With the media and elected officials focusing on the upcoming September 14 primary election, one might think that legislative activity and public policy discussions would be on the back burner these days.  But that’s not the case.  Read more here.

“Budget Cuts and Broken Promises” Forums Aim to Protect Long-Term Care Services and Caregiver Jobs.  Also, legislative leaders call for an audit of state efforts to ensure health and safety of public service employees.  Read more here.

AFSCME led the fight to improve our health care system for decades, and this past spring we notched a huge victory on that front. But, now that health care reform is law, many AFSCME members want to know what it all means for them and their families.  Read more here.

This “Green Sheet” addresses AFSCME’s concerns with privatization of services provided by the state of Wisconsin and describes legislative efforts to rein in privatization practices by state government. The same arguments against privatizing apply to county and municipal governments as well so we will do a subsequent “Green Sheet” on privatization by local governments and provide an update on issues relating to that.  Read more here.

July 13th marked the filing deadline to officially declare candidacy in Wisconsin for a wide range of offices from Governor to Congress to the State Legislature among others. Read more here.

The Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) is nationally recognized for the service it provides 557,000 (active and retired) members and their families, who live and work in our communities. The WRS was established decades ago to recognize the contributions of public employees and to provide them with some security in retirement. Despite its success, the system is under attack on a number of fronts. Read more here.

The governor’s Juvenile Corrections Review Committee issued a report this week that could help decide which of the Wisconsin’s two male juvenile correctional schools might close. Read more here.

Child care providers are facing a new rating system that could disqualify hundreds of providers and displace thousands of children.  A key legislative committee is expected to revide the proposal on June 23.  It's a good time for AFSCME members to weigh in.  Read more here.

This week's Green Sheet looks at how federal stimulus dollars helped Wisconsin avoid economic catastrophe.  While stimulus has helped on a number of levels, Wisconsin is not yet out of the woods.  Read more here.

With the state legislative session now over, as reported last week, legislative activity now shifts to special study committees looking in-depth at complex issues.  AFSCME lobbyists are tracking the work of these committees.  They also will produce special "Green Sheets" that offer detailed looks at issues of importance to AFSCME members.  The first covers transportation funding.  You can read it here.

A rash of retirements  will change the face of the next Legislature and more are likely before the July 13 filing deadline for November's election.  For more about retirements and the upcoming legislative study committees, click here. 

This week marked the deadline for the governor to take action on bills sent to his office by the state Legislature.  Read more about what was signed and what was vetoed, along with news of a new study that shows how tax cheats are undercutting public budgets and vital services.  Read more here.

This week's Bulletin includes a call to action about bringing vital Medicaid dollars to Wisconsin and a summary of bills being signed into law.  Read more here.

The legislative session may officially be over, but important issues like the future of juvenile corrections and a proposed quality rating system for Wisconsin child care providers remain under active consideration.  Read more here.

The Legislature is in the midst of the final days of the legislative activity for 2009. Like college students in final exam days, lawmakers are scrambling to get their bills scheduled for votes by the full Assembly or Senate (or both houses) before the clock runs out April 22. There are literally hundreds of bills under consideration this week, but many bills will fail to make it through the legislative process.

To get a sense of the scope and the tone of legislative activity, check out some key web sites : www.thewheelerreport.com and www.wispolitics.com. To view the proceedings (even after the fact), go to Wisconsin Eye at www.wiseye.org.

Click here for an update on the most recent legislation of interest to AFSCME members.

Here's a last call for action as the Legislature heads into the final week of its scheduled session.  Read more here.

As the Legislature's session heads into the home stretch, AFSCME is working to make sure some key priorities make it across the finish line and raising questions about potential problems with a few other pending bills. Read more here.

As the legislative pace quickens, AFSCME lobbyists are working on many fronts, including a bill to ban possible sale of the Milwaukee Water Works, Truth in Contracting legislation and a proposal to give correctional officers a legal Right to Know about exposure to contagious disease.  Read more here.

Highlights of this week's state legislative activity include committee action on Milwaukee Water Works, juvenile offenders, labor and hunting bills. Read more here.

A little St. Patrick's Day humor crept into this week's report, along with a look at "Truth in Contracting" legislation, efforts to prohibit the sale of Milwaukee's Water Works and opposition to changes in uncased weapon law. Read more here.

AFSCME members showed up in force last week to stage one of the most successful AFSCME Lobby Days in recent memory. More than 450 AFSCME members from all three Wisconsin Councils and all corners of the state descended on the State Capitol and turned the hallways into a sea of green. AFSCME members from all 33 State Senate Districts and 93 of the 99 State Assembly Districts lobbied their legislators on dozens of bills.  Read about some of the issued discussed here.

AFSCME's lobbyists outline the central issues AFSCME members will be focusing on for Lobby Day 2010. Additional information will be available on a wide range of other bills should AFSCME members who attend want to talk to their legislators about other topics important to them. Read more here.

Contracting reform legislation is available for a vote before the full Senate and a bill to improve safety around snowplows is up for an Assembly Committee vote as AFSCME Lobby Day nears.  Read more here.

Retiree dues deduction, protective status, the definition of juvenile offenders and a possible new revenue source for Milwaukee County parks, transit and schools all all being discussed as the pace quickens in the Legislature.  Read more here.

The governor's State of the State address raised the possibility of more budget cuts on the horizon.  Meanwhile, the legislative timetable leaves a narrow window for action before this session is history.  Read more here.

Protective Status legislation and an effort to rein in excessive use of outsourcing the work of public employees are moving forward while a ban on texting while driving appears close to the finish line. Read more here.

Bills to strengthen the arbitration process and additional protections for emergency, law enforcement and correctional workers were discussed in the Legislature this week. And planning for Lobby Day continues. Read more here.

Legislation making Protective Status a mandatory subject of bargaining for all who work in secure institutions is moving forward.  Read more about it and and preparations for All-AFSCME Lobby Day here.

State lawmakers ended their fall legislative session November 6 by taking action on a number of bills of interest to AFSCME.  Lawmakers enacted the “impartial justice” measure, which creates public financing for Wisconsin Supreme Court justice races (SB 40 and AB 65).  They also passed bills that restrict who may become a provider of child care services (AB 462 and SB 331); require public disclosure of child welfare cases involving death or serious injury to children (SB 299 and AB 428); and change the method of selecting the DNR Secretary (AB 138).  Read more here.  

The future of Milwaukee County Parks set for legislative review on Nov. 12 while protective status and many other concerns are under review as the fall session begins winding down.  Read more here.

Labor history bill reaches Gov. Doyle's desk while changes to the process of selecting a DNR Secretary continue to evolve.  Child care providers could face new background check requirements under a proposal outlined by AFSCME lobbyists this week.  Read more here.

Texting while driving, reforms to Wisconsin Shares, changing who selects the top dog at DNR and offender reentry monitoring are among the legislative proposals moving in the State Capitol featured in this week's report from AFSCME Lobbyists Susan McMurray and John Grabel.  Read the report here.

The fall legislative session is in full swing, with loads of hearings and bills being introduced nearly every day. Lawmakers are expected to be “in session” only a few days this fall, and only a few days in the spring, so the pressure to get bills passed is on before the Legislature adjourns next spring. Here is another snapshot of recent activity at the Capitol.  Read more here.

Stopping privatization of the Milwaukee Water Works, workers compensation issues for emergency workers and protection for volunteer emergency workers are issues that matter to AFSCME members this week.  Read more here.

Retiree dues checkoff, stopping fraud in Wisconsin Shares and creating Wisconsin jobs top legislation of interest to AFSCME members from the week of Sept. 14, 2009.  Read more at laborweb.afscme.org/sites/WI_C_11/index.cfm