Sen. Patrick Testin

My latest monthly interview with Pam Jahnke of the Mid-West Farm Report has been published and is now available. For the March edition, we predominantly discussed the state of the hemp industry in Wisconsin and preventing the spread of avian influenza. If you would like to listen to the interview, please click here: midwestfarmreport.com/2026/03/18/som…

I had the privilege this week of welcoming Rylee Jokipii to the state Capitol as part of the 2026 Wisconsin Senate Scholar Program. Rylee, a junior at Stevens Point Area Senior High School, applied through my office to be a senate scholar because she wanted an in-depth and hands-on look at how our state Legislature functions. Rylee has plans to become a lawyer and eventually enter the field of politics. The week-long Senate Scholar Program is held annually and introduces high school juniors and seniors to the many facets of state government and the legislative process. Only 33 students from across Wisconsin are chosen for each yearly session. While in Madison this week, Rylee participated in mock legislative activities where she helped draft a bill and vote it out of committee. She also met with legislative support agencies, Senate staff, the governor’s office, a Supreme Court justice, members of the media and lobbyists. I hope you came away with a valuable learning experience, Rylee.

I am proud that five of my legislative proposals were passed by the Wisconsin State Senate during yesterday's floor session. Those five bills are: AB 813: Improves the efficiency of the Opportunity Attraction and Promotion Fund that is administered by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation AB 662: Prohibits any state agency or local government from contracting with businesses or organizations tied to foreign adversaries of the United States AB 1005: Requires all universities across Wisconsin to use college entrance exams or similar objective testing measures as the predominant criteria for undergraduate admissions AB 1032: Allows for the sale of state-owned land that is adjacent to, or within one mile of, a commercial egg farm to help prevent the spread of avian flu AB 884: Makes technical changes to provisions related to the income tax subtraction for retirement income and the film production tax credit passed earlier this session in the state budget Since all five bills have already been passed by the state Assembly, they are now eligible to be sent to the governor's desk for consideration to be signed into law.

Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day.

It’s National Agriculture Week. Did you know that farmers in the 24th Senate District are a big reason why our state continues to be a national leader in the production of potatoes and cranberries? All told, the agriculture industry has an annual financial impact of $116.3 billion in Wisconsin, which is 14.3 percent of our total economic output. It also helps support 353,900 jobs in our state. So, be sure to thank a farmer this week for all that they do to feed, fuel and clothe our state, our country and our world.

Enjoy yourself a slice today. What is your favorite kind of pie? rd.com/list/pi-facts/

I had the pleasure yesterday of sitting down with members of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Student Government Association to hear about the issues that are most important to them. Some of their requests included increasing funding for student mental health services, legalizing medical marijuana, bolstering food security programs and addressing water usage by data centers. As a former caucus chairman and election committee chairman for the UWSP SGA, I appreciate that these students took the time to travel all the way down to the Capitol in Madison to share their priorities with me. I always value my conversations with my fellow Pointers. Pictured with me, from left, are Graham Thiel, Olive Bjorklund, Hayden Arnoldi and Katelynn Gauger.

Yesterday, a large number of students from the Universities of Wisconsin made a stop at the state Capitol for their annual Research in the Rotunda event. Every year, UW undergraduates come to the statehouse with their faculty advisors to share the findings of their research with legislators, state officials, local alumni and other supporters. While viewing the various displays, I was able to connect with University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student Nik Pontzloff, whose project focused on the impact of THC and hemp-related products in our local communities. Nik and his team conducted a three-phase assessment at 244 retailers throughout Wood County to look at potential public health implications caused by regulatory gaps. Keep up the great work, Nik.

"On the Job" at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center in Stevens Point

Members of the Tomah High School Band were at the state Capitol yesterday to entertain guests with their musical talents. Don’t they sound great?

Later this morning, the Senate Agriculture and Revenue Committee, of which I am the chairman, will hold a public hearing on several legislative proposals. One of the bills, SB 1084, would allow for the sale of state-owned land that is adjacent to, or within one mile of, a commercial egg farm to help prevent the spread of avian flu. This clarification is needed because it enables the Natural Resources Board to deal with land-use conflicts and biosecurity concerns that are not addressed in current state statutes. For example, one of the largest egg-laying facilities in the country, located in Palmyra, experienced an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in September of 2025. That egg farm shares a property boundary with a recently developed wild bird sanctuary owned by the Department of Natural Resources. The proximity of a wild bird habitat to a sizeable commercial poultry operation presents significant biosecurity risks and highlights the need for more compatible land-use planning. I decided to author this legislation with Rep. Cindi Duchow because we believe it is necessary to take these steps to better protect our supply chain and the affordability of eggs. Other bills that we are scheduled to hear include: * SB 1009: relating to the sale, service and labeling of food products containing lab-grown milk and providing a penalty * SB 986: relating to requirements for state lottery drawings * SB 900: relating to terms and conditions of gift certificates, gift cards and other gift obligations * SB 865: relating to a tax credit for certain sales and use taxes paid on services sold through an amusement device

This past weekend, I had the privilege of presenting a legislative citation to Tucker Konkol at his Eagle Scout Court of Honor. Tyler is a dedicated, hard-working and caring member of Amherst Troop 296. His journey in scouting began at 7 years old and has been marked by his exceptional leadership skills and his unwavering commitment to his troop. For his Eagle Scout project, Tucker designed and constructed a large bench with storage in coordination with Peace Lutheran Church and Young Blessings Preschool in Amherst. I would like to congratulate Tucker for attaining scouting’s highest rank and I wish him well in his future endeavors. I know he will go on to accomplish many great things.

Daylight Saving Time begins early this Sunday morning, so please don't forget to set your clocks ahead by one hour before you go to bed tonight. Daylight Saving Time also serves as a great reminder to change the batteries in your smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and other safety devices to ensure they are working properly. This easy-to-do, semi-annual practice can make the difference between life and death. Functioning smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are known to reduce the risk of related fatalities by about 50 percent.

Please join me in wishing Tomah native Dan Rose the best of luck in the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, which start today and end on March 15. Dan will be competing in the mixed doubles wheelchair curling event. Dan, who grew up playing hockey, joined the U.S. Army Reserves after graduating from high school in 2003. While serving in Afghanistan in 2010, Dan’s vehicle was hit by an IED, which resulted in him being paralyzed from the chest down. He picked up adaptive sports after the injury, and participated in the 2018 National Veterans Wheelchair Games in five different categories: slalom, powerlifting, field events, bowling and table tennis. Shortly thereafter, Dan joined the developmental team for wheelchair curling and was named to his first national team in 2021. He was the 2025 national runner-up in mixed doubles with his partner, Pam Wilson. You are a true hero, Dan, and we thank you for your service. We are all rooting for you to bring home a medal. paralympic.org/milano-cortina…

For my most recent "On the Job" visit, I had the pleasure of working a shift at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center in Stevens Point. During my time at the local business, I helped clean numerous rooms in the hotel. I also served food and bussed tables for guests in the convention center. It was great to see members of the Wisconsin Towns Association who were there for their district meeting. My staff is currently putting together video footage of my stop at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center in Stevens Point. Once the full video is finished, I look forward to sharing it with all of you. Since I was first elected to the Wisconsin State Senate, I have regularly spent a day "On the Job" with local employers to get a better understanding of their operations and to highlight the employment opportunities available in our area. If you know of a business in the 24th Senate District that would like to be featured in one of my future "On the Job" segments, please contact my office.

I would like to remind all our local municipalities that applications are now being accepted for a new state initiative that helps fund the repair or replacement of aging culverts and smaller bridges. The submission deadline for the Local Small Structures Improvement Program is May 1. In the 2025-27 state budget that my Joint Finance Committee colleagues and I put together, we set aside $30 million to aid our rural communities in restoring or enhancing the small bridges and culverts that are used to transport Wisconsin’s agricultural and forestry products. Selected projects will be reimbursed at up to 90 percent of eligible costs. If you are interested in additional details, please click here: wisconsindot.gov/Pages/doing-bu…

Later today, I will be testifying in front of the Senate Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development Committee on my bill that aims to save significant taxpayer dollars by improving our state government’s technological system. AB 909 would create a Data Efficiency Study Steering Committee that is charged with bringing Wisconsin’s digital infrastructure into the 21st century by adopting a single, unified technology platform. The committee would contract with a nonstate, qualified and experienced firm to conduct a comprehensive study of interagency data sharing practices within state government. The results of that study will provide us with a detailed plan to elevate and keep Wisconsin on the cutting edge of technology for the benefit of our residents and state. By discovering redundancies and utilizing an enterprise data structure, our state has the potential to save hundreds of millions of dollars in current spending. If you are interested in reading the bill, which has already been passed by the state Assembly, please click here: docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/proposals…

Get your rifles and bows ready, local elk hunters. For the third consecutive season, there will be increased opportunities to bag an elk within the Central Elk Management Zone in eastern Jackson County. More specifically, additional bull elk and antlerless harvest authorizations will be available through the state licensing system. The 2026 quota for the Central Elk Management Zone will be six bull elk and six antlerless elk. That is up from 2025’s quota of four bull and five antlerless elk. You have until May 31 to apply for this year’s elk hunting season. If you would like to submit an application, please click here: dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/hunt/elk… Selected applicants will be notified in early June. The 2026 season begins on Oct. 17 and ends on Dec. 13.

How are you spending your day today? I am working a shift at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center in Stevens Point as part of my "On the Job" series.

It’s that time of year once again. Every February, I get the opportunity to meet with students from my alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, while they visit the state Capitol to talk to various lawmakers about the issues that matter most to them. The UWSP College of Natural Resources undergraduates were brought to Madison yesterday by their professor, Dr. Becca Franzen, as part of their NRES 478 – Environmental Issues Investigation and Action course. Some of the topics we discussed were the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, AI data centers, community solar, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the 2025-27 state budget, road salt pollution and the Legislature having to adapt to changes being made at the federal level. I also spent some time explaining how I got my start in politics and encouraged them to get involved in the university’s Student Government Association. I always enjoy meeting with my fellow Pointers and I hope I was able to help them learn more about how state government functions.