MADISON, Wis. -- In what could be their only meeting before the April 4 election, former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly and Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Janet Protasiewicz will face off in a debate organized by News 3 Now, WisPolitics and the State Bar of Wisconsin.
The debate will be a traditional format including opening statements, timed answers and rebuttals, as well as closing statements.
It will  be live streamed on  YouTube 

The League of Women Voters of the La Crosse Area will hold a Candidate Forum with Timothy Gaskell and Angela Palmer-Fisher, candidates for the office of Vernon County Circuit Court Judge.
The forum is expected to last approximately one hour. League members will serve as forum moderator and timekeeper. Each candidate will respond to questions submitted in writing by the audience.

Questions may also be submitted in advance
by emailing them to lwvlawi@gmail.com
by noon on Tuesday, March 21.

                         More Information Here    Link to Live Stream                          

The March Book Club will again gather in the meeting room of RiverPlace Apartments, located at 1 RiverPlace Dr., La Crosse, which is adjacent to International Friendship Gardens. Participants should enter through the front entrance and press "18" on the entryway intercom. Parking is available in front of the building or in the International Friendship Gardens parking lot in back.
*Although registration for this in-person meeting will not be required, participants are encouraged to register if they wish to receive an event reminder as well as any potential updates to meeting information.

 

For more information contact:
Maureen Kinney
kinneymaureen6@gmail.com

March Book Club

Join your fellow LWVLA members in-person at the Myrick Park Center, or join us virtually via a Zoom link that will be emailed to you after registration. The annual Legislative Breakfast offers League members an opportunity to meet with our state and national representatives or staff in order to hear and ask questions about current legislative priorities and challenges.

All of our local state and national legislators have been invited. Those we've heard from who will attend or send a staff representative are:
Rep. Jill Billings
Rep. Steve Doyle
Sen. Brad Pfaff
Gregg Wavrunek, representing Sen. Tammy Baldwin

For more information, please use the link to register for this event.

The 2023 Farm Bill is an omnibus, multiyear law that governs an array of food, agricultural, and conservation programs. The bill helps to strengthen local infrastructure, support rural economic development initiatives, protect our nation’s food supply, increase access to healthy food for low-income populations, and promote environmental stewardship and conservation.

Learn more about renewing this federal authorization bill from Margaret Krome, the Policy Program Director of the Michael Fields Agricultural institute.

Join the League of Women Voters of the Upper Mississippi Region in educating our members of Congress in supporting conservation and water quality through the 2023 Farm Bill.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court, sometimes referred to as SCOWI, is the state's highest court. It's responsible for determining if laws violate the Wisconsin Constitution. It also establishes and enforces rules and codes of conduct for Wisconsin attorneys, judges and the justices themselves.  
Why does this matter? The Wisconsin Supreme Court makes decisions that affect us all. Their rulings can decide: voting rights, reproductive rights, economic development, educational policy and more.  While the justices serve 10-year terms, the impact of their decisions can last for even longer.

The candidates on the ballot are Dan Kelly and Janet Protasiewicz. 

There are now eight candidates for school board members, running for four seats on the board. The four positions will be three for three year terms, and one for a one year term to fill the position vacated by the resignation of Rob Abraham before his term expired.
Why does this matter? The school board is the legislative body of a school district. The school board adopts the annual school district budget and a strategic plan that includes district goals, initiatives and projects. They are also responsible for policies regarding student learning, curriculum, instruction and assessment, parents and community, and personnel. Voters elect board members to represent their district for a three-year term in nonpartisan elections. There are no term limits.

There have been two forums for this race, finds the links to watch those   Here

The Wisconsin Circuit Courts are the main trial courts for civil cases (for example, divorce or custody cases) and criminal cases (for example, robbery). These courts are funded by state and county government.

Why does this matter? The Wisconsin Circuit Courts rulings impact many Wisconsinites. Their rulings decide family law disputes, civil rights, disability rights, voting rights, public safety and labor rights. Voters decide who sits on the bench.

What's a constitutional amendment? This is a change to the Wisconsin Constitution. The current Wisconsin Constitution has been amended over 100 times. Amendments are often referred by the legislature and then put on the ballot.
What will this amendment regarding bail do? The amendment would require a judge to consider a defendant’s potential risk to public safety, including his or her criminal history, when setting bail. Currently, cash bail is set only as a means to ensure the person appears in court.
What is the League's stance on this? The League opposes this amendment and urges voters to vote “no” on both questions. Our opposition is guided by LWVWI's Legislative Committee. We believe the ballot questions are ambiguous and misleading. Additionally, increased pretrial detention and denial of bail will:
1. violate rights of those who are innocent until proven guilty
2. increase costs for local jails, including rural areas
3. increase racial disparity in the justice system
4. adversely impact the less affluent
Question 1 is about conditions of release before conviction. Question 2 is about cash bail before conviction.

Voters can visit MyVote.WI.Gov to see the full sample language on their ballot.

Our local League of Women Voters of the La Crosse Area is excited to host the Wisconsin League of Women Voters Annual Meeting this year! Follow the link below to see the schedule of events and see if it is something you would like to put on your calendar for this year. Registration open until May 17, 2023.