by State Rep. Warren Petryk For another consecutive term, I am honored to be chosen as the Chair of the Assembly Workforce Development Committee. As Chair, I am going to be looking for creative and collaborative solutions to address the challenges that COVID has brought our state. There are entire sectors of workers who are still unemployed since the start of the pandemic. Our work should focus on how we help them re-skill, either through short-term training opportunities or into an apprenticeship program, and support them as they transition to their next career.

Also, in this session, I was named Vice-Chair of the Assembly Aging and Long-Term Care Committee. In the last session, the committee had bipartisan success in helping pass my bill to expand the number of certified nursing assistants available in Wisconsin. Going forward, the committee will continue to focus on providing additional resources to our nursing home and assisted living staff who continue to help our seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities throughout the state.

The next committee 1 will be on is the Assembly Committee on Labor and Integrated Employment. 1 know that this committee will continue its work on helping people with disabilities get the resources they need to find and keep a rewarding career in our state. In addition, programs like Project SEARCH, which help young adults with disabilities find jobs while they are in school have been extremely successful. I’m proud that Western Wisconsin employers are actively participating in this amazing program, like Mayo Clinic, Walmart, and River Falls Area Hospital.

This session I will also be on the Assembly Substance Abuse and Prevention committee, chaired by fellow Western Wisconsin Representative, Jesse James. This committee was successful last session in continuing our progress passing the H.O.P.E. Agenda (Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education) to help our state deal with the scourge of drug addiction. With substance abuse on the rise, especially now during the pandemic, we must continue our work and engage with every stakeholder to help people get back on the right track.

My other Assembly committee assignments include Colleges and Universities, Energy and Utilities, Financial Institutions, Insurance, and Veterans and Military Affairs. I look forward to working on these committees to make sure the views of the people of Western Wisconsin are represented in Madison.