Wisconsin Assembly approves bills on homelessness, regulation of 5G technology

MADISON - The state Assembly approved a string of bills Tuesday to curb homelessness, set rules for health insurers' "step therapy" programs and allow telecommunications companies to more easily install 5G infrastructure around the state. 

Combating homelessness has been a rare area of bipartisan agreement in recent years and lawmakers from both parties signed off on seven bills that together could provide nearly $4 million to deal with the issue.

"We're taking yet one more step in what's going to be a long road to ending homelessness in this state," said Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna.

Assembly Bills 119, 120, 123, 124 and 125 would allow the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee to increase funding for homelessness programs.

There's no guarantee the committee would end up providing any additional funding for those programs, but legislative leaders said they were confident the money would come through once the new state budget is approved.

Democratic Rep. Chris Taylor of Madison, who sits on the committee, accused lawmakers of putting the money into a "slush fund" that Republicans control.

"It creates another bureaucratic hurdle to get these monies out," she said.

Assembly Bill 121 would allow the finance committee to fund housing navigators — specialists who connect tenants with homelessness programs, recruit landlords to participate in them and work out disputes between tenants and landlords.

Like the other bills, the measure doesn't provide funding for the plan on its own. 

Assembly Bill 122 would require state and locals boards focused on worker training to help make sure training is available to the homeless. 

All the bills passed on voice votes. They head to the Senate,  which like the Assembly is controlled by Republicans.

Originally, the bills were written to provide millions of dollars to fight homelessness, but Republicans drafted amendments to take the funding away and give the finance committee the power to decide how much money the programs get. 

Steineke said that was done because the issue also was being addressed in the state budget proposed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. Lawmakers hope to finalize the budget next week.

By taking the appropriations out of the bills on homelessness, lawmakers also are taking away the possibility that Evers could use his partial veto powers to rewrite the legislation.

Wisconsin governors can strike out individual words from bills with appropriations, giving them the ability to substantially change legislation. For bills without appropriations, governors can sign them or veto them entirely, but they cannot partially veto them. 

5G. The Assembly on a voice vote passed Senate Bill 239, which would limit the regulation of what’s known as 5G or small cell technology. The measure would generally bar local governments from regulating certain communications services or charging fees on infrastructure for them. 

Backers say it's important to be able to roll out the technology quickly, particularly with the Democratic National Convention coming to Milwaukee in 2020. Opponents say the bill would take away too much power from local officials.

The Senate passed the bill 25-5 this month. The Assembly's approval sent it to Evers. 

Step therapy. On a voice vote, the Assembly approved Senate Bill 26, a measure that would create rules for “step therapy” programs that health insurers offer. Those programs often require patients to try cheaper medications before more expensive ones.

Under the bill, patients could avoid having to first use the cheaper drugs in certain cases, such as when they are expected to be ineffective or cause adverse reactions.

Senators approved the bill on a voice vote this month and it now heads to Evers' desk.

Dyslexia. On a 76-21 vote, the Assembly passed Assembly Bill 110, which would require the state to publish a guidebook for parents, teachers and school administrators to help them teach children who struggle with reading. 

The bill goes to the Senate. 

You can find out who your legislators are and how to contact them here: https://maps.legis.wisconsin.gov/

Contact Patrick Marley at patrick.marley@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @patrickdmarley.