The legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance (JFC), which I co-chair, met on Wednesday, January 14 to vote on a number of bills that impact state spending and to approve requests from state agencies. Even though work on the budget is complete, JFC continues to work and move items through the legislative process.

The most notable item that we voted on was a bill to exempt cash and card tips from state income tax. This legislation will work in parallel with federal “no tax on tips” legislation to exempt up to $25,000 in tips from income tax. This popular legislation was supported by both presidential candidates and was included in the Governor’s budget proposal. I believe this legislation will be extremely beneficial to those working in Wisconsin’s vital hospitality, restaurant, and tourism industries. This exemption phases out once a worker reaches a federal adjusted gross income (AGI) of $150,000 for an individual or $300,000 for those who file a joint return, ensuring this remains a true working-class tax cut.

We also approved legislation aimed at increasing housing development in rural areas. The low-income housing tax credit is a key tool to increase Wisconsin’s supply of affordable housing. Current law requires this program to give preference to projects in “smaller communities,” a definition that currently includes cities such as Green Bay, La Crosse, and Racine. The updated program would refine this definition to better reflect rural needs, prioritizing municipalities with fewer than 10,000 residents that are located at least 10 miles from cities with populations of 50,000 or more. This definition would apply to many communities in the 17th Senate District and help attract working families to our region.

Another bill we voted on would make part-time and volunteer firefighters, emergency medical responders (EMRs), and emergency medical service (EMS) practitioners eligible for worker’s compensation if they are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Under current law, this coverage is only available to police officers and full-time fire fighters. Expanding this eligibility recognizes the important role our first responders play in ensuring the public safety of our communities.