The "living wage" ordinance backed by the Milwaukee County Board last week — and others like it — would be barred under legislation up for a hearing Wednesday at the Capitol.

The proposed state measure prohibits local governments from enacting or enforcing a minimum wage law. It also would bar local officials from having residency requirements for workers on public works projects.

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County Supervisor David Bowen, the author of the Milwaukee County ordinance, called Kapenga's bill "a slap in the face" to local control.

The County Board approved an $11.32 minimum wage Thursday by a 12-6 margin. The measure was strongly backed by labor unions and advocacy groups, who said all full-time workers should earn enough to support their families. The $11.32 figure represents the federal poverty figure for a family of four.

As we take this month to reflect on some of history's greatest African American leaders, the Democratic Party's Black Caucus is excited to also recognize some of our outstanding leaders and activists from right here in Wisconsin. With sincere appreciation to everyone who participated in the nomination process, we are thrilled to announce this year's nominees for the Black History Month Awards.

Please click here to see all of our outstanding nominees and to place your vote today!

On Saturday March 1st, Democrats from across the state will gather in Milwaukee for our 4th Annual Black History month awards, where we will celebrate African American leaders who embody the democratic spirit and strive everyday for justice and social reform.

4th Annual Black History Month Awards
Saturday, March 1st
6:00 - 9:00pm
Milwaukee Brotherhood of Firefighters Hall
7717 W Good Hope Rd
Milwaukee, WI

To reserve your ticket now or to RSVP ahead of time, please visit: www.wisdems.org/blackhistorymonth

Hope to see you there,

Stephanie Findley
Chair, The Black Caucus
Democratic Party of Wisconsin

In recent years, drug shortages have become an all but permanent part of the American medical landscape. The most common ones are for generic versions of sterile injectable drugs, partly because factories that make them are aging and prone to quality problems, causing temporary closings of production lines or even entire factories.

The analysis by the United States Government Accountability Office, released Monday, was required by a 2012 law that gave the Food and Drug Administration more power to manage shortages. The watchdog agency was designated to evaluate whether the F.D.A. had improved its response to the problem, among other things.

The accountability office concluded that the F.D.A. was preventing many more shortages now than in the past — 154 potential shortages in 2012 compared with just 35 in 2010 — but that the total number of shortages has continued to grow. In 2012, the number of drugs in short supply, both new and long-term, was 456, the report said, up from 154 in 2007. Such drugs now include the heart medicine nitroglycerin, and cisatracurium, which is used to paralyze muscles during surgery and for patients on ventilators.

“We are at a public health crisis when we don’t have the medicines to treat acutely ill patients and we don’t have the basics like intravenous fluids,” said Erin Fox, a drug expert at the University of Utah whose data was used in the analysis. The most acute shortage now is that of basic IV fluids, she said.

The U.S. Navy's littoral combat ship program that's created thousands of shipbuilding jobs in Wisconsin may soon have a powerful ally in Washington with the nomination of Robert Work as Deputy Defense Secretary.

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Navy officials say they're committed to acquiring the 52-ship fleet even as Acting Deputy Defense Secretary Christine Fox has directed them to limit the acquisition to 32 ships.

The Navy has fended off critics of the littoral combat ship program that could provide work at the Marinette shipyard for many years.

Questions have been raised about the ships' mission, firepower and defenses. The reliability of the first three vessels, including USS Freedom built in Marinette, has also been questioned.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison now leads the nation as the top producer of Peace Corps volunteers with 90 alumni currently serving in 42 countries, the Peace Corps plans to announce Tuesday in Madison.

Peace Corps Acting Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet, who grew up in Appleton, will be on campus Tuesday morning to celebrate the Wisconsin flagship's new No. 1 ranking and longtime support of the Peace Corps.

UW-Madison is historically the second-highest producer of Peace Corps volunteers in the country, with a total of 3,112 alumni who have served. The University of California-Berkeley holds the top all-time spot, with a total of 3,576 volunteers since the Peace Corps' founding in 1961.

UW last held the No. 1 spot in the annual rankings from 2001 through 2006. Ohio State ranks fourth and Michigan ranks fifth in the new rankings.

Wisconsin Senate to take up bill limiting judges' authority to block state laws

A bill before the Wisconsin Senate on Tuesday would limit circuit court judges from blocking state laws — a measure that is being pushed by Republicans who have seen major initiatives blocked in recent years by the courts.

Since 2011, circuit judges have blocked all or parts of laws advanced by the GOP that would require voters to show a photo ID at the polls, limit collective bargaining for public employees and expand the governor's power over administrative rules.

Supporters of the bill said the legislation would honor the intent of the legislative branch and provide stability in state government but still allow for a higher court to block laws when deemed necessary. Democrats view the bill as a power grab by Republicans, who now control the Senate, Assembly and the governor's office.

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A former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice, Janine Geske, has said the bill passed by the Assembly goes too far and violates judicial power under state law. Geske was appointed by former Republican Gov. Tommy G. Thompson and served from 1993 to 1998. Geske, a Marquette Law School professor, predicted the bill would not withstand a constitutional challenge.