MILWAUKEE - The ACLU of Wisconsin and 104 other organizations sent a letter today to the Joint Finance Committee urging them to allow people to participate in next month’s state budget hearings virtually, ensuring that everyone can safely join in the process.
The letter highlighted the importance of the Joint Finance Committee’s hearings in giving Wisconsinites a voice in the creation of the biennial budget, and asserted that the absence of virtual options would deter people from taking part in a process in which public engagement is vital.
“Because of the known risks with large public gatherings due to Covid-19 and the uncertainty about when it will be safe for all members of the public to attend, we as member-based organizations cannot in good conscience encourage our members to risk their health to attend large public hearings,” the letter stated.” While we represent far ranging and diverse populations, we are united in wanting to make sure that every person who wants to participate in the JFC hearings, and other legislative hearings this session, can do so safely.”
In addition to requesting that virtual attendance and engagement alternatives be made available, the advocacy groups also proposed a number of recommendations:
- Establish an email address for the Joint Finance Committee expressly for collecting testimony for inclusion into the public record.
- Establish an online version of the hearing slip that can be used anywhere in the state by constituents to register their position on the budget similar to what they could fill out if they attended in person.
- Develop clear, consistent language and instructions for the public on how they may register and submit testimony remotely. We suggest these instructions are included as part of every public hearing notice.
- Allow use of virtual platforms for remote testimony. Many platforms allow registration in advance and uploading of files which may be useful features for legislative committees. State agencies have used these platforms for gathering public input and comment during the pandemic.
- Consider providing a limited (by registration) call-in option for individuals to provide remote testimony if they do not have access to the internet, do not have a computer or have poor broadband.
- Ensure there are clear guidelines and notices posted online and in other places to help people understand all testimony options.
- Coordinate with state expertise (such as the Department of Health Services media team) to maximize accessibility for constituents with sensory disabilities on virtual platforms.
- Partner with Wisconsin Eye to provide captioning and ASL interpreters for hearing impaired individuals for all public hearings using this service.
“The onset of the pandemic has forced people and organizations across the world to change how they operate in the service of protecting public health and combating infection, and there is simply no reason why the Joint Finance Committee can’t simarlily work to adapt its public hearing process to accommodate the serious safety concerns posed by Covid-19. The people of Wisconsin should not have to risk their lives to exercise their right to weigh in on matters of great public concern, such as the writing of our state budget.”
The list of organizations is:
- 1000 Friends of Wisconsin
- 350 Madison
- A Better Wisconsin Together
- AARP Wisconsin
- ACLU of Wisconsin
- African American Roundtable, Inc
- AFSCME Council 32
- All Voting Is Local
- Alliance for the Great Lakes
- Autism Society of Greater Wisconsin
- Autism Society of South Central Wisconsin
- Autism Society Of Southeastern Wisconsin
- Black Leaders Organizing for Communities (BLOC)
- Black Lives Matter to Wisconsin Unitarian Universalists
- Blue Sky Waukesha
- Central Wisconsin ADAPT
- Chippewa Valley Transit Alliance, Inc.
- Citizen Action of Wisconsin
- Citizen Advocates for Public Education
- Clean Wisconsin
- Coalition For Justice
- Common Cause Wisconsin
- Consumer Direct Care Network
- Crawford Stewardship Project
- Disability Rights Wisconsin
- Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa
- End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin
- Esther
- Ex-Incarcerated People Organizing (EXPO)
- Fair Wisconsin
- First Baptist Church of Madison
- For Our Future Wisconsin
- Harambee Village Doulas
- Interfaith Earth Network
- Kids Forward
- League of Women Voters of Wisconsin
- LOV Inc, Living Our Visions Inclusively
- Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin
- Madtown Mommas and Disability Advocates
- Main Street Alliance
- Metcalfe Park Community Bridges, Inc
- Midwest Environmental Advocates
- Milwaukee Branch NAACP
- Milwaukee County Human Rights Commission
- Milwaukee Inner-city Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH)
- Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force
- Milwaukee Riverkeeper
- Milwaukee Turners
- Milwaukee Zen Center
- Monona UMC
- NAACP Milwaukee Branch
- NASW WI
- Northern Wisconsin NORML
- People First Wisconsin
- People of Progression
- Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin
- Progress North
- Protect Our Care Wisconsin
- RENEW Wisconsin
- Rid Racism Milwaukee
- River Alliance of Wisconsin
- Schools and Communities United
- Sierra Club Wisconsin
- Souled Out Ministries INC
- SOULS
- Souls To The Polls
- Southeastern Wisconsin ADAPT
- Survival Survival Coalition of WI Disability Advocacy Organizations
- The Arc Greater Columbia County
- The Arc Wisconsin
- The Arc-Dane County
- UFCW Local 1473
- Waupaca County ARC Inc.
- WI Association of Family & Children's Agencies
- WI Board for People with Developmental Disabilities
- WI Conference NAACP
- WI Early Childhood Association
- Wisconsin Aging Advocacy Network
- Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools
- Wisconsin Alliance for Women's Health
- Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault
- Wisconsin Coalition of Independent Living Centers, Inc.
- Wisconsin Conservation Voters
- Wisconsin Council of Churches
- Wisconsin Democracy Campaign
- Wisconsin Education Association Council
- Wisconsin Environment
- Wisconsin Environmental Health Network
- Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice
- Wisconsin Family Assistance Center for Education, Training & Support (WI FACETS)
- Wisconsin Farmers Union
- Wisconsin Green Muslims
- Wisconsin Health Professionals for Climate Action
- Wisconsin Interfaith Power and Light
- Wisconsin Justice Initiative
- Wisconsin Lakes
- Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association
- Wisconsin Long Term Care Workforce Alliance
- Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance
- Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association
- Wisconsin Public Education Network
- Wisconsin Wildlife Federation
- Wisconsin's Green Fire
- WISPIRG
- Youth Justice Milwaukee
