© Michael Sears, Milwaukee Journal SentinelRep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam, sits on the Legislature's joint finance committee.
The Joint Committee on Finance will take its road show to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, UW-Stout and Rhinelander, and will also hold a virtual hearing as it gives the public a chance to weigh in on the state's two-year budget.
"We are not going to hide in Madison," committee co-chair Rep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam said Tuesday. "We're going to get out there and hear directly from the people just as this committee has always done."
They may be heading out of Madison, but the legislators are avoiding any in-person hearing in the Milwaukee-area.
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"I certainly feel that Whitewater is in southern and southeastern Wisconsin," Born said.
The first hearing will be held April 9 on the campus of UW-Whitewater.
On April 21 the committee will meet at the Hodag Dome in Rhinelander and follow up the next day in northwestern Wisconsin at the campus of UW-Stout in Menomonie.
The in-person hearings will begin at 10 a.m. and conclude at 5 p.m.
Committee co-chair, Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, said the in-person hearings "will follow the guidelines and regulations of the local health department and/or the UW institution regarding social distancing, mask-wearing and and room capabilities."
The virtual hearing will be April 28 and will require pre-registration. Details are being developed and will be released via the JFC website: www.legis.wisconsin.gov/topics/budgetcomments.
The committee is also taking comments via email: budget.comments@legis.wisconsin.gov.
This week, Gov. Tony Evers announced he'll host six virtual budget listening sessions on different topics.
March 18 economic recovery and opportunity; March 25 healthcare; March 30 transportation and infrastructure; April 8 schools and youth issues; April 14 justice reform and marijuana legalization; April 21 climate change and the environment.
The sessions begin at 6 p.m. and registration is required. For more information go to: https://evers.wi.gov/Pages/BudgetListeningSessions.aspx.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Joint Finance sets 3 in-person public hearings and one virtual session for public to weigh in on budget