Tag: state

On
John Huebscher

Budget hearings offer chance to make a difference

Eye on the Capitol by John Huebscher column logo

When the Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC) staff talks to groups around the state, we emphasize that faithful citizenship is a 12-month obligation.

During the latter part of March, Catholics and others who want to be heard on how and where the state should spend our money will have a chance to do so.

They can show up at one of four hearings on the 2015 budget bill. The hearings, conducted by the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance, will take place over a two-week period beginning on Monday, March 23, and concluding on Friday, April 3.

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On
Kevin Wondrash

‘Fire On the Hill’ for teens at Holy Hill

HUBERTUS — On Saturday, Oct. 4, come out for the 14th annual “Fire On the Hill!” Find out why it’s the single largest youth event in the state.

Last year, 1,800 youth poured onto the grounds of the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians, popularly known as “Holy Hill.”

This beautiful fall event includes bonfire, speakers, sports, and sacraments.

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On
Kevin Wondrash

Dodgeville students place second in Odyssey world finals

DODGEVILLE — Amazing, unbelievable, impressive, and remarkable are all adjectives that describe the feelings from the students when they heard their team called for second place at the Odyssey of the Mind world finals.

St. Joseph School sent two teams to world competition recently in Ames, Iowa, at Iowa State University. There they competed against teams from all over the world.

Many teams had gone through multiple eliminations at sectional, regional, and divisional competitions, in order to get to world competition, so the competition was tough.

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On
Kevin Wondrash

State proposals would curb human trafficking

MADISON — The Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC) is supporting two bills that would strengthen Wisconsin’s human trafficking laws.

The proposals — Senate Bill 492 and Assembly Bill 620 — were considered in separate legislative hearings.

Constitutes grave offense

WCC Associate Director Barbara Sella offered written testimony in support of SB 492 to the Senate Committee on Transportation, Public Safety, and Veterans and Military Affairs on January 21 and to the Assembly Committee on Corrections on January 23.

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On
Chris Lee

Letter about Common Core State Standards

Dear Friends in Christ,

“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:5).

Our Catholic schools are great treasures, both of the Church, and of our society. Many of our Catholic schools have been assisting parents in the education and formation of their children for well over 100 years, allowing generations of children to receive the extraordinary benefit of a Catholic education.

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On
Kevin Wondrash

Student wins DAR award

MADISON — Frannie Ruth, member of the Cathedral Parish in Madison, recently won the Daughters of the American Revolution/National Italian American Foundation Christopher Columbus essay writing contest at the chapter and state level.

She read her essay at the DAR State Convention in May in Stevens Point.

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On
Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Legislature passes ultrasound measure

MADISON — Both the state Senate and Assembly passed a bill requiring ultrasounds for those considering an abortion.

According to the Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC) Capital Update report, the vote was 17-15 in favor in the Senate and 56-39 in favor in the Assembly for Senate Bill 206 (authored by Senator Mary Lazich, R-New Berlin), also known as “Sonya’s Law.”

Wisconsin Right to Life explained that Sonya, a Wisconsin mother of two children, learned that she was pregnant with her third child this past November. Sonya worried about how she could handle another child, emotionally and financially. She seriously thought about abortion.

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On
Kevin Wondrash

Support for ban on gender-based abortions

The Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC) joined other pro-life groups in voicing support for a bill before the Wisconsin Legislature to impose a civil penalty on doctors who knowingly perform sex-selective abortions.

Assembly Bill 217 (authored by Rep. Steve Kestell, R-Elkhart Lake) received a public hearing on May 29 before the state Assembly Committee on Health.

Sex-selective abortion

A sex-selective abortion is an abortion that is performed when the parent or parents of the unborn child abort because the baby is not of the desired sex. Most of the time, unborn girls are aborted because the parents wanted to have a son.

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