Conservatively Speaking

Legislative Council Study Committees Seeking Public Members

Posted by Mary Lazich on May 17, 2012

Legislative Council Study Committees are made up legislators and citizens interested or knowledgeable about a study topic. The study committees examine major issues and problems identified by the Legislature. I serve as the Senate Co-Chair of the Joint Legislative Council and, along with the State Assembly Co-Chair recently approved the following six study committees and scope statements:

1. Special Committee on 911 Communications
The Special Committee is directed to review 911 public safety communications in Wisconsin and develop legislation as needed to strengthen and improve the system. The Special Committee shall study: (a) creation of a statewide entity to provide coordination and long-term planning for the system; (b) existing funding sources and projected costs of the system; (c) the training curriculum and requirements for 911 dispatch personnel; (d) establishment of a minimum 911 service standard; (e) methods to upgrade multi-line telephone system technology to enable responders to locate calls originating from large or multi-location facilities; and (f) best practices around the country for potential implementation in Wisconsin.

2. Special Committee on Permanency for Young Children in the Child Welfare System
The Special Committee is directed to study current law relating to permanency for children under the age of eight who are placed or at risk of being placed outside of their home, such as in foster care, to determine whether modifications could be made to reduce the length of time it takes to achieve permanency and to improve outcomes for these children. The committee shall also determine how current law may be modified to encourage the placement of younger children with a relative as an option for permanency or support.

3. Special Committee on Improving Educational Opportunities in High School
The Special Committee is directed to develop legislation to create and enhance opportunities for both lower and higher achieving students in high school. The committee shall: evaluate current options available to high school students for both career and technical education and post-secondary enrollment, including the Youth Options Program; examine both career and technical education and post-secondary enrollment options available to high school students in other states; and determine how to promote coordination between high schools, technical colleges, universities, and employers to ensure that high school students have the skills necessary to meet the workforce needs of employers in this state.

4. Special Committee on Legal Interventions for Persons With Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias
The Special Committee is directed to review and develop legislation to clarify the statutes regarding guardianship, protective placement, involuntary commitment, and involuntary treatment as they apply to vulnerable adults with a dementia diagnosis who may or may not have a co-occurring psychiatric diagnosis.

5. Special Committee on Supervised Release and Discharge of Sexually Violent Persons
The Special Committee is directed to review the current process for granting supervised release and discharging persons who have been committed as sexually violent persons under ch. 980, Stats. The committee shall: determine what level of judicial input regarding the determination whether to grant a sexually violent person supervised release or discharge from a civil commitment under ch. 980 is appropriate; review the criteria for determining whether a person is fit for supervised release and determine whether this criteria should be modified; and review the criteria for determining whether a person should be discharged from his or her civil commitment to determine whether the criteria are appropriate.

6. Special Committee on Reporting Child Abuse and Child Neglect
The Special Committee is directed to conduct a recodification of s. 48.981, Stats., Wisconsin’s child abuse and child neglect reporting requirements to reorganize the statute in a logical manner, renumber and retitle certain subsections, consolidate related provisions, modernize language, resolve ambiguities in language, and make other necessary organizational changes. The committee shall also: recommend changes to current law regarding who is required to report suspected abuse or neglect of children and the circumstances under which such a report is mandated; and study the reporting of suspected abuse of students at institutions of higher education.

The Joint Legislative Council is accepting resumes and letters of interest from persons interested in serving on the committees. The brochure at the following link explains the role of members. http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lc/committees/jointcouncil/files/2012/apr11_study_committee_brochure.pdf

You may send resumes and interest letters to: sen.lazich@legis.wisconsin.gov