healthier Wisconsin, but a happier one, too.
And that will help us build the workforce we need to keep moving Wisconsin forward.
This is one of those issues that knows no boundaries. Rich or poor, big city or small town, Republican or Democrat. These are the issues that people want us to work together on.
Issues like pushing for more ways to help our schools improve student success; growing the number of opportunities for our young people to pursue great careers that will keep them here in our state; expanding our Wisconsin Works for Everyone welfare reforms; helping small businesses grow across the state; continuing to reform our government; creating a new child tax credit to help working families; and providing stability in health care. These issues are the seven common sense parts of our Ambitious Agenda for 2018.
We are getting positive things done for the people of Wisconsin, but there is still more work to be done.
So today, I ask you, the members of the state Legislature to move on these important items. These are not Republican or Democrat issues. These are just Wisconsin issues.
Plus, I know that we can work together. Many might be surprised to hear this, but more than 90 percent of the bills that I signed into law were passed with more than just Republican votes. Let me repeat that: more than 90 percent of the laws I’ve signed as your Governor had more than just votes from Republican lawmakers.
So, I know you can work together to get things done, because you’ve done it in the past...and you can do it again this year.
And I ask you, the people of Wisconsin to talk to your lawmakers, and ask for rapid action on this Ambitious Agenda for 2018.
I am confident that you will, because I’ve seen you do positive things all over the state.
You see, one of my great joys as your Governor is traveling the State of Wisconsin and visiting with so many of our wonderful citizens. I love to see the people of Wisconsin.
Through our visits, I see how proud you are of your families; of your homes; of your work; of your small businesses and farms; of your schools; of your churches and places of worship; of your communities; of your state. We are Wisconsin Proud.
Today, I want you to know that I am proud to be your Governor. I’m proud of the work we’ve done here. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made together. I am proud that we are getting positive things done for the people of Wisconsin. But we’re not done yet.
So, let’s get going.
Let’s keep working together. Let’s keep moving Wisconsin forward. Thank you.
May God bless you. May God bless the great State of Wisconsin. May God bless our great service members around the world. And may God continue to bless the United States of America.
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Adjournment
The Joint Convention arose
4:11 P.M.
