• 2021-22 Legislative Session Recap: During the session that ended last month, 2,305 bills were introduced, 393 were passed by the Legislature, and 267 were signed into law by Gov. Evers. The governor also issued 126 vetoes, which sets the new record for most vetoes by a Wisconsin governor in a single session.

• Wisconsin businessman Tim Michels recently announced his candidacy for Wisconsin governor, joining a crowded Republican primary for the state’s top elected position. Michels, who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 2004, will face former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, businessman Kevin Nicholson, and current state Rep. Timothy Ramthun in the Aug. 9 primary.

• Earlier this month, the Wisconsin Supreme Court adopted state legislative maps proposed by Republican legislative leaders, which was a reversal of the court’s earlier decision to accept maps submitted by Gov. Tony Evers. The reversal, which is likely to be the final decision on the state’s legislative maps for the next decade, came after the U.S. Supreme Court ordered Wisconsin’s high court to reconsider their earlier ruling.

• The exodus of current state lawmakers from the WI Legislature continues, as Sen. Dale Kooyenga announced this week he will not seek reelection. Please find below a list of state legislators who won’t be seeking reelection this fall:

By Hoven Consulting – WiAHC’s lobbying firm

The Wisconsin Legislature has adjourned for the 2021-21 and does not plan to reconvene until next year.  Although the session is over, WiAHC members can review the WiAHC Legislative Bill Tracker to look back at what happened in the halls of the State Capitol. The bill tracker lists and allows members to follow and learn more about the bills WiAHC lobbied on and monitored during the 2021-22 legislative session. The Bill Tracker, which you can find below, includes the bill number, a brief description of the bill, its final status, and WiAHC’s position on the proposal.

·        Bill: Assembly Bill 215 / Senate Bill 230

·        Description: Relating to visitation of a long-term care facility resident or hospital patient by an essential visitor or member of the clergy.

·        Status: Failed to pass this session.

·        WiAHC Position: Support

·        Bill: Assembly Bill 679 / Senate Bill 687

·        Description: Relating to hospital services provided in a home setting.

·        Status: AB 679 was passed by the full Assembly and Senate. The governor has signed the bill into law as 2021 WI Act 208.

·        WiAHC Position: Currently Neutral/Actively Monitoring

·        Bill: Assembly Bill 718 / Senate Bill 753

·        Description: Relating to prohibiting certain practices relating to insurance coverage of clinician-administered drugs (“white bagging” legislation).

·        Status: Failed to pass this session.

·        WiAHC Position: Support

·        Bill: Assembly Bill 729 / Senate Bill 700

·        Description: Relating to modifying administrative rules related to home health agencies.

·        Status: AB 729 was passed by the full Assembly on 02/23/22. It was not considered by the full Senate. Failed to pass this session.

·        WiAHC Position: Support

·        Bill: Assembly Bill 960/ Senate Bill 970

·        Description: Increases criminal penalties for battery or threat to a health care provider or staff member of a health care facility.

·        Status: AB 960 was passed by the full Assembly and Senate. The governor has signed the bill into law as 2021 WI Act 209.

·        WiAHC Position:Support

• Bill: Assembly Bill 1030/ Senate Bill 999
• Description: Medical Assistance program coverage of home health services or products provided outside the home.

·        Status: AB 1030 was passed by the full Assembly and Senate. The governor has signed the bill into law as 2021 WI Act 208.

• WiAHC Position: Support

By Hoven Consulting – WiAHC’s lobbying firm

Governor Signs Several Health Care Bills of Interest to WiAHC

In April, Governor Evers signed a number of bills that passed both chambers of the legislature earlier this year.  The following is a list of these bills of interest to WiAHC:

• SIGNED - Assembly Bill 960 – This bill makes it a felony to threaten or physically attack a health care provider, a staff member of a health care facility or a family member of either, if the threat or attack is related to an official act of the provider or is related to an incident at the health care facility.  WiAHC supports this bill.  As such, it joined various health care organizations and sent a joint memo to the Legislature supporting this bill earlier this year.
• SIGNED - Assembly Bill 1030 – This bill eliminates the requirement that home health services and products be provided in a patient’s home to be reimbursable under the Medical Assistance program.  This legislation was introduced at the request of the Department of Health Services.  WiAHC supports this bill. 

Next Steps on Home Health Rules Legislation

Rep. Donna Rozar (R-Marshfield) introduced Assembly Bill 729 and Sen. Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan) introduced the Senate companion bill (Senate Bill 700) at the request of WiAHC.  This legislation brings Wisconsin’s home health regulations in line with federal regulations by eliminating home health care professional advisory bodies but maintaining governing bodies.  Assembly Bill 729 passed the Assembly in late February.  The Senate Labor and Regulatory Reform Committee held a hearing on Senate Bill 700 in January.  Unfortunately, however, it did not pass the full Senate before the end of the 2021-2022 legislative session.  In the meantime, the WiAHC Legislative Committee is exploring alternative options to make this change through the regulatory process at the state Department of Health Services (DHS) and has requested an initial meeting with the appropriate DHS staff.  We will provide updates regarding these efforts in future WiAHC monthly newsletters. 

DHS Payment Increase Delays – Update

As of mid-April, WiAHC members have reported that they have not received either the skilled nursing services payment increase included in the 2021-2023 state budget or the additional five percent Medicaid reimbursement rate for home and community-based services, which was funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).  As such, WiAHC followed up with the state Department of Health Services (DHS) to request a specific timeline for the issuance of these increased payments.  DHS informed WiAHC that any claims that home health agencies submit to DHS after April 29, 2022, will be paid out at the higher amounts.  If a home health agency submitted such a claim before the end of April 2022, DHS will make appropriate adjustments internally to increase such payments – DHS anticipates that they will send out such payments during the week of May 9, 2022. 

In addition, please let WiAHC know if there are any specific home health care providers that are at risk of closure due to these delayed payments.  If so, WiAHC will make DHS aware of this and they will attempt to expedite processing. 

Proposed Legislative Council Study Committees

After the legislative session concludes in even-numbered years, the Legislative Council - the legislature's in-house, non-partisan group of attorney advisors - organizes study committees that perform in-depth reviews of various state policy matters facing Wisconsin.  Committees are comprised of both legislators and citizen members. 

Study committees hold hearings, during which they hear public testimony – including from subject-matter experts – on state policies that may need to be fixed or updated.  Once a committee has completed receiving public testimony, it generally drafts legislation for possible introduction and consideration by the legislature.  In mid-April, the list of study committees was finalized.  The following proposed study committees may be of interest to WiAHC:

• Study Committee on Occupational Licenses

o   Sen. Rob Stafsholt (R-New Richmond) will be the Chair and Rep. Shae Sortwell (R-Two Rivers) will be the Vice Chair.

• Study Committee on Uniform Death Reporting Standards

o   Sen. Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan) will be the Chair and Rep. Jesse James (R-Altoona) will be the Vice Chair.

•  Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) Update

The state Department of Health Services (DHS) is thinking ahead to addressing electronic visit verification (EVV) with respect to home health services.  At this time, DHS's goal is to have a "soft launch" of home health EVV in January 2023.  As such, DHS has organized a group of external stakeholders to provide input.  Their intent is that this group of stakeholders would ultimately turn into their EVV Advisory Workgroup for Home Health.  At the request of DHS, several WiAHC representatives have attended a few initial meetings of this group.  We will provide updates about the work of this group in future WiAHC monthly newsletters.

• Upcoming Blackout Period for Initial Occupational Credential Applications

The state Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) will temporarily stop accepting initial applications for 72 types of occupational credentials starting at 12:00PM on Friday, April 29, and ending at 11:59PM on Sunday, May 15.  The list of such credentials may be viewed on the DSPS website and mostly includes professionals in the health care field, including physicians, physician assistants, licensed practical nurses and registered nurses. 

This temporary blackout period will be put in place to allow DSPS to implement its new online occupational credentialing portal, which will replace its current paper application process.  This new portal will be unveiled on Monday, May 16. 

By State Senator Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point)

As chair of the Senate Committee on Health, I’ve had the opportunity to work with my colleagues and stakeholders to advance several bills that improve access to quality health care in Wisconsin. One way to increase access is to address workforce needs; that’s why Rep. Rachel Cabral-Guevara (Appleton) and I authored legislation that eliminates barriers limiting the practice of Advance Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs). By empowering professionals to utilize the full extent of their skillset and training, we free them to provide additional help to more people. We advanced this bill through the committee, it passed both houses of the legislature, and now needs only the Governor’s signature to become law.

The committee also advanced legislation that I authored with Rep. Todd Novak (Dodgeville) that improves access by investing in community health centers. There are seventeen community health centers with nearly 200 satellite sites operating in every corner of the state and serving over 300,000 Wisconsinites. The legislation we passed through the committee served as a catalyst to help secure increased funding for these centers in the 2021-23 state budget.

The pandemic revealed obstacles standing between patients and care that we needed to remove. Last session, the legislature allowed hospitals to seek Medicare reimbursement for numerous medical services provided in a home setting. This session, the committee moved forward legislation authored by Sen. Dale Kooyenga (Brookfield) and Rep. Amy Loudenbeck (Clinton) to make that change permanent. The bill was enacted this week.

In addition to improving access to quality care, the Senate Committee on Health also continued to combat the state’s opioid crisis. Until now, Wisconsin has had several state agencies collecting data on opioid and methamphetamine use, but no central location where it can be stored and analyzed. I authored a bill with Rep. Jon Plumer (Lodi) that will ensure this data will be gathered in a central location so that the state can get a more comprehensive picture of the problem and new ways to fight it. Rep. Plumer and I also wrote legislation that determines how money from the settlement of the multi-district opioid litigation is distributed throughout the state, ensuring that the majority of the settlement go to local governments to bolster their efforts to battle against these drugs. Both of these bills started the legislative process in the Senate Health Committee and have now become law.

We’ve made progress, but the work is not done yet. I enjoy working with health care leaders across the state to enhance health outcomes in Wisconsin. 

Senator Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point) serves as Chairman of the Senate Health Committee. He represents the 24^th Senate District, which includes Portage County and portions of Wood, Monroe, and Jackson counties. The district also includes the cites of Stevens Point, Wisconsin Rapids, Tomah, and Sparta. He is currently running for Wisconsin Lt. Governor.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of this organization.

Sign-up for WiAHC’s Coffee Conversations with Legislators Program

Grassroots advocacy is the most powerful tool WiAHC has at its disposal to shape public policy and building relationships with lawmakers is the most important aspect of advocacy. In effort to capitalize on our greatest advocacy resource – our membership – WiAHC has unveiled our Coffee Conversations with Legislators advocacy program.

The initiative is designed  to help connect members with their local legislators. Under the program, the WiAHC Government Affairs Team will set-up in-district meetings between WiAHC members and state lawmakers who represent them in the Legislature. These meetings, which can be located at your facility, or a local coffee shop provides a tremendous opportunity for WiAHC members to build or strengthen their relationships with local legislators and to educate them on home health care and on policy issues important to home health care professionals and their patients.

Obviously, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic can make it difficult for some in-person meetings, but as cases decline and depending on your comfort level with meeting face-to-face, WiAHC would encourage you to participate in this critical grassroots advocacy program.

Please click here for more information on the program.

WiAHC is happy to remind members about and provide links to the latest articles and information from Home Health Care News and the National Association for Home Care and Hospice:

$1.5 Trillion Omnibus Spending Bill Leaves Out Home Health Telehealth Reimbursement

Home Health Care News - By Joyce Famakinwa | March 10, 2022

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a comprehensive $1.5 trillion omnibus spending package on Wednesday. The legislation, among other things, extends the temporary virtual care flexibilities that were put in place during the public health emergency. Read more…

New Legislation Would Extend the Hospital at Home Program

National Association for Home Care and Hospice | March 22, 2022

The bipartisan Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act is new legislation introduced in both the Senate and House of Representatives that would extend the acute care hospital at home waiver program. Initially introduced in November of 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), the program provides an alternative setting of care for certain conditions, such as asthma, pneumonia, and COPD. Read more…

How the PE Nursing Home Crackdown Could Affect the Home Health Industry

Home Health Care News - By Patrick Filbin | March 13, 2022

Pushed by the White House, federal watchdogs have a new directive – cracking down on private equity in health care. While they’ll largely be targeting nursing homes and PE investment as part of a recently unveiled senior care initiative from the Biden administration, there will likely be ripple effects in the home-based care space. Read more…

NAHC Shares Tech Recommendations with Congress

National Association for Home Care and Hospice | March 21, 2022

The National Association for Home Care & Hospice and a coalition of long-term & post-acute care (LTPAC) and health information technology (HIT) groups have submitted comments to an important congressional task force exploring ways to accelerate innovation in the health care system. Read more…

Home Health Care News, which is part of the Aging Media Network, is a leading source for news and information covering the home health industry. National Association for Home Care and Hospice is the largest professional association representing the interests of chronically ill, disabled, and dying Americans of all ages and the caregivers who provide them with in-home health and hospice services.

Help WiAHC Develop a Legislative & Regulatory Agenda for 2023-24

The 2021-22 legislative session, which came to an end earlier this month, gave WiAHC plenty of opportunities to engage in the legislative process, build relationships with lawmakers, and ultimately pass legislation important to our members.

While the Legislature has adjourned for the year and lawmakers have returned to their districts to run for reelection, there is plenty of advocacy work to do behind the scenes. In fact, it is a perfect time for WiAHC to begin planning for the 2023-24 legislative session, which includes the development of a legislative agenda.

Crafting a legislative agenda serves two specific purposes:

1.)    Inform WiAHC membership on the foremost state legislative and regulatory issues that impact home health care in Wisconsin and provide direction on which issues to actively advocate for before the legislature and executive branch.

2.)    Provide state lawmakers, the governor’s office, and state agency officials with WiAHC’s position on key legislative and regulatory topics that will be relevant during the two-year session.

Identifying and prioritizing issues critical to home health care is the initial – and the most important – step in developing a legislative agenda. By deciding what the most important issues are before the start of 2023-24 legislative session, WiAHC can determine what resources will be necessary to meet the legislative and regulatory goals of our members.

To best determine WiAHC’s legislative and regulatory priorities, the WiAHC Government Affairs Team will be sending out a legislative priorities survey within the next month to give all our members an opportunity to provide their input on what issues are most important to them. The information gathered via the survey will be presented to the WiAHC Legislative Committee and Board and used to identify the association’s top priorities that will make-up association’s 2023-24 legislative agenda.

In addition to the member survey data, WiAHC leadership will consider the following criteria when finalizing legislative and regulatory priorities: 1.) The benefit to WiAHC members; 3.) The extent to which it improves home health care in Wisconsin; and 3.) The likelihood of legislative/regulatory success.

WiAHC values its members’ input and encourages everyone to participate in the legislative priorities survey when they receive it in their email inbox.

The WiAHC Legislative Bill Tracker lists and allows members to follow and learn more about the bills WiAHC lobbied on and monitored during the 2021-22 legislative session, which came to an end earlier this month. The Bill Tracker, which you can find below, includes the bill number, a brief description of the bill, its status, and WiAHC’s position on the proposal.

• Bill: Assembly Bill 215 / Senate Bill 230
• Description: Relating to visitation of a long-term care facility resident or hospital patient by an essential visitor or member of the clergy.
• Status: AB 215 was introduced and referred to the Assembly Aging and Long-Term Care Committee. SB 230 was introduced and referred to the Senate Human Services, Children, and Families Committee. Failed to pass this session.
• WiAHC Position: Support

• Bill: Assembly Bill 679 / Senate Bill 687
• Description: Relating to hospital services provided in a home setting.
• Status: AB 679 was passed by the full Assembly and Senate. The governor has signed the bill into law as 2021 WI Act 208.
• WiAHC Position: Currently Neutral/Actively Monitoring
• Bill: Assembly Bill 718 / Senate Bill 753
• Description: Relating to prohibiting certain practices relating to insurance coverage of clinician-administered drugs (“white bagging” legislation).
• Status: AB 718 was referred to the Assembly Health Committee and received a public hearing on 02/16/22. SB 753 was referred to the Senate Insurance, Licensing and Forestry and received a public hearing on 01/20/22. Failed to pass this session.
• WiAHC Position: Support
  
• 

• Bill: Assembly Bill 729 / Senate Bill 700
• Description: Relating to modifying administrative rules related to home health agencies.
• Status: AB 729 was passed by the full Assembly on 02/23/22. SB 700 was referred to the Senate Labor and Regulatory Reform Committee and received a public hearing on 01/13/22. Failed to pass this session.
• WiAHC Position: Support

• Bill: Assembly Bill 960/ Senate Bill 970
• Description: Increases criminal penalties for battery or threat to a health care provider or staff member of a health care facility.
• Status: AB 960 was passed by the full Assembly and Senate. The governor has signed the bill into law as 2021 WI Act 209.
• WiAHC Position: Support

• Bill: Assembly Bill 1030/ Senate Bill 999
• Description: Medical Assistance program coverage of home health services or products provided outside the home.
• Status: AB 1030 was passed by the full Assembly and Senate. The bill will now be sent to the governor for his signature or veto.
• WiAHC Position: Support

By Hoven Consulting – WiAHC’s lobbying firm

In late February and early March, the legislature passed several bills of interest to WiAHC as it looked to likely wrap up the 2021-2022 legislative session.  The following is a list of these bills:

• Assembly Bill 960 – This bill makes it a felony to threaten or physically attack a health care provider, a staff member of a health care facility or a family member of either, if the threat or attack is related to an official act of the provider or is related to an occurrence at the health care facility.  Both the Assembly and Senate passed this bill.  It will now go to the Governor for his consideration.  WiAHC supports this bill.  In addition, WiAHC signed on to a joint memo to the Legislature supporting this bill, along with numerous other statewide health care organizations. 

• Assembly Bill 1030 – This bill eliminates the requirement that home health services and products be provided in a patient’s home to be reimbursable under the Medical Assistance program.  This legislation was introduced at the request of the Department of Health Services.  Both the Assembly and Senate approved this bill, and it now goes to the Governor.  WiAHC supports this bill. 

• Assembly Bill 729/Senate Bill 700 – This legislation, which was introduced by Rep. Donna Rozar (R-Marshfield) and Sen. Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan) at the request of WiAHC, brings Wisconsin’s home health regulations in line with federal regulations by eliminating home health care professional advisory bodies but maintaining governing bodies.  This bill passed the Assembly in late February.  The Senate Labor and Regulatory Reform Committee held a hearing on the bill in January.  However, it is disappointing to note that this legislation was not voted on in the full Senate since Senator Steve Nass (R-Whitewater), who chairs the Senate Labor and Regulatory Reform Committee, refused to vote this bill out of this committee.  Senator Nass does not have a problem with the policy in this legislation but objects to bills that change administrative rules through legislative action, rather than via the administrative rules process.  WiAHC tried several different tactics but, unfortunately, we were not able to remove his objection.  The WiAHC Legislative Committee will regroup and look at alternative options to make the change included in this bill. 

DHS Payment Increase Delays - Update

In February, WiAHC Board Chair Lisa Kirker sent a letter to State Medicaid Director Lisa Olson at the Department of Health Services (DHS) requesting a status update on the processing of two separate payment streams to home health care providers.  One such payment stream was nearly an eight percent increase for select nursing care services in home health agencies, which was included in the 2021-2023 state budget.  The other payment stream was an additional five percent Medicaid reimbursement rate for home and community-based services, which was funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).  WiAHC has heard from members who have not yet received these increased payments. 

DHS responded that they have run into delays in modifying their system to incorporate these increased payments.  Once DHS completes those modifications, they will process the payments retroactive to January 1, 2022.  The agency did not provide any details as to when these payments will likely be processed. 

Recent Marquette University Poll

On March 2, Marquette Law School released a new poll that surveyed Wisconsin voters on their opinions of various national and statewide elected officials, as well as candidates for statewide office. 

U.S. Senate Election 

With respect to those voters who intend to vote in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senator Ron Johnson’s seat, Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes was the leading candidate with 23 percent, and Alex Lasry followed with 13 percent.  The other candidates only received support in the single digits, while 48 percent of Democratic primary voters have not decided whom they will support. 

Gubernatorial Election

In this poll, Republican gubernatorial candidate Rebecca Kleefisch led her primary rivals with 30 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning voters selecting her, eight percent selecting former U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson and five percent selecting State Representative Tim Ramthun.  However, 54 percent of these voters responded that they did not know whom they will support in the Republican primary. 

At this time, Governor Tony Evers leads in popularity among elected statewide officials with 50 percent approving and 41 disapproving.  President Biden has a 43 percent approval rating and a 52 percent disapproval rating.  With respect to Wisconsin’s two U.S. Senators, Senator Tammy Baldwin has a 42 percent approval rating and a 36 percent disapproval rating, while Senator Ron Johnson has a 33 percent approval rating and a 45 percent disapproval rating. 

State Supreme Court Ruling on Redistricting

At the beginning of each decade, each state redraws state legislative and congressional district lines based on data from the most recent federal census.  After the Governor vetoed the legislature’s proposed legislative and congressional district maps last year, this dispute ended up in the courts.  On March 3, 2022, the Wisconsin Supreme Court decided that Governor Evers’ updated state legislative and congressional maps will be used as they make fewer changes to district boundaries than the Legislature’s proposed maps. 

On Monday, March 7, the Legislature appealed this ruling directly to the U.S. Supreme Court.  And just this week, the nation’s highest court threw out the state legislative maps drawn Governor Evers and adopted by the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The U.S. Supreme Court said the state court’s approval of Evers’ maps was flawed, as it did not adequately consider whether certain newly crafted Assembly Districts in Milwaukee complied with the federal Voting Rights Act. The maps were sent back to the Wisconsin Supreme Court for further consideration.

Politicians on the Move - Update

• On February 24, State Rep. Mike Kuglitsch (R-New Berlin) announced that he will not run for re-election in 2022.  He was first elected to the Assembly in 2010.  He serves as the Chair of the Assembly Energy and Utilities Committee and also serves on the following Assembly committees:  Environment; Government Accountability and Oversight; and State Affairs. 

• On March 3, State Rep. Gordon Hintz announced that he will not run for re-election this year.  He used to serve as Assembly Minority Leader and was first elected to the Assembly in 2006. 

• State Sen. Roger Roth (R-Appleton) has announced that he is running for lieutenant governor.  He has served in the Senate since 2015 and also served in the Assembly in 2007-2008.  He chairs the Senate Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges and is vice chair of the Committee on Utilities, Technology and Telecommunications. 

• State Rep. Rachael Cabral-Guevara (R-Appleton) announced on March 17 that she is running for Senator Roth’s seat.  She is a nurse and was elected to the Assembly in 2020.  She is the vice chair of the Assembly Mental Health Committee and is a member of the following Assembly committees:  Health, Colleges and Universities, Public Benefit Reform, and Regulatory Licensing Reform. 

• State Sen. Dale Kooyenga (R-Brookfield) announced on March 8 that he will not run for State Senate this year since this year’s redistricting process relocated his home from his current district to a different Senate district that is not up for election until 2024.  [Note:  The redistricting is based on a March Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling.  However, it is worth noting that this ruling is being appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which has not yet decided whether to take this case.]  He was first elected to the Senate in 2018 and served in the Assembly from 2011 through 2018.  He is currently the chair of the Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Revenue. 

• State Sen. Janis Ringhand (D-Evansville) announced on March 9 that she will not run for re-election this year.  She was first elected to the Senate in 2014 and served in the Assembly in 2011 through 2012.  She serves as the Assistant Minority Leader and serves on the following Senate committees:  Economic and Workforce Development; Financial Institutions and Revenue; and Insurance, Licensing and Forestry.

• State Rep. Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit) subsequently announced that he will run for Sen. Ringhand’s seat.  He has served in the Assembly since 2015.  He currently serves as the Assembly Minority Caucus Chair and is a member of the following Assembly committees:  Agriculture, Campaigns and Elections, Local Government, and Sporting Heritage. 

• State Rep. Timothy Ramthun (R-Campbellsport) has announced that he will run for Governor this year.  He has served in the Assembly since 2019.  He is the Vice Chair of the Children and Families Committee and is a member of the following Assembly committees:  Constitution and Ethics, Education, Judiciary, Transportation, and Ways and Means. 

• State Sen. Jerry Petrowski (R-Marathon) has announced that he will not run for re-election in 2022.  He was first elected to the Senate in 2012 and served in the Assembly from 1999 to 2012.  He serves as the chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation and Local Government, is vice chair of the Committee on Sporting Heritage, Small Business and Rural Issues and is a member of the Committee on Agriculture and Tourism. 

• State Sen. Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska) has announced that he is running for Congressman Ron Kind’s (D) seat in 2022.  He was first elected to the Senate in 2020 and currently serves on the following Senate committees:  Utilities, Technology and Telecommunications; Universities and Technical Colleges; Transportation and Local Government; Economic and Workforce Development; and Agriculture and Tourism.  [Note:  If he does not win his congressional race, he will still remain a member of the State Senate as his current term does not run out until 2024.] 

• State Sen. Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point) has announced that he is running for Lieutenant Governor.  He currently serves in Senate leadership as the President Pro Tempore.  He was first elected to the Senate in 2016 and was re-elected in 2020.  He currently is chair of the Senate Health Committee, is vice chair of the Economic and Workforce Development Committee and is also a member of the Senate Agriculture and Tourism Committee.  [Note:  If he does not win his race for lieutenant governor, he will still remain a member of the State Senate as his current Senate term does not run out until 2024.]

Help Advocate for Home Health Care: Sign-up for WiAHC’s Coffee Conversations with Legislators Program

Grassroots advocacy is the most powerful tool WiAHC has at its disposal to shape public policy and building relationships with lawmakers is the most important aspect of advocacy. In effort to capitalize on our greatest advocacy resource – our membership – WiAHC has unveiled our Coffee Conversations with Legislators advocacy program.

The initiative is designed  to help connect members with their local legislators. Under the program, the WiAHC Government Affairs Team will set-up in-district meetings between WiAHC members and state lawmakers who represent them in the Legislature. These meetings, which can be located at your facility, or a local coffee shop provides a tremendous opportunity for WiAHC members to build or strengthen their relationships with local legislators and to educate them on home health care and on policy issues important to home health care professionals and their patients.

Obviously, the surge in COVID-19 cases currently makes it difficult for some in-person meetings, but as cases subside and depending on your comfort level with meeting face-to-face, WiAHC would encourage you to participate in this critical grassroots advocacy program.

Please click here for more information on the program.