League of Women Voters hope for high turn out
The League of Women Voters is hosting a Town Hall Meeting, and all the legislators are invited. When I saw that, I had high hopes of activism happening. I bet the League of Women Voters also have high hopes for a high turn out. Here’s hoping that both legislators and area citizens turn up for the event.
I am not suggesting we high jack the forum by any means, but we should submit a question or two. Don’t you think so? If you are a resident of any of the Senate or Assembly Districts listed, I highly suggest you attend if you can.
League of Women Voters Forum
Some back ground on the possible participants is always help, so here it goes. After reviewing this data, please leave a “sample” question you would like use to submit in the comments section below:
Senator Andre Jacque (R-Bellevue)
Telephone:
(608) 266-3512
Email:
Sen.Jacque@legis.wisconsin.gov
Senator Jacque offers his support for prohibition while the assembly district underneath him pushes for reform. Personal bias is a large reason for non-support.
As an Assembly Representative he ignored constituents on the issue starting back in 2010. As a Senator he repeats his past performance. Back in 2011, then State Rep. Andre Jacque (R-Bellevue) had this to say “At this point I would be inclined to oppose it not that I think it would get to the floor, but I just think the idea has too many red flags surrounding it right now to be able to proceed,”.
Later in his career he adds “Certainly whatever imagined revenue there might be, I think there would be certainly higher costs to society,” .
Jacque has another view about the potential impact [of legalization], saying it would likely increase marijuana use among younger people and result in more people using marijuana before driving. “Clearly the values that I consider are keeping our communities safe, looking out for our children, looking out for people in general,” he said.
He is the Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, that killed “Adult Use / Recreational – Medical Combo” Legislation in the past. Guess what? He is not vice-chair anymore, but still sits on this committee and this bill is going to that very committee.
In 2021 he was a lead Republican mounting an attack against cannabis extracts as he authored Senate Bill 440 to increase penalties for manufacturing, sale or even use of butane hash oil (BHO). Although Jacque caught Covid-19 and was on a ventilator for a long time, but he managed to get his bill a public hearing in the committee he is a member of with the help of his gang.
It is unknown if his recovery from Covid will take him out of politics, but Jacque is up for re-election in 2022.
Senator Robert Cowles (R – Green Bay)
Telephone:
(608) 266-0484
Email:
Sen.Cowles@legis.wisconsin.gov
Cowles says he is “Open to medical”, “medical marijuana use regulated by a doctor”, “supports medical marijuana” and are all things we can find in the news archives and what we hear from him in district of Green Bay. He has been around since the late 80s and we are sure he has heard from enough people over the years to form his opinion and muster courage to sponsor a bill.
Senator Roger Roth (R – Appleton)
Telephone:
(608) 266-0718
Email:
Sen.Roth@legis.wisconsin.gov
We has the youngest Senate President ever in Wisconsin and he is a veteran. Marijuana reform is not always generational as this young man does not even want to talk about it. Senator Roger Roth (R-Appleton) has ignored veterans, patients, doctors, activists, voters, colleagues and even friends on the issue for years.
But in early 2021 Senator Roth changed his stance on “THC” at least in an interview or two, now to see if he co-sponsors legislation, so far, he has not.
Rep. Ron Tuslar (R – Harrison)
Telephone:
(608) 266-5831
Email:
Rep.Tusler@legis.wisconsin.gov
Elected in 2018, Tusler a Republican from Harrison did not sponsor any legislation on marijuana reform.
But he earned some extra credit points in 2019 by actually calling a voter in his district back after they sent an email to them regarding AB 570, the medical marijuana bill with home grows and smoking allowed, adding onto the potential “YES” votes to this piece of legislation.
Rep. Jim Steineke (R – Kaukauna)
Telephone:
(608) 266-2418
Email:
Rep.Steineke@legis.wisconsin.gov
Failure is on the report card of Republican Assembly Leader Jim Steineke. In past news articles over the past decade he has stated he would not sponsor legislation on the issue and holds up to that promise. He gives false hopes to the sick, dying and disabled of Wisconsin by saying he is “open to the idea of medical marijuana“. Rep. Steineke has offered little more than stall tactics in even the basic steps of medical marijuana reform.
During 2019, the Assembly Republicans prefiled a bill for the 2020 legislative session to create a medical marijuana program in Wisconsin (Assembly Bill 750) for co-sponsorship which Steineke did not sponsor.
His inability as the Republican Majority Leader to help move publicly supported bipartisan medical marijuana legislation through committee is clear that he has failed.
Rep. Gary Tauchen (R – Bonduel)
Telephone:
(608) 266-3097
Email:
Rep.Tauchen@legis.wisconsin.gov
Rep. Gary Tauchen maybe retiring. Roy Martin from The WiscoCAN Network lives in his district and has filed to run in this district as a Libertarian. Tauchen offered an opposition statement that is weak and his own survey yielded 63% support for medical.
Tauchen did not co-sponsor the 2019-20 Republican medical marijuana bill and he was Vice Chair on the Assembly Committee of State Affiars which did not scheduled any marijuana legislation for a public hearing and ultimately killed the bill.
Rep. Rachael Cabral-Guevara (R – Neenah)
Telephone:
(608) 266-5719
Email:
Rep.Cabral-Guevara@legis.wisconsin.gov
Rep. Cabral-Guevara as one of the many Republican candidates supporting reform indicated she was open to any innovative to bring in revenues, other states have legalized adult use and we know the pros and cons, many constituents have contacted her support for adult use.
For medial marijuana, she knows patients who have been prescribed marijuana and it benefits them, in a time that we are missing 2 million in revenue is it something to look at possibly.
As an elected official she has not authored or co-sponsored any cannabis reform legislation in her first term and indicates although she still supports reform, she will not author or co-sponsor legislation.
Rep. David Murphy (R-Appleton)
Telephone:
(608) 266-7500
Email:
Rep.Murphy@legis.wisconsin.gov
Friendly GOP Assembly Representatives in 2019 named this guy as a possible supporter of medical cannabis reforms. I am starting to seriously doubt that.
Republican Dave Murphy from Appleton has not sponsored any marijuana reform legislation since being elected to the State Assembly in 2012.
In February 2019 he said he would “oppose any push to legalize recreational use”, but added he would support regulated medical marijuana if it ensures the safety of public roadways.
Late in the 2019-20 session, a bi-partisan effort to decriminalize 10 grams or less of marijuana in Wisconsin was introduced. Assembly Bill 1004 did not attract the attention of Rep. David Murphy as he did not sign on as a co-sponsor. Again in 2021 Decriminalization was offered by Republicans and Murphy was absent. We thought he was going to see a primary challenger in the 2020 general election, but that did not happen and his candidate statements added more reasons he is opposed.
In 2021 Rep. Murphy co-sponsored AB 440 to increase penalties for manufacturing, sale or even use of butane hash oil (BHO).
Rep. Lee Snodgrass (R – Appleton)
Telephone:
(608) 266-3070
Email:
Rep.Snodgrass@legis.wisconsin.gov
Rep. Lee Snodgrass is a newly elected assembly representative from the 2020 election. Her first term in office she does sponsor the bill to legalize marijuana. She joins all other newly elected Democratic Assembly Reps in sponsoring the bill to legalize.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | September 30, 2021
For Information Contact: Kathy Voigt, LWV Appleton
Ph 920.428.4888 • Email voigtkathy71@gmail.com
www.lwvappleton.org • PO Box 12281, Appleton, WI 54912 • 920.738.7766
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS HOSTS OCTOBER 4th
TOWN HALL WITH FOX VALLEY LEGISLATORS
APPLETON, WI —The League of Women Voters of Appleton will host a virtual Legislative Town Hall meeting with state representatives from the Fox Valley on October 4 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. It will be a webinar format that also will be live streamed on the Appleton League’s Facebook page.
Wisconsin Senate delegates representing the Fox Valley who have been invited to participate include Senators Andre Jacque, District 1; Robert Cowles, District 2, and Roger Roth, District 19. Assembly Representatives invited include Ron Tusler, District 3; Jim Steineke, District 5; Gary Tauchen, District 6; Rachael Cabral-Guevara, District 55; Dave Murphy, District 56, and Lee Snodgrass, District 57.
During the webinar, legislators will be given an opportunity to outline their priorities for the current legislative session and answer prepared questions. Those viewing the webinar will also have an opportunity to submit a question. The last 30 minutes will be reserved for questions submitted during the event.
Audience questions will be screened to avoid duplication and ensure civility, and will be posed to the legislators by the League moderator.
All questions will be screened to avoid duplication and ensure civility, and will be posed to the legislators by the League moderator.
Registration for this virtual Legislative Town Hall can be made on the League of Women Voters of Appleton webpage: www.lwvappleton.org
Please feel free to share this with others who may be interested. Zoom Registration Link for this event.
LWV Appleton provides additional resources on its Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram.
LWV LEGISLATIVE TOWN HALL, ad one and only
The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Membership is open to men and women of all ages. With more than 750 affiliates across the county, the League is one of the nation’s most trusted organizations.
P.O. Box 1281, Appleton, WI 54912 • Ph 920.738.7766 • lwvappleton.org • league.appleton@yahoo.com
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