The collection consists of legislative files, organized into four series reflecting their general function and organization: Legislative Subject Files, Committee Binders, Political Files, and Assembly and Senate Bills. The files often contain background research in the form of topical articles from newspapers, magazines, and journals, position correspondence with individuals and groups with a major interest in the legislation, bill drafts, final bills, amendments, amendment proposals, amendment drafts, notes about bills and drafts between legislators, position letters from other legislators, requests for support letters from other legislators, empirical information/reports regarding the subject, and other such information. Legislative topics include Neighborhood Schools Initiative, Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, Crime Victims Rights Enabling Legislation, Children in Need of Protection or Services Reform, Temporary Restraining Order Reform, Mental Health Consumer Protection Act, Mandatory Arrest for Domestic Violence, Lincoln Creek Flood Control, and Prison-Pay-As-You-Go. There are also Committee Binders that contain similar information. Additionally, there are a number of files dealing with the political and administrative work of Krug's office. These files contain newsletters, press releases, survey results, speeches and testimonies, and voting records.
Noticeably absent from the collection are Krug's personal papers, campaign files, legislative strategy files, and legislative aid files. There are also noticeable chronological gaps in the legislative subject files that exist. Also absent are files which would shed light on Krug's leadership during her time as Assembly minority leader (1998-2002). Moreover, as the author of many of the bills included, there is a noticeable lack of information regarding her decision-making processes and, therefore, it is difficult to glean her personal or political feelings regarding the legislation she wrote. Another noticeable gap exists in the treatment of the campaign finance for votes scandal. While she was implicated in the controversy, there are no files regarding her reaction to these charges. In the end, there is a wealth of information regarding legislation, but there is scant information regarding Krug as an individual.
The LEGISLATIVE SUBJECT FILES series consist of files on legislation of concern to, and often authored by Krug. The major files contain articles, background information, including bills and amendments, correspondence, press releases, speeches, committee files, research reports, fiscal impact statements, and comparable policies in other cities and states. The following is a list of the major subject areas with a brief description of the nature of the legislation:
Crime Victims' Rights Constitutional Amendment: Amendment to the Wisconsin State Constitution which would: treat victims with dignity and respect; provide a more permanent, “weighty,” and longer lasting legal basis to secure victim's rights; provide effective, flexible means by which to enforce and implement victim's rights, as well as, a forum for victim's interests; enhance judges, prosecutors, and public officials attention to the role that victims are expected to play and taking their needs into account when exercising their discretionary authority. Included propositions are: being informed of the final disposition of cases (release, parole, and pardon applications); protection from threats; speedy disposition of cases; right to attend trials and hearings; and the right to restitution and compensation.
Domestic Violence Mandatory Arrest: Bill sought to clarify the circumstances under which police officers must make arrests in cases of suspected domestic abuse. It further sought to protect arresting officers from civil and criminal liability for their decisions as long as it was made in good faith.
Equal Educational Opportunity Constitutional Amendment: The amendment sought to devise a school funding formula that would seek to assure that the educational opportunities in all district schools are as nearly equal as possible. The measure sought to provide fairness and equality in the distribution of funds throughout the state of Wisconsin, thus avoiding large disparities in the level of spending among the wealthiest and poorest school districts.
Legislative Council Oversight of Community Mental Health: Directs the Department of Health and Social Services to develop: board member training, a model community mental health plan, program certification, expansion and revision of rights of patients; revision of statutes relating to abuse, neglect and misappropriation of property of patients; new procedure for receivership; creation of penalties for the intentional destruction, damage, concealment or falsification of patient records; and a provision for appointment of consumers or their family members to Health Services or community program boards.
Lincoln Creek Flood Control Plan: The Lincoln Creek Flood Control Plan proposed the construction of flood control measures designed to reduce flooding, improve water quality, and provide wildlife habitats. The plan makes provisions for modifying the existing Lincoln Creek channel through the construction of detention basins, cleaning or replacing existing box culverts, adding bypass culverts, and removing or replacing bridges over the creek. The area targeted for these improvements is the portion of Lincoln Creek running from 60th Street, north of Good Hope Road, to Green Bay Avenue.
Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) Governance Reform: The bill allows the mayor of Milwaukee to appoint the Milwaukee Public School Superintendent. The bill also sought to dissolve the school board in favor of a School Reform Board of Trustees.
Milwaukee Neighborhood Initiative/Chapter 220: Development of new schools to promote growth and economic development in 1st Class cities. Gives 1st Class cities the authority to issue bonds to finance or refinance the development or redevelopment of sites and facilities used for public instruction. A specific aspect of this redevelopment included a reconsideration of Chapter 220. Chapter 220 was a response to the federal Integration Aid Program started in 1976-1977. This program concerned school busing and cultural integration. The existing legislation was seen as inadequate and outdated. The new legislation was designed to improve, strengthen, and finance voluntary cultural integration of schools through busing.
Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (POCAN): Establishes a child abuse and neglect prevention grant program, whereby at risk families can receive help which will prevent the likelihood of child abuse and neglect. This would be a voluntary program which providing for home visitation; wraparound services; flexible funds (emergence funds), and appropriations.
Prison-Pay-As-You-Go: This bill requires that all bills and amendments creating a new criminal offense or extending the incarceration term of an existing criminal offense, for both adults and juveniles, must have a correctional fiscal estimate attached to it before it can be voted upon.
Temporary Restraining Order Reform: The bill proposed the expansion of the definition of domestic abuse to include non-marital partners and the extension of time frame in serving a restraining order.
Wisconsin Works: This program replaced Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). Wisconsin Works is an economic assistance program based on need and work participation. The goal is for participants to achieve economic self-sufficiency through employment. The program is mainly for women with dependent children. The participants earn wages or receive cash grants and other program services based on employment status.
The COMMITTEE BINDERS series consists of disbound binders of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Mental Health, Legislative Council: Committee on Oversight of Mental Health Services, and Legislative Council: Special Commission on Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. These files contain similar information to the legislative subject folders although they are more organized than the Legislative Subject files, and their binding suggests that they were transported to and from committee meetings. The Committee Binders Files contain committee proceedings, background articles, legislative memoranda, discussion papers, audit reports, fiscal statements, correspondence, and bill/amendment drafts.
The POLITICAL FILES series consists of a delegate diary, newsletters, press releases, speeches and testimonies, and voting records. While the span dates are relatively long, the actual amount of material is limited and sporadic. None of the files should be considered as complete or even representative of the functioning of Krug's office; the chronological gaps are too large and intellectual integrity is too incomplete. The Speeches and Testimonies folder was created from duplicate copies in the legislative subject folders. The Newsletters and Mailings folder might be of particular interest as it covers much of Krug's legislative career and represents “official” policy and interest statements from Krug.
The ASSEMBLY and SENATE BILLS series consist of bills and joint resolutions authored or co-authored by Krug while serving the 12th District of Wisconsin.
