Friend –

The Wisconsin State Budget process is in full swing, and the ACLU of Wisconsin invites you to attend one of the Joint Finance Committee's in-person hearings – or the virtual hearing – to ensure that your voice is heard. The JFC has a huge influence over what is included in the budget, so it is critical that the people of Wisconsin speak up about the issues we want to see addressed.

The Joint Finance Committee will be holding in-person public hearings on the 2021-23 state budget, as well as one virtual hearing. The public hearings will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will be held:

• Friday, April 9, UW-Whitewater, Whitewater, WI.

• Wednesday, April 21, The Hodag Dome, Rhinelander, WI.

• Thursday, April 22, UW-Stout, Menomonie, WI.

• Wednesday, April 28, Virtual hearing.

The ACLU of Wisconsin plans to have representatives at each of these hearings – who will pass out t-shirts, masks, stickers, etc.

If you feel comfortable attending the in-person hearings, please do so safely. We encourage in-person participants to wear masks, bring hand sanitizer, and try to maintain proper social distancing as much as possible. The ACLU of Wisconsin will also have face masks and hand sanitizer available.

Testify in person or virtually to insist that lawmakers pass a budget that reflects our collective values. You can submit your comments electronically to the JFC, or send an email to [email protected]. If you want to know more about what the ACLU of Wisconsin and our budget partners are hoping lawmakers will invest in during the state budget process, you can find that information on the budget page located on our website.

Those wishing to testify at the virtual hearing may be required to register in advance. Registration details have not yet been announced, but we will share on our website as soon as we get more details.

Thanks for sticking with us,

Molly Collins
Advocacy Director, ACLU of Wisconsin