This week, I testified on Assembly Bill 618 during the Committee on Health, Aging, and Long-Term Care. Physicians from SSM Monroe Residency Program also testified on Assembly Bill 618. This bill I authored with Senator Quinn expands the eligibility requirements for Graduate Medical Training (GMT) administered by the Department of Health Services (DHS).
The GMT program is a grant program that is administered through the Department of Health Services (DHS) to provide rural clinics and hospitals assistance in operating residency training programs such as “Grow Your Own” program or the Graduate Medical Education (GME) program. These programs allow recent medical school graduates the opportunity to continue their training and practice medicine in Wisconsin.
After touring SSM Monroe earlier this spring, I successfully added a provision to the state budget to increase funding for the GMT Program by $1.87 million. This bill follows up on that success by expanding the eligibility requirements for the program and easing regulatory burdens.
At SSM Monroe, nearly 90% of Monroe’s GME participants continue to practice in Wisconsin, and 65% are practicing in a rural community. SSM Monroe’s resident retention numbers are a true testament to the success of this program. We must continue to support GMT programs that keep our doctors in our rural communities and in Wisconsin. My bill will allow health systems like SSM Monroe to continue to commit to the GMT program for the long-term future to ensure rural areas continue to be served by world-class healthcare providers.
I also testified on Assembly Bill 449 (AB 449) during the Committee on Rural Development, which creates a rural creative economy grant program. I co-authored this bill with Senator Quinn after having initially worked on this idea during the budget process.
This grant program would surge investment dollars to our rural communities. Large cities and urban areas often benefit from philanthropic donors who work to advance the creative economy in those spaces. This usually leaves our rural creative economy with the potential to be overlooked when fostering artistic and cultural efforts in small communities. Beyond the appreciation for these artistic and cultural elements, a significant economic component is also at stake; the creative economy provides jobs.
The proposal would provide grants with a dollar-for-dollar match to businesses, associations, or local governments working to promote and assist creative businesses, products, or services in communities with less than 20,000 people or areas that are not urbanized, according to the Federal Census Bureau. The Arts Board in the Department of Tourism would distribute these grants on a competitive basis and report back to the Legislature to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. The funding available for the grants would be $1 million over the biennium, with a maximum grant award of $50,000 per recipient.
This proposal will assist our rural communities as they recover from the pandemic and will inject critical investment dollars into our local economy to support the creative economy.
Free and Charitable Clinics Award
The Wisconsin Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (WAFCC) named me the recipient of its prestigious Legislative Champion Award. This award recognizes the exceptional commitment and contributions to the advancement of free and charitable clinics throughout Wisconsin.
The WAFCC presents this award annually to a legislator who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and dedication to improving access to healthcare for the underserved and uninsured populations in the state.
I am deeply honored to receive this recognition from the WAFCC. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of many who believe in the importance of accessible healthcare. I am committed to continue working with the WAFCC and other stakeholders to ensure that every Wisconsinite has access to the healthcare clinics that they need.
I was able to increase funding for free and charitable clinics in the state budget, expanded access to care for uninsured individuals, and improve the quality of care provided at these clinics. This year’s biennial budget awarded $1.5 million in new money to 27 clinics across the State of Wisconsin.
Six years ago, WAFCC started with $90,000 in funding their budget. Today, because of our work, we were able to achieve $1.5 million in this year’s budget for free and charitable clinics across Wisconsin. My district has one free and charitable clinic in Dodgeville that provides provide basic health care for those who cannot afford or access to medical services in Iowa County and surrounding areas. I want to thank Michael Schwartz (Board of Directors) and Dennis Skrajewski (Executive Director) for their work on this vital issue.
Session Update
This week, the State Assembly was in Session on Tuesday and Thursday to vote on several bills.
On Tuesday, I was proud to support a package of bills to help our manufacturing industry grow in Wisconsin. In our state manufacturing is a significant contributor to the economy, providing over $68 billion per year in economic output.
Assembly Bill 549 (AB 549) was passed unanimously. This bill focuses on grants related to technical college manufacturing and truck driving programs and making an appropriation. AB 549 mandates the Technical College System Board to award grants in the 2023-25 fiscal biennium to technical colleges. These grants aim to support the recruitment and retention of instructors in manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, and truck driving programs. The bill allows hiring bonuses of up to $5,000 per instructor, provided certain conditions are met. Additionally, the bill requires the TCS Board to award one-time grants of up to $1,000,000 to technical colleges to purchase manufacturing or advanced manufacturing equipment or to enhance facilities for advanced manufacturing instruction.
The importance of this legislation is to boost the quality of technical education in the state. The bill aims to ensure students access high-quality teaching in vital technical fields by providing financial incentives for recruiting and retaining instructors. The provision for grants to improve facilities and equipment further enhances the learning environment for students. This would lead to better training opportunities, preparing students for manufacturing and truck driving careers, and helping to meet the demand for skilled workers in these sectors.
Assembly Bill 550 (AB 550) was passed by the Assembly with bipartisan support. This bill relates to technical education equipment grants, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, and making an appropriation.
Assembly Bill 550 expands the scope and accessibility of technical education equipment grants the Department of Workforce Development provides. The bill allows grant money to be used to improve technical education facilities and acquire equipment used in construction fields. It also permits grants to be awarded to consortia of multiple school districts and increases the maximum grant amount from $50,000 to $100,000. The bill mandates that at least one-third of the grant money be awarded to school districts eligible for sparsity aid or consortia that include such districts. Additionally, it reduces the required matching funds to 100% of the grant amount if all matching funds come from private sources.
The importance of this legislation is to enhance technical education and advanced manufacturing skills in school districts, particularly those in sparsely populated areas. By expanding the use of grants, increasing the maximum grant amount, and reducing the matching funds requirement, the bill makes it easier for schools to acquire necessary equipment and improve their facilities. This will lead to better training opportunities for students, helping to prepare them for careers in advanced manufacturing and construction.
On Thursday’s session, the Assembly voted on a number of bills that passed with bipartisan support.
Senate Joint Resolution 73 (SJR 73) passed the Assembly 62-35. This would amend the Wisconsin State Constitution to require a photo ID to vote in every election. This is the first time the resolution has passed both houses, and will need to be passed by both houses next session before it is sent to the voters of Wisconsin as a referendum.
Senate Bill 166 (SB 166) passed the Assembly 92-5 with bipartisan support. The bill makes several changes to the Wisconsin Code of Military Justice (WCMJ). Specifically, the bill clarifies the offenses over which courts-martial have primary jurisdiction; specifies the limits of punishment under the WCMJ; directs the Adjutant General to prescribe rules of procedure for courts-martial arising under the WCMJ; codifies offenses related to retaliation, sexual harassment, and engaging in prohibited sexual activity with a recruit or trainee to reflect the inclusion of those offenses in the Uniform Code of Military Justice UCMJ; modifies the elements of sexual assault to reflect changes to the elements of that offense under the UCMJ; and removes specific gender-specific language from the WCMJ. The bill also requires the Adjutant General to prescribe and implement a policy that ensures that any victim of an offense under the WCMJ is treated with dignity, respect, courtesy, sensitivity, and fairness.
Senate Bill 380 (SB 380) passed the Assembly unanimously. This piece of legislation modifies the Wisconsin grant program, which provides financial aid to resident undergraduate students in Wisconsin.
The bill makes several changes to the program:
1. It removes the requirement for students to be enrolled at least half-time to be eligible for a grant, instead requiring them to be enrolled in a degree, certificate, or other program leading to a recognized educational credential and maintaining satisfactory academic progress.
2. It extends the limit on the total number of semesters a student may receive a Wisconsin grant from 10 to 12 semesters.
3. It eliminates the statutory mathematical calculation used to determine the amount of a Wisconsin grant awarded to a student enrolled in a private nonprofit college, instead requiring the Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB) to award grants based on the current federal need analysis formula.
4. It modifies provisions related to minimum and maximum grant amounts, requiring HEAB to annually establish a minimum and maximum amount for grants.
5. It specifies that a Wisconsin grant is available to a student enrolled in a private nonprofit college only if the college is headquartered in Wisconsin.
6. It repeals a provision requiring HEAB to prescribe and make available Wisconsin grant application forms and to advise and assist applicants in making out these forms.
7. It requires HEAB to ensure that eligible UW System students enrolled in a certificate program known as the farm-and-industry short course are included in the award of Wisconsin grants.
This legislation makes higher education more accessible and affordable for Wisconsin students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds. By modifying the eligibility requirements and grant amounts, the bill aims to better align the Wisconsin grant program with the financial needs of students and the realities of higher education costs.
For more information on the bills passed this week, please click the link here. Also, a reminder that floor sessions are always streamed live on WisEye.org.
Veterans Day
This Veterans Day, we pause to honor and express our deepest gratitude to the brave men and women who have served and continue to serve our nation in the armed forces. Your courage, dedication, and sacrifice have safeguarded our freedoms and shaped our country’s history. On this Veterans Day, we salute you for your unwavering commitment to our nation and its ideals. Thank you for your service.
— Rep. Todd Novak represents Wisconsin’s 51st Assembly District. He can be reached at 608-237-9151 or email rep.novak@legis.wisconsin.gov.
