STATE OF WISCONSIN
Senate Journal
One-Hundred and Fifth Regular Session
THURSDAY, March 31, 2022
The Chief Clerk made the following entries under the above date.
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Petitions and Communications
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
March 31, 2022
The Honorable, the Senate:
The following bill(s), originating in the Senate, have been approved, signed and deposited in the office of the Secretary of State:
Bill Number   Act Number   Date Approved
hist159714Senate Bill 235   212   March 31, 2022
hist159716Senate Bill 398   213   March 31, 2022
hist159718Senate Bill 589   214   March 31, 2022
hist159720Senate Bill 828   215   March 31, 2022
hist159722Senate Bill 829   216   March 31, 2022
hist159724Senate Bill 833   217   March 31, 2022
Sincerely,
TONY EVERS
Governor
Pursuant to s. 35.095 (1)(b), Wisconsin Statutes, the following 2021 Act(s) have been published:
Act Number   Bill Number   Publication Date
hist159715Wisconsin Act 212   235   April 1, 2022
hist159717Wisconsin Act 213   398   April 1, 2022
hist159719Wisconsin Act 214   589   April 1, 2022
hist159721Wisconsin Act 215   828   April 1, 2022
hist159723Wisconsin Act 216   829   April 1, 2022
hist159725Wisconsin Act 217   833   April 1, 2022
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State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
March 31, 2022
The Honorable, the Senate:
hist159696I am vetoing Senate Bill 89 in its entirety.
This bill would prohibit the Department of Health Services from requiring an applicant who is applying for certification as an emergency medical responder to register with or take the examination of the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT), effectively allowing an emergency medical responder to bypass this examination.
Our emergency medical responders are doing critically important work in our communities. I support making meaningful, long-term investments in our healthcare workers and infrastructure, including increasing shared revenue, which can help support local investments in emergency medical services across our state. Our emergency medical service providers have faced challenges over the course of the last decade. Since 2011, state aid to communities has gone down by more than nine percent, while public safety costs have increased more than 16 percent. At the same time, our state relies on nearly 800 emergency medical service providers, and more than half are either operated exclusively by volunteers or through a combination of volunteers and paid staff. This work is critically important for healthcare access, especially in our rural communities.
As our state has long faced workforce challenges that preceded the pandemic, and now has historically low levels of unemployment and the fewest number of people unemployed ever in state history, it has grown increasingly difficult to find new volunteers and paid employees to step into these important roles. Rising costs, coupled with the lack of available staffing, have forced some communities to make cuts or drastically scale back public safety efforts, including emergency medical services.
I was proud during my State of the State address to announce we are investing nearly $30 million into supporting emergency medical services and service providers across our state. This investment includes $20 million that will go to emergency medical service providers across the state for whatever help the need the most, whether it is increasing staffing support, getting first responders more training, or purchasing an ambulance, medical equipment, or supplies. I also am investing $130 million into finding innovative, community-based solutions to our state’s longstanding workforce challenges that will help support our talented workforce while bringing more talented workers to Wisconsin.
While we can and must do more to support our emergency medical service and responders by finding sustainable, long-term solutions to these challenges to ensure these services are available in communities across our state, I am vetoing this bill in its entirety because I object to potentially lowering statewide educational qualifications needed to be certified as an emergency medical responder in Wisconsin. These are provisions in this bill I am open to considering. Specifically, I support ensuring someone can satisfy emergency medical responder certification requirements by demonstrating they have military service training, education, or experience that is substantially equivalent to the course required for emergency medical responder certification. This effort could help further ensure our veterans entering our workforce after their service face fewer barriers to finding work. However, I cannot support other provisions in this legislation that I am concerned would have negative, long-term effects on patient care by lowering educational and training qualifications.
Respectfully submitted,
TONY EVERS
Governor
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State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
March 31, 2022
The Honorable, the Senate:
hist159697I am vetoing Senate Bill 117 in its entirety.
This bill would make multiple changes to the membership and duties of the police and fire commissions of the city of Milwaukee and the city of Madison. This bill would establish criteria for the selection of certain members of these commissions and mandates similarities between these two cities’ commissions. The bill would also make changes to the disciplinary trail process.
I am vetoing this bill in its entirety because I object to minimizing or restricting local control and undermining trust in local governance. For example, under this bill certain membership changes do not require candidates to reside within the boundaries of the impacted community. This would erode local control over these protective service departments. In addition, the bill requires the city of Milwaukee’s commission to include a three-member panel evaluating a complaint against an officer or firefighter. Under this provision, that could include an individual who served with the individual under investigation or with the individual’s cohort. This could unnecessarily undermine public and community trust in disciplinary decisions.
I am also vetoing the bill because it may interfere with profess already made in protective service oversight. The city of Madison recently completed an independent review of its police department and created the recommended Civilian Oversight Board and an Office of the Independent Monitor. The changes mandated by this bill could disrupt local efforts to improve governance that are already underway.
Respectfully submitted,
TONY EVERS
Governor
_____________
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
March 31, 2022
The Honorable, the Senate:
hist159698I am vetoing Senate Bill 296 in its entirety.
This bill would create a definition of “riot” and creates penalties for certain actions under this new definition.
I am vetoing this bill in its entirety because the conduct this bill purportedly intends to prevent is already generally prohibited under current law. For instance, intentionally failing or refusing to withdraw from an unlawful assembly in which the person knows has been ordered to disperse is already a crime, as are various forms of battery, damaging property, arson, disorderly conduct, theft, and trespass.
Moreover, this bill inadvertently creates ambiguity, inconsistency, and contradictions in practical application that could be used to infringe on the rights guaranteed under the First Amendment. There is a difference between a peaceful assembly and an unlawful one that threatens public safety, damages property, and destroys livelihoods. Current law already ensures individuals who engage in the latter can be held accountable.
Respectfully submitted,
TONY EVERS
Governor
_____________
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
March 31, 2022
The Honorable, the Senate:
hist159699I am vetoing Senate Bill 563 in its entirety.
This bill would make many statutory changes to allow farm-raised game bovids to be treated the same as farm-raised deer. This bill would allow farm-raised game bovids to be raised as livestock and then be harvested as hunting ranches. These ranches can keep the animals inside a fenced area during the hunt, so long as the area meets a certain size requirement.
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