The 2010 Wisconsin SHRM Legislative Conferences will provide HR professionals with an ideal forum to learn, discuss, network and engage with Representatives, Senators and our Legal Partner on important legislative topics.  We expect the recent trend on employment issues to continue and over the coming months we expect to see an enormous amount of activity on workplace legislative issues.  The Legislative Conferences offer HR Professionals the opportunity to hear about current and pending legislation and to ask questions and give feedback to local legislators.  You won't want to miss it !! 

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Kelda Helen Roys is a lifelong Madison Northsider and progressive leader. She was elected in 2008 to represent the 81st Assembly District, succeeding Rep. Dave Travis, who retired after holding the seat for three decades; Rep. Roys is the youngest member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.

 

Rep. Roys has a broad range of legislative interests, including health care, education, economic development, civil and human rights, conservation and green energy, criminal justice reform, tax fairness and fiscal responsibility, voting access and campaign finance reform, LGBT equality, reproductive rights, social and economic justice, and transportation.

 

Prior to her legislative position, Rep. Roys served for four years as Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin, the political leader of the reproductive rights movement. She developed and implemented the organization's innovative efforts to expand emergency contraception access through state and local legislation, including Madison's landmark emergency contraception ordinance. Under her leadership, the Wisconsin state legislature passed the first pro-choice bill in a generation, the Compassionate Care for Rape Victims Act, which ensures that women who are sexually assaulted are given information and access to emergency birth control to prevent pregnancy after a rape.

 

Rep. Roys is an active community leader, having served on the boards of the Dane County Democratic Party, Sherman Neighborhood Association, Madison Repertory Theatre, ACLU of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Public Interest Law Foundation, and the State Bar of Wisconsin's Legal Services Committee, which aims to improve access to legal services for low-income people. Roys is a member of TEMPO Madison, the Legal Association for Women, and the State Bar of Wisconsin.

 

An attorney, Rep. Roys received her J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Wisconsin Law School, focusing on civil rights and international law. Kelda received her B.A. magna cum laude from New York University in Politics, Drama, and Cultural Studies. Roys’ partner, Dan Reed, is a director at American Family Insurance, and has two daughters, Erin (9) and Emily (6).

 

Rep. Roys has deep community roots in the 81st Assembly District, having attended Lakeview Elementary, Gompers Middle (now Blackhawk), and East High. Her family remains in Madison, including her parents, social worker Krista Roys and environmental lawyer William O'Connor; her father, prosecutor and former district attorney Arthur Thexton; and her former stepmother, Democratic strategist Margaret McEntire. In her spare time, Roys enjoys singing, biking, eating Wisconsin dairy products, and being beaten in anything athletic by her three younger sisters, Claire, Madeline, and Eve.

 

Luther Olsen was elected to the Senate in 2004, after serving in the state Assembly for 10 years.  He was born in Berlin, WI in 1951 and has been a lifelong resident of the 14th Senate District. 

 

For the 2009-2010 Session, Senator Olsen serves on the Joint Committee on Finance and is also a member of Senate Committee on Education and Senate Committee on the Environment.

 

Senator Olsen also serves on the Steering Committee of the Education Commission of the States in Denver, Colorado and is a member of the Wisconsin Education Communications Board.  In addition, he is on the Board of Directors of Manitowoc Mutual and serves as a board member of the State Capitol and Executive Residence Board.  He is also a member of the Finance and Audit Committee of the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics Authority Board.

 

Senator Olsen is a graduate of Berlin High School and received his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  He is a part owner of several agricultural interests in central Wisconsin.  He is a past member of the Berlin School Board, where he served as President of the board for 9 years.

 

Senator Olsen has been a champion of education issues in Wisconsin and was named “Legislator of the Year" in 2005 by the School Administrators Alliance.  The SAA represents more than 3,000 public school administrators across the state.   Senator Olsen is probably best known for the Graduated Driver’s License legislation he authored –a law aimed at improving the way teenagers learn to drive.

 

Senator Olsen is married, has six children, and lives in the city of Ripon.

 

 Senator Scott Fitzgerald was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 1994 after working for nearly ten years in the newspaper publishing business.  He purchased and ran the Dodge County Independent News, Juneau, WI, in 1990 and sold it in 1996 to the Watertown Daily Times where he was retained as an associate publisher for a number of years.

Scott comes from a family very active in public service.  His father, Stephen Fitzgerald, was Sheriff of Dodge County for 14 years and now serves as the U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Wisconsin.  His brother, Jeff, is an Assembly Representative from Dodge County and serves as the Assembly Republican Leader. 

Scott is married to his high school sweetheart, Lisa, who is a guidance counselor at Hustisford High School.  They have three sons, Scott, Brennan, and Connor, and they live in rural Clyman where they raise horses. 

Born in 1963, Scott graduated from Hustisford High School in 1981 and earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 1985. 

Scott joined the US Army Reserve in 1981 and was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Armor Branch in 1985.  He completed the Army Command and General Staff College and served in a number of assignments during his 27 years of service, including Battalion Commander. In 2009, he retired from service at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.   

In November 2006, Scott was re-elected to his fourth term.  In prior sessions, he has served as Majority Leader, Co-Chairman of the Joint Committee on Finance, and Chairman of the Senate Corrections Committee.  Scott also served on a wide array of boards and study committees ranging from the Rural Economic Development Board, the Governor’s Council on Tourism, and the Special Committee on State-Tribal Relations to the Committee on Telecommunications and 911 Service. This legislative session, Scott has been re-elected by his Republican colleagues to serve as Senate Republican Leader. 

 

Democrat- 26th State Senate

 

• Senate President 1979,1981,1983,1985,1987,1989,1991,1993(1/93-4/93) 1996, 1997(1/97-4/97), 1999, 2001, 2007, 2009
• Senate President Pro Tempore 1975,1977, 1979*
• Senate Co-Majority Leader 2002
• Senate Minority Leader 1967,1969,1971,1973
• Assistant Senate Minority Leader 1965,1993,1995

 

• Senate President
• Joint Committee on Legislative Organization, Co-Chair
• Joint Committee on Employment Relations, Co-Chair
• Joint Legislative Council, Co-Chair
• Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules
• State of Wisconsin Building Commission, Vice Chair
• Senate Committee on Organization
• Senate Committee on Ethics Reform and Government Operations, Chair
• State Capitol and Executive Residence Board, Chair
• Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission
• Wisconsin Historical Society Board of Curators
• Circus World Museum Board of Directors
  
• National Conference of Commissioners of Uniform State Laws
  
• Commission on Uniform State Laws

 

• National Conference of State Legislatures
  
  • Former Member, National Executive Committee
• Council of State Governments
  
  • Former Member, National Executive Committee
    
  • Former Chair, Midwestern Legislative Conference
    
• State Legislative Leaders Foundation
• Senate Presidents’ Forum
• Presidential Elector, 1964 and 2008

 

• Elected to Wisconsin State Assembly in 1956, representing Central Madison Re-elected in 1958 and 1960
  
• Elected to Wisconsin State Senate in 1962 in a Special Election Re-elected in 1964,1968,1972,1976,1980,1984,1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008

 

• Born in Madison, May 5, 1927
  
• Married, three children, four grandchildren
  
• Attended Madison Public Schools
  
• Attended Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota; University of Wisconsin- Madison
  
• B.A and L.L.B from University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
• World War II Veteran, U.S. Navy
  
• Attorney at Law
  
• Member of Dane County Bar Association
  
  • State of Wisconsin Bar Association
    
  • State of Oregon Bar Association

 

Hopper is president and owner of Mountain Dog Media, which owns News-Talk 1450 KFIZ, K107.1, Fox Cities ESPN & Sheboygan’s ESPN radio 950. Hopper is also a founding partner of Tall Corn Music, an independent record label and talent management firm. Hopper has served on the boards of the Fond du Lac YMCA, Cops for Kids Foundation, Fond du Lac Festivals (past president), Waupun Community and Corrections Relations, and Winnebago County SAFE Streets. He also has been involved in the Charles M. Boesel Foundation and the Hopper Family Foundation.

 

In 2008, Hopper was elected to State Senate District 18. He serves on the Senate Education Committee; the Senate Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Technical Colleges and Consumer Protection Committee; the Senate Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform and Housing Committee; the Senate Children, Families and Workforce Development Committee; and the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties. He also served as Co-Chair of the Wisconsin Jobs NOW Task Force, which traveled the state to meet with job creators on ideas to improve the economy.

 

Attendees at this program will learn about:

1. Social Media—HR Tool or Trap? (The answer may be Yes!): This segment will provide HR professionals with an overview of the potential pluses and pitfalls associated with acquiring and using information from social networking sites as the basis for employment-related decisions.
2. Protected Categories: A review of the latest developments and proposals offering greater employee protections:
   • The New—domestic partners under the Wisconsin Family and Medical Leave Act
   • The Expanded—individuals with disabilities under the ADAAA
   • The Proposed—credit history under the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act and sexual orientation under state and federal law
3. The Latest News On The Employee Free Choice Act & The New NLRB: Status on the legislation and President Obama’s NLRB nominees.

 

Attorney Deborah A. Krukowski emphasizes her practice in the area of litigation and investigations before the ERD and the EEOC and matters under Title VII, the ADA, the ADEA, the FMLA, sexual harassment and general employment discrimination law. She successfully argued a Motion for Summary Judgment to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals on the issue of race discrimination and retaliation for a large financial institution. She also has successfully argued and won cases in the areas of contract disputes, violations of non-compete agreements, discrimination, retaliation, and harassment claims.  She provides employee training in these areas as well and gives advice on employee handbooks and policies, including wrongful discharge. She provides employers with assistance in separation agreements and releases, and downsizing or plant closing planning. Further, she has enforced relocation contracts on behalf of employers throughout the United States.

 

As a speaker on employment law issues, she presents seminars to employers on the subjects of FMLA, sexual harassment, retaliation, constructive discharge, ADA, domestic partner benefits, workplace violence, employee privacy rights and employment releases. Her practice focuses on industries such as financial services, retail, insurance, foods and distribution, manufacturing, and health care.

 

Upon graduation from Marquette University Law School, she worked on ADA and Title VII issues for the Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee. She continues to be involved in litigation before Wisconsin state agencies, Wisconsin state courts, federal district courts and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. She was also involved in the creation of the Education and Mentoring Initiative, and remains active through this Initiative in educating and mentoring girls, primarily in inner-city schools, who otherwise would not have exposure to professional women.

 

Deborah is admitted to practice in all Wisconsin state courts, including the Supreme Court of Wisconsin, and before the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.  She is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin; the Milwaukee, Seventh Circuit and Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Associations; the American Inns of Court, the Association for Women Lawyers where she served as President from 2006-2007 and has been on the Board of Directors since 2002; and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

 

Attorney Keith E. Kopplin, associate with Krukowski & Costello, S.C., focuses his practice on employment litigation and general employment law matters.  He assists clients in resolving wage and hour class action lawsuits and advises them in the areas of wage and hour, discipline and discharge, the Wisconsin and federal Family and Medical Leave Acts, reductions in force, waiver and release agreements, and affirmative action.

 

Keith is a frequent speaker on employment law issues, including the new COBRA subsidy regulations and the impact of H1N1 in the workplace.  In addition, he develops and presents customized audio programs for employers on employment law fundamentals.  Attorney Kopplin has also authored numerous articles on employment law issues, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, the COBRA subsidy regulations, and military exigency and caregiver leave under the federal FMLA.  He is a contributing editor to Krukowski & Costello’s Employment Law Manual for Wisconsin Employers and the FMLA Manual for Wisconsin Employers.

 

He earned his law degree, magna cum laude, from Marquette University Law School, where he was on the Law Review, the Dean's Honor List, and the National Dean's List.  Keith also  received the Cali Award for Legal Writing and Research II and Worker's Compensation and was a  Marquette University Law School Scholar.  He received his undergraduate degree, cum laude, from Lawrence University.  Keith is admitted to practice in all Wisconsin State Courts, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

 

Mr. Heifetz is the Vice President of Governmental Affairs for Dean Health System and SSM Health Care of Wisconsin, the parent company of St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, St. Clare Hospital and Health Services in Baraboo, St. Mary’s Janesville Hospital and five affiliated hospitals.  In this role, Mr. Heifetz works closely with our state and federal elected officials to address many health care issues, including:  access, cost and quality improvement.

 

A native Madisonian, Mr. Heifetz holds a bachelor’s degree from UW-Madison in Political Science and International Relations (1989) and a master’s in Public Policy from the LaFollotte Institute (1991).

 

His previous professional experience includes serving in the Wisconsin Department of Administration, State Budget Office, where he helped develop policy initiatives in the areas of health care, criminal justice and higher education.  Mr. Heifetz then moved to the Legislative branch, serving as the Policy Advisor to the Assembly Majority Leader.  There, he helped develop various initiatives, including Wisconsin’s groundbreaking SeniorCare program and other health care legislation.

 

Additionally, Mr. Heifetz has provided guest lectures on campus relating to public policy and health care.  Locally, he is a member of the Madison Plan Commission and the Board of Directors of the Urban League of Greater Madison.  Mr. Heifetz also has an interest in another arena outside of the governmental one, as he operates one of the Zamboni machines at Badger hockey games at the Kohl Center.

 

Mr. Heifetz resides in Madison with his wife, Michelle, a teacher at Verona Area High School, and their daughter Lilah.