Here & Now

Homelessness Bill Passed the Senate with Bipartisan Support

Frederica Freyberg:

On Tuesday the state Senate unanimously passed one of eight Republican bills addressing homelessness. In tonight’s look ahead, we check in on the remaining legislation that despite bipartisan support is not moving forward.

Clerk:

All members vote in the affirmative. There are 31 ayes. Zero nos.

Marisa Wojcik:

The state Senate’s first floor session of the year Tuesday had hours of debate even for a bill that passed with unanimous bipartisan support. As movement on the issue of homeless funding has proven to be a rocky road. The bill that passed provides a total of $1,000,000 to homeless shelters across Wisconsin and was originally a part of a package of eight Republican bills aimed at curbing homelessness with a variety of measures from emergency to preventive programs.

Jim Steineke:

Really the focus is trying to make an impact on the homelessness problem from beginning to end of the spectrum.

Marisa Wojcik:

State data says that in 2018, there were 22,000 homeless in Wisconsin. And 40% of those were families. The same year the Department of Public Instruction recorded almost 19,000 homeless students in public schools across the state. All eight pieces of legislation passed the Assembly last June with unanimous support, a 99-0 vote. But they now sit in Senate committees, stalled since last fall.

Joe Volk:

The Republican leader of the Senate is not going to bring any bill to the floor that he needs a Democratic votes to pass.

Marisa Wojcik:

Joe Volk, executive director of the Wisconsin Coalition Against Homelessness, says that just a few key Republican Senators opposed the legislation are preventing Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald from bringing them to the Senate floor. He says that the shelter funding passed the Senate Tuesday because many homeless are being left on the winter streets.

Joe Volk:

We’re able to make the case obviously in the very cold season, when it’s minus zero in many parts of the state.

Marisa Wojcik:

Reports say some Republican Senators have concerns about spending more money. The cost of this homeless package would be less than $4 million annually. Far less than what neighboring states spend.

Joe Volk:

You know, Illinois is up to $22 million. Michigan is up to $26 million. Again, Minnesota over $40 million. They are having an impact in those states.

Marisa Wojcik:

The Joint Finance Committee has already set aside the funding for all eight bills.

Jon Erpenbach:

The amount of money that is required in the legislation we’re about to vote on has already been set aside for that particular piece of legislation, nothing else.

Marisa Wojcik:

Because the majority of Republicans support the entire homeless bill package, there’s a disconnect as to why they can’t move it forward.

Alberta Darling:

Just one bill won’t do it. And one discussion on the floor won’t do it. And I hope that in the future, we can have a full court press on this issue of homelessness.

Marisa Wojcik:

For “Here & Now,” I’m Marisa Wojcik.

Frederica Freyberg:

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says there is still a possibility some of the other homeless bills could reach the Senate floor next month. Democrats laid out their case for impeachment in the U.S. Senate trial of President Donald Trump this week. Republican defense begins over the coming weekend. Wisconsin U.S. Senators are predictably divided on the proceedings so far. Democrat Tammy Baldwin said this today, “The House managers made a powerful, fact-based case with compelling evidence that the president abused his power for personal, political gain and then obstructed Congress. Their presentation raises serious questions about why the White House has withheld critical documents and prevented relevant witnesses from testifying about their firsthand knowledge about President Trump’s actions.” Meanwhile Republican Senator Ron Johnson said, “The House was in a rush to do this impeachment. They did, from my standpoint, a pretty sloppy job. They’re asking us to do what they should have done in a more thorough impeachment inquiry.” You can follow live coverage of the Trump impeachment trial this weekend online with the NewsHour at pbs.org.