March 14, 2025 - Introduced by Senators Larson, Carpenter, Habush Sinykin, Hesselbein, Smith, L. Johnson, Drake, Ratcliff, Wirch, Cabral-Guevara, Roys, Dassler-Alfheim, Jacque, Spreitzer, Quinn, Pfaff, Keyeski, Wall and Felzkowski, cosponsored by Representatives Neubauer, Andraca, Kirsch, Doyle, Sinicki, Madison, Emerson, Tusler, Moore Omokunde, Haywood, Hong, DeSmidt, Tenorio, Kitchens, Bare, Miresse, Cruz, Vining, Roe, Dittrich, Stubbs, Snodgrass, Snyder, Taylor, Clancy, Arney, Rivera-Wagner, Ortiz-Velez, Brown, Goodwin, Fitzgerald, McCarville, Subeck, Tittl, Mursau, Joers, Anderson, Krug, J. Jacobson, Prado, Mayadev, Rodriguez, Hysell, McGuire, Sheehan, Palmeri, Udell and Johnson. Referred to Committee on Senate Organization.
SJR19,1,2
1Relating to: honoring the life and public service of Representative Jonathan
2Brostoff. SJR19,1,53Whereas, Representative and Alderman Jonathan Francis Brostoff, a 4dedicated public servant, husband, father, son, brother, and friend, passed away on 5November 4, 2024, at the age of 41; and SJR19,1,76Whereas, Jonathan Brostoff was born on September 25, 1983, in Milwaukee, 7Wisconsin, as the second of two sons to Phyllis and Alan Brostoff; and SJR19,1,108Whereas, Jonathan Brostoff graduated from Kradwell School and went on to 9receive his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee (UWM), 10earning a degree in political science in 2011; and SJR19,1,1311Whereas, Jonathan Brostoff, while attending UWM, worked for Senator Tom 12Harkin in Washington, D.C., served as chair of the College Democrats, and 13completed the United Nations Summer Seminar program; and SJR19,2,714Whereas, Jonathan Brostoff was elected to the Wisconsin Assembly
1representing the 19th Assembly District and served from 2014 to 2023, serving on 2the Assembly Committees on Aging and Long-Term Care; Constitution and Ethics; 3Family Law; Financial Institutions; Government Accountability and Oversight; 4Mental Health; Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage; State Affairs and 5Government Operations; Regulatory Licensing Reform; Ways and Means; and on 6the Speaker’s Task Force on Alzheimer’s and Dementia and the Speaker’s Task 7Force on Suicide Prevention; and SJR19,2,128Whereas, Jonathan Brostoff was a fierce and tenacious advocate for criminal 9justice reform, for safeguarding licensing regulations for workforce professionals, 10and, most notably, for disability rights, where he famously did not cut his curly hair 11until a bill supporting American Sign Language access became law, with his 12eventual haircut featured in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; and SJR19,2,1613Whereas, Jonathan Brostoff was elected to the Milwaukee Common Council in 142022 as alder from the third district and served on the Judiciary & Legislation; 15Public Works; Zoning, Neighborhoods, & Development; and Steering & Rules 16Committees; and SJR19,2,2117Whereas, Jonathan Brostoff genuinely cared for the well-being of others, 18dedicating his time each week to volunteer at Pathfinders, a youth shelter, and 19Maryland Avenue Montessori School in Milwaukee, while also staying involved 20with Dryhootch, a nonprofit supporting veterans, and actively engaging as an 21alumnus of Milwaukee’s Public Allies program; and SJR19,2,2422Whereas, Jonathan Brostoff built relationships with Wisconsinites across 23party and class, believing that working across differences was vital for a working 24democracy; and SJR19,3,2
1Whereas, Jonathan Brostoff was a dedicated member and advocate of 2Milwaukee's Jewish community; and SJR19,3,43Whereas, Jonathan Brostoff was a loving husband to his wife, Diana Vang-4Brostoff, and a devoted father to his children, Boaz, Baraq, Binyamin, and Yael; and SJR19,3,75Whereas, Representative Jonathan Brostoff is remembered fondly for his 6kindness, big heart, sense of humor, commitment to his community, and love for his 7family and the people of the State of Wisconsin; now, therefore, be it SJR19,3,108Resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring, That the members of 9the Wisconsin Legislature honor the life and public service of Representative 10Jonathan Brostoff and extend their condolences to his family and friends.
