The Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee (JFC) will hold the final two in-person public hearings on the state budget this week:
- Wednesday, April 21 in Rhinelander (Hodag Dome, School District of Rhinelander, 665 Coolidge Avenue, Rhinelander, WI 54501)
- Thursday, April 22 at UW-Stout (Great Hall of the Memorial Student Center, 302 10th Ave E, Menomonie, WI 54751 *all attendees will be directed to park in Parking Lot #29)
The hearings are scheduled to start at 10am and take testimony until 5pm.
It is very important for K-12 to have a strong presence at these hearings. Lawmakers are not sold on increased school funding and school leaders cannot afford to be complacent. It is also a unique experience to present testimony at these hearings and listen to others. Board members who testify also receive WASB recognition points.
Reminders:
- While the hearings don’t start until 10am, the earlier you arrive, the earlier you will get to speak. Registration begins at 9am and is first come, first served, but people will begin arriving to line up by 7:30am or earlier.
- Individuals will have 2 minutes to testify, while groups of three or more will receive five minutes (our handout document linked below incorrectly states groups of four or more which is what we were initially told be committee staff). There will likely be no questions from legislators.
- Bring an extra copy of your testimony for the Capitol staff at the registration table. They will bring it back to Madison and distribute to all committee members.
- The JFC will be following the guidelines from local public health departments for the host location regarding masking, social distancing and room capacity.
- Rhinelander: The Hodag Dome will require masks or face coverings to be worn at all times inside of the dome. Visitors are requested to follow hand hygiene and social distancing guidelines.
Resources for Preparing Testimony
To help you prepare to have a great experience, the WASB has the following resources available:
- Talking points
- State budget webpage
- Short video with tips for testifying and what to expect onsite.
- Handout NOTE: our handout incorrectly states groups of four or more is required to qualify for 5 minutes which is what we were initially told be committee staff. It is in fact three or more (as has been past practice).
Please let us know if you plan to testify at either hearing or if you have any questions.
Testifying at a budget hearing is a rewarding way to support your students. Thank you for your advocacy!
