Pocan questions RFK Jr. on measles vaccine (WASHINGTON DC)
In Washington, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was questioned about his vaccine views during a House Appropriations Committee hearing on Wednesday. Wisconsin 2nd District Democrat Mark Pocan asked Kennedy if he had a child today, whether he would vaccinate that child against measles. Kennedy said he would “probably” do so, but added that his “opinions about vaccines are irrelevant.” President Trump’s HHS Secretary want on to say that he doesn’t think people should be taking medical advice from him. The exchange came amid an ongoing but waning measles outbreak in the U.S.
50th anniversary of Southeast Asian refugees coming to WI honored at Capitol (MADISON)
At the Capitol on Wednesday, the newly formed Legislative Asian Caucus honored the 50th anniversary of Hmong, Lao, Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees arriving in Wisconsin. Hmong American Women’s Association Executive Director Tammy Xiong says elder still remember the trauma caused by the pain of witnessing war, surviving refugee camps and the journey it took to get to Wisconsin. Wisconsin is home to the third-largest Hmong-American population in the United States. Madison Democratic Representative Francesca Hong, West Allis Representative Angelito Tenorio, and Madison Representative Renuka Mayadev formed the caucus earlier this month.
Spongy moth surveys set to begin (UNDATED)
Statewide surveys for invasive spongy moths are set to begin. From mid-May through early July, the Department of Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection will be setting approximately 8,000 traps for spongy moths across 36 counties. Most traps will be set along public roads, but some will require placement on private property. DATCP asks that if you come across a spongy moth trap, which are small green boxes stapled or tied to trees, to leave it be. The data collected from the traps is crucial to helping limit the spread of the invasive species. More info on spongy moth trapping can be found on DATCP’s website.
Major cases before SCOWIS set to get rulings before end of June (MADISON)
Expect multiple high profile cases before the Wisconsin Supreme Court to get rulings soon. Liberal Justice Ann Walsh Bradley is set to end her 30th year in the court next month and that means the court will have to deliver opinions in a number of cases. That includes a full ruling on Wisconsin’s current abortion laws, rulings on Wisconsin Act 10 which restricts collective bargaining for public unions, a ruling on W I A A actions against student athletes, and a ruling on PFAS regulations. There’s also a challenge from Governor Tony Evers against the legislative committee that handles how state agencies are allowed to create rules which has consistently blocked actions by Evers’ office. Bradley’s last day is June 30th.
Minnesota tech company accuses Epic Systems of violating fair trade laws (UNDATED)
A Minnesota tech company is accusing Verona-based medical records company Epic Systems of trade violations. CureIS Healthcare says Epic is illegally leveraging the distribution of the MyChart program to lock the CureIS medical payment program out of the market. In a federal lawsuit filed in the Northern District of California, CureIS alleges that Epic has leaned on its subscribers to stop using CureIS software in favor of its own billing program, and has engineered MyChart and its systems to stop working with the CureIS program. In a statement to W I S C TV Madison, Epic says it believes in fair trade and that it will set the record straight in court.