— Lawmakers are seeking to change state law around renting mobile and manufactured homes, saying the effort would protect tenants amid the state’s housing shortage. Sen. Jesse James, R-Thorp, and Rep. Scott Krug, R-Rome, yesterday sent a cosponsorship memo to other lawmakers on the legislation, LRB 2426/4483. They point to limited construction of new housing units, rising interest rates and growing populations in urban areas, noting housing affordability “has become a critical issue” for state residents. “As rents and home prices continue to spike, the legislature should explore ways to make housing more accessible for Wisconsin families,” they wrote in the memo. “When traditional housing gets more expensive, people consider alternatives, including manufactured homes.” They say their legislation would make “common-sense” changes to state statute, clarifying current law and providing “much-needed protections” for tenants currently living in communities of factory-built homes. Wisconsin has about 53,800 such sites, according to the memo. Under the legislation, owners and operators of these communities would be required to provide at least 90 days written notice to all known residents and occupants before shutting down the community or a specific site within it, according to the Legislative Reference Bureau. Tenants currently can get five-day or 14-day notices before closures, depending on their lease, the memo notes. The bill would also change state law definitions of “resident” and “occupant” for mobile and manufactured home communities to change how existing rental requirements apply. Under the bill, a resident would be defined as someone renting a site in a mobile or manufactured home community and who owns the home on that site, regardless of whether that person lives there. And an occupant would be defined as someone other than a resident who lives in the community with the home’s owner — the resident — with the consent of the community’s operator. The legislation would also provide that someone who isn’t a resident or occupant who rents a mobile or manufactured home from a resident or from the community’s operator is subject to current law governing landlords and tenants. And the bill would change state law around terminating the tenancy of a resident or occupant, allowing a tenancy to be ended for failing to submit a signed lease to the community’s operator, for failing to meet “any nondiscriminatory application criteria,” or for violating a community rule barring residents from owning more than one home in the community. The Wisconsin Housing Alliance, which represents the factory-built housing industry, supports the bill, according to the memo. James and Krug yesterday also began circulating legislation that would expand a registration option for vehicles used to transport manufactured housing units. The cosponsorship deadline for both is Sept. 3 at 5 p.m. — UW Health has launched a surgical tech apprenticeship degree program, calling it the first of its kind in the country. Surgical technologists prepare the operating room before surgery, assist the surgeon and handle instruments and other supplies needed during the procedure. The program is the first registered apprenticeship track in the United States to offer all the coursework required for an associate degree as well as credential eligibility to take a board examination for the job, according to a release. The health system yesterday announced it created the program with the state Department of Workforce Development, Madison College and the Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin. It includes both academic credit and apprenticeship training elements, and was created in part to help address workforce shortages in health care. Bridgett Willey, director of allied health education and career pathways for UW Health, says surgical technologists are “an essential part” of the surgical care team. “Like many health care roles, surgical technologists are in high demand and critical to health care systems’ abilities to provide surgical procedures,” she said in the release. The first class in the three-year program is open to UW Health staff and will have six students. Faculty at Madison College will provide classroom instruction, and participating apprentices will work in various roles adjacent to surgical services. See more in the release. For more of the most relevant health care news, reports on groundbreaking research in Wisconsin, links to top stories and more, sign up today for the free daily Health Care Report from WisPolitics and WisBusiness.com. Sign up here. — The state’s corn and soybean crops are running slightly behind last year and the five-year average, according to the latest USDA update. The agency’s National Agricultural Statistics Service reports 67% of corn in the state was reaching the “dough stage” last week — a measure of maturity — which is three days behind last year and four days behind the five-year average. At the same time, soybeans were 96% blooming and 86% setting pods, which is three days behind both last year’s rate and the five-year average. Meanwhile, late summer harvests are more mixed, the NASS report shows. Oats were 80% harvested as of Sunday, which is five days behind last year but even with the average. The third cutting of alfalfa hay was 89% complete and the third cutting was 31% complete — nine days ahead of last year and five days ahead of the average. See more in the report. — Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce has begun accepting nominations for the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest, now in its 10th year. WMC and Johnson Financial Group, a partner in the contest, are taking nominations for any product manufactured in the state until Sept. 12. The nomination period will be followed by a popular vote to identify the top 16 products, which will then go head-to-head in a bracket-style voting tournament called Manufacturing Madness. The winning product will be announced Oct. 23 at WMC’s Business Day in Madison event. “Our manufacturers drive the Wisconsin and national economies forward,” WMC President and CEO Kurt Bauer said in the release. “The Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin isn’t just about the products; it’s about the people who make those products and their contributions to our communities.” See the release. TOP STORIES
High cattle prices help Wisconsin farmers financially, but make it risky to grow herds Madison climate leaders seek local funding to track air quality Milwaukee Tool, WRTP | BIG STEP give students a ‘day in the life’ experience at a job site TOPICS AGRIBUSINESS – Fork Farms to establish headquarters, hydroponic farm at West Allis food hub ECONOMY – Realtors report home sales down slightly in July; lack of inventory ‘significant’ issue – A professor accused of doing little to no research pushed back. UWM paid him to leave. EDUCATION – Wisconsin students in limbo waiting for fellowship money from Department of Education ENVIRONMENT – Wisconsin researchers listen to forests to learn more about protecting them FOOD & BEVERAGE – Milwaukee craft brewery files for receivership HEALTH CARE – New surgical technologist apprenticeship guarantees a job with UW Health LEGAL – Criminal defamation charges dropped against Minocqua Brewing Company owner MANUFACTURING – New Milwaukee-area private equity fund targets long-term investments in Midwest manufacturers – TAPCO acquires Canada-based traffic solutions company MEDIA – Chicago-based author’s new thriller, ‘Guess Again’ is set across Wisconsin REAL ESTATE – New plan at former Victor’s nightclub site – Bear Real Estate Group buys two Greenfield retail buildings for $9.2 million – Neenah plans to purchase downtown warehouse for $2.2 million, market it for redevelopment SPORTS – On the ground at the Snap-On Milwaukee Mile 250 TECHNOLOGY – Boldt Co.’s new director of data centers shares insights into Wisconsin’s data center market COLUMNS – Opinion: A fond farewell to Mariner’s Inn PRESS RELEASES See these and other press releases U.S. Dept. of Agriculture: Wisconsin crop progress and condition Protect Our Care Wisconsin: The Trump-GOP health care emergency: hospitals in crisis Hayes Performance Systems: To participate in 2025 Sno-Baron’s Hay Days event
