TUE AM News: GOP lawmakers seeking cosponsors for reciprocal credentials bill; AG Kaul announces TurboTax settlement details

— GOP lawmakers are seeking cosponsors for a bill to standardize the process for granting reciprocal credentials to those with professional licenses from outside Wisconsin.

According to a cosponsorship memo from Sen. Rob Stafsholt of New Richmond and Rep. Nate Gustafson of Neenah, the legislation would replace existing credential-specific standards with a "universal licensure recognition standard" in Wisconsin.

This would allow the state to provide reciprocal credentials to a profession that's certified in another state or jurisdiction under a single standard for various jobs, with some restrictions.

The lawmakers say the bill came out of the Legislative Council Study Committee on Occupational Licenses, which worked on various solutions for licensing delays at the state Department of Safety and Professional Services.

"Throughout the study committee, there were many ideas that came forward that were discussed by the group and turned into legislation," they wrote in the memo. "There were also some ideas that we didn't have enough time to fully discuss and get drafted into legislation before our final hearing, and LRB-2742/1 is one of those ideas."

The bill aims to expand an existing universal standard for credential recognition that currently only applies to service members, veterans and their spouses, the memo shows. It would apply to anyone "who is credentialed in good standing" elsewhere, though the bill would also end a requirement that applicants reside in Wisconsin.

The memo includes analysis from the Legislative Reference Bureau, showing the bill would repeal existing reciprocal credential provisions in state law specific to various professions. And among other limitations, recipients can't have any "limitation, restriction, or other encumbrance on a credential" or be under investigation by a credentialing authority in another state.

The cosponsorship deadline is noon Friday.

See the memo: https://www.wisconsinlobbyists.com/resources/Co-Sponsorship%20Memos/5.5.2023/LRB-2742%20reciprocal%20credentials%20Memo.pdf

— Attorney General Josh Kaul has announced a settlement with TurboTax will bring roughly $2.45 million to Wisconsinites who were tricked into paying for free tax services.

TurboTax's parent company Intuit in 2022 agreed to a $141 million 50-state settlement after deceiving about 4.4 million Americans, including about 81,000 Wisconsinites. Those who were to file their federal tax returns for free through TurboTax in 2016, 2017 or 2018, but ended up paying for the service, are eligible. Kaul in a statement slammed the trick.

"Deceiving consumers for profit is wrong," he said. "This is just one example of how we are working to protect people's pocketbooks."

Eligible Wisconsinites will be notified by Rust Consulting via email, and most can expect to see $29-$30. Those eligible do not have to file a claim, and checks should be mailed out starting next week.

See the release:

— Kaul and 15 other state AGs are urging federal officials to address widespread pollution by plastic microfibers.

In a letter sent to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the AGs are calling on the agencies to "evaluate their authority" under the federal Clean Water Act to regulate microfiber pollution. And they’re seeking further funding and research into the impacts of this pollution on the environment and human health, as well as new technologies to mitigate it.

Synthetic clothes release small strands of plastic when washed, and are a major source of oceanic pollution, the state Department of Justice says. Between the United States and Canada alone, as much as 878 tons of microfibers enter various bodies of water each year, according to a DOJ release. These fibers have even been found in remote locations including the Mariana Trench, the deepest known location on the planet.

Kaul says more information is needed about the effects of this "pervasive" pollution. But the letter references research suggesting these plastic fibers are linked to hormonal cancers, infertility, diabetes, obesity, asthma, as well as autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

"The steps proposed in this letter would lead to a clearer understanding of the harms caused by plastic microfiber pollution and assist with the development of an effective nationwide approach for addressing that pollution," he said in the release.

Along with more research into these issues, the AGs are urging the EPA and NOAA to encourage development and use of microfiber filtration systems and other relevant technology in both commercial and residential washing machines.

See the release: https://www.wispolitics.com/2023/dept-of-justice-ag-kaul-joins-coalition-sounding-alarm-over-pervasive-plastic-microfiber-pollution-calls-on-epa-to-protect-public-health

See the letter: https://www.doj.state.wi.us/sites/default/files/news-media/5.8.23_Microfibers_Letter.pdf

— Gov. Tony Evers has signed a bill to expand eligibility for the watershed protection grant program administered by DATCP.

Current law requires the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to provide grants for nonpoint source pollution abatement with assistance from producer-led groups. Producer-led groups must include at least five agricultural producers, and they work with land conservation groups to qualify for the grants.

Current law requires all the producers to be in the same watershed. AB 65 expands that to allow the producers to be located in a single watershed or in adjacent watersheds.

In a statement yesterday, Dairy Business Association President Lee Kinnard applauded Evers for approving the bill. He said the added flexibility for the program "will not only continue this great work but expand the number of farmers eligible to participate."

See the release:

— One of the 545 provisions Republicans stripped from Evers’ budget proposal would have allocated $100 million to the Wisconsin Artistic Endowment Foundation.

The endowment was created more than 20 years ago and signed by then-Gov. Scott McCallum, but never funded by lawmakers.

A new organization called Wisconsin's Creative Economy Coalition recently pushed for the funding — now potentially in a standalone bill or a future state budget.

"The $100 million is a starting point," Jason Anderson, executive director of the Pablo Center in Eau Claire, said on WISN's "UpFront," produced in partnership with WisPolitics. "We look at that as an endowed seed money where the interest coming off that would funnel to all the creative and cultural organizations throughout the state to help move us forward."

The coalition is made up of more than 100 art businesses and economic development organizations.

A study by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies showed Wisconsin ranked last nationwide in funding state arts organizations.

"I would say to the Legislature, if you’re looking to retain talent for business for the next two generations and also trying to bring people to move here as talent for future job growth, we’re going to have our lunch eaten by our neighboring states because they’re putting more effort behind this," said Bruce Pepich, executive director and curator of the Racine Art Museum.

See more from the show: https://www.wisn.com/upfront

See more on the coalition: https://www.wisbusiness.com/2023/wisconsins-creative-economy-coalition-launches/

— This year's Madison Region Economic Development and Diversity Summit is being held tomorrow at the Monona Terrace.

The Urban League of Greater Madison and the Madison Region Economic Partnership are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their partnership on the event, which features speakers and panel discussions on a range of topics.

See event details and register here: https://madisonregionsummit.regfox.com/2023-madison-region-economic-development-diversity-summit

— Applications are now open for WARF's UpStart fall entrepreneurship program for women and people of color.

The free 10-week program will run from Sept. 12 to Nov. 14, with classes being held at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery in Madison. The application deadline closes May 22, organizers announced.

UpStart aims to provide participants with the skills needed to conceive, fund, organize and test a business idea. Local professionals will be on hand to help entrepreneurs establish strategic goals and develop a plan for accomplishing them.

See more at Madison Startups: https://www.madisonstartups.com/upstart-fall-2023-applications-open/

Applications can be done here: https://warf.wufoo.com/forms/z50eqct12j42po/

#TOP STORIES#

# Infrastructure expansion sparks new clarification bill targeting roadbuilders and utilities

# What to know about the woman running the 2024 RNC in Milwaukee

# Helios’ acquisition of Wisconsin firm said to ‘turbocharge’ new product development

#TOPICS#

# AGRIBUSINESS

– Synergizing sustainability: Exploring the harmonious coexistence of solar power and agriculture

http://wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=471&yr=2023

– Alice in Dairyland: Embracing tradition and forging a new path for agricultural excellence

http://wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=472&yr=2023

– Evers signs bill to expand anti-pollution sustainable farming

# CONSTRUCTION

– Electric co-op breaks ground on Stanley wholesale warehouse

# ECONOMY

– Smith, Emerson implore need for state aid to child care centers

# ENTERTAINMENT & THE ARTS

– ‘Hamilton’ returns to Fox Cities PAC Tuesday for 2-week run

# ENVIRONMENT

– Volunteer finds rare parasitic plant in Wisconsin for the first time in over 40 years

– Gov. Tony Evers signs bipartisan watershed protection bill for agriculture

# MANUFACTURING

– Ingeteam confirms addition of EV charger manufacturing lines at Milwaukee facility

– Menasha paper products company to expand output, staff after acquisition

# MEDIA

– Madison filmmaker buys rights to adapt Stephen King story for a dollar

– Madison-based clothing startup founded by a lawyer wins top ‘Project Pitch It’ prize

# REAL ESTATE

– Compromise still sought between Brookfield residents, owner of contaminated Wheel & Sprocket land

– Luxury condos planned for The Jersey Store site in Ashwaubenon

# SPORTS

– Milwaukee Brewers end test of eighth-inning alcohol sales, reinstate prior policy

# TRANSPORTATION

– Wisconsin DOT seeks public input on Highway 175 via an interactive website and public hearing

– Milwaukee County employees must use Milwaukee airport for business

# COLUMNS

– Opinion: Local banks a different breed than the too-big-to-fail

– Commentary: Microsoft hyperscale data center need not be the last in Wisconsin

# PRESS RELEASES

<i>See these and other press releases:

https://www.wisbusiness.com/press-releases/ </i>

Clean Grid Alliance: Clean energy organizations celebrate the state court approval of the Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line

New Zoo and Adventure Park, Brown County: Mother's Day at the Zoo