The Skills Are Alive, Skill Session 6: WI Open Records Law 2:50-3:50 P.M Presenter: Sheila Plotkin
Channel: Democratic Party Of Wisconsin Progressive Caucus
Date: 2020-10-29

Wisconsin's Open Records Law: Use It Before We Lose It 

Course description: Via PowerPoint and live narration, I'll present the following:
1. Fundamentals of the open records law
2. Why use it?
3. How to create an open records request
4. How to handle resistance to your request
5. What to do with your responses
6. Q&A
Presenter Bio: I am a life-long Wisconsinite, born and raised in Milwaukee. I retired in 1996 after 28 years with the Milwaukee Public Schools Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program, and moved to McFarland to be closer to my Madison grandchildren. 
In October and November, 2015, I sent my first open records requests to Wisconsin's 19 GOP state senators asking for all citizen correspondence they received regarding the dissolution of the Government Accountability Board (GAB). I had no idea what to expect in return.
 What I received led me to suspect there was more to be learned via this method of inquiry. In December, 2015, I created www.we-the-irrelevant.org as a means to share the data that quickly began to pile up. Since then, I've queried most incumbents in both parties at least once on a wide range of controversial issues and proposed legislation. Each time, I've asked for the same thing: what are citizens telling their representatives.
 I've documented for Wisconsin what many polls and a few academic studies suggest is true nationwide: that elected officials pay little or no attention to what citizens tell them. Perhaps the most stunning example of this phenomenon emerged from my query regarding the December 2018 so-called "lame-duck session". The session's purpose was to pass bills that would shift power from the incoming Democratic executive branch to the GOP-dominated legislature. Three bills passed despite this: 47,094 citizen contacts opposed the legislation; only 756 favored it. That's 98% opposed, but the bills passed.
 In April 2016, I was given the Citizen Openness Award by the WI Freedom of Information Council. I've spoken to groups across southern Wisconsin, been featured in a number of mainstream media pieces, and am proud to be one of the Wisconsinites featured in the new Twelve Letter Films documentary, "Can You Hear Us Now?" that is currently in search of screening opportunities and distribution options. 
On April 7, 2020, I began to collect and publish COVID-19 data for Wisconsin and a cohort of states chosen for comparison. Many of my regular Facebook posts have reached more than 1,000 people each. 
We the Irrelevant's next project is already underway. I am creating links for each of Wisconsin's 33 state senate districts and 99 assembly districts where voters can see how many citizen contacts were received by each legislator, how many of those were in opposition, how many in support, and how the legislator voted on that particular issue/bill. I plan to begin publishing after the Aug. 11 primary results are certified.


We the Irrelevant Website

http://we-the-irrelevant.org
We the Irrelevant FB page
https://www.facebook.com/WetheIrrelevant