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GOP lawmakers release UW merit aid bill

High-achieving Wisconsin students would get $5,000 scholarships each year to attend UW System schools under a new bill two GOP lawmakers laid out today. The bill, which has UW System President Ray Cross’ support, would pay for those scholarships by

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Plaintiffs file new brief in redistricting case

The GOP advantage in Wisconsin’s Assembly map can’t be explained by “political geography” and instead was built to guarantee Republicans a majority even if they lost the statewide vote by significant margins, according to a new brief in the redistricting

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Subeck introduces bills to combat homelessness

One Dem lawmaker is circulating her own legislation to combat homelessness following the Assembly’s passage of four GOP bills last week. Rep. Lisa Subeck, the author of five bills she’s calling the “Housing First Package,” was a vocal critic of

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Walker urges lawmakers to approve self-insurance plan

Gov. Scott Walker is urging the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee to approve his self-insurance plan to overhaul how the state provides health benefits to its employees. JFC members have expressed reservations over Walker’s plan to move state employees to a

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Heifetz disputes claims that House GOP bill guts Medicaid

State Medicaid Director Michael Heifetz today disputed concerns from critics that the health care bill guts Medicaid funding in the long-term. Heifetz told a WisPolitics.com luncheon today that Congress is trying to bend the cost curve since Obamacare ended up doing little

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JFC co-chairs float possibility of separate transpo budget

The co-chairs of the Joint Finance Committee today floated the possibility of breaking transportation off from the budget as their caucuses remain at odds over how to fund road work for the next two years. But the guv and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald oppose the idea, their offices said.

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LFB: State won’t see revenue bump beyond prior projections

JFC Co-chair John Nygren says the latest Legislative Fiscal Bureau projections showing flat revenues from earlier estimates is good news. The LFB today informed the Joint Finance co-chairs the state likely wouldn’t see additional revenues in the next few years beyond the growth the agency had projected in January. But

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Fitzgerald doesn’t ‘see the momentum’ for Assembly GOP transpo plan

The tension between Republicans on transportation funding hit a new level today, with Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald saying he doesn’t “see the momentum” for the new Assembly Republican plan. Assembly Republicans, meanwhile, said the Senate should lay out its own proposal so lawmakers and the guv could “negotiate a

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DOR prepares analysis of Kooyenga transpo and tax plan

A Wisconsin driver who owns a typical sedan would pay $39 more in taxes on their fuel purchases annually, while the owner of an SUV would pay $54 more a year, under Rep. Dale Kooyenga’s transportation and tax plan. In addition, a married couple with one child and an income

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TUE PM Update: JFC plans to reject Walker’s self-insurance proposal, votes to bring back WEDC loan program

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Gov. Scott Walker and DOA Secretary Scott Neitzel today knocked the Joint Finance Committee’s plans to reject the administration’s moves to self-insure state workers. Walker tweeted about the JFC co-chairs’ comments that they expect the committee will reject the contracts his administration

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Senate committee passes Vukmir, Sanfelippo crime bills

Six of eight bills in a GOP Victim Prevention Package passed the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee today, over concerns from Dem members. The bills, from Sen. Leah Vukmir, R-Brookfield, and Rep. Joe Sanfelippo, R-New Berlin, are part of a package that looks to up some minimum sentences and

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LFB releases analysis of Kooyenga transpo and tax plan

Some Wisconsinites would end up paying more in income taxes under Kooyenga’s plan compared to current law, according to a new analysis by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. Those paying more would fluctuate over the next dozen years as the state moved toward a 3.95 percent flat tax and eliminated some

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JFC co-chairs applaud Kooyenga for offering transpo plan

The JFC co-chairs also applauded Rep. Dale Kooyenga, R-Brookfield, for putting forward a transportation plan, and Nygren said he was disappointed in the guv’s response. Over the weekend, Walker knocked the proposal as a gas tax hike. It would lower the excise tax, add the state sales tax to fuel

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GOP lawmakers release UW merit aid bill

High-achieving Wisconsin students would get $5,000 scholarships each year to attend UW System schools under a new bill two GOP lawmakers laid out today. The bill, which has UW System President Ray Cross’ support, would pay for those scholarships by selling off the remaining lands held by the state’s oldest

Read More »

JFC plans to reject self-insurance contracts, DOA defends plan

Gov. Scott Walker and DOA Secretary Scott Neitzel today knocked the Joint Finance Committee’s plans to reject the administration’s moves to self-insure state workers. Walker tweeted about the JFC co-chairs’ comments that they expect the committee will reject the contracts his administration reached as part of the self-insurance plan. “Wrong

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DWD will drop automated phone system for initial UI claims

The state will drop its automated phone system to file initial unemployment claims May 24, DWD announced today. After that, those claims will have to be filed using a computer, tablet or smartphone. The agency said claimants can call help center staff to use the online process. If they’re unable

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Plaintiffs file new brief in redistricting case

The GOP advantage in Wisconsin’s Assembly map can’t be explained by “political geography” and instead was built to guarantee Republicans a majority even if they lost the statewide vote by significant margins, according to a new brief in the redistricting lawsuit. The Dem voters who originally sued to overturn the

Read More »

Subeck introduces bills to combat homelessness

One Dem lawmaker is circulating her own legislation to combat homelessness following the Assembly’s passage of four GOP bills last week. Rep. Lisa Subeck, the author of five bills she’s calling the “Housing First Package,” was a vocal critic of the Republican legislation; she’s previously said the GOP package doesn’t

Read More »

Walker urges lawmakers to approve self-insurance plan

Gov. Scott Walker is urging the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee to approve his self-insurance plan to overhaul how the state provides health benefits to its employees. JFC members have expressed reservations over Walker’s plan to move state employees to a self-insured model and consolidate the number of companies the state

Read More »

Heifetz disputes claims that House GOP bill guts Medicaid

State Medicaid Director Michael Heifetz today disputed concerns from critics that the health care bill guts Medicaid funding in the long-term. Heifetz told a WisPolitics.com luncheon today that Congress is trying to bend the cost curve since Obamacare ended up doing little to “substantively change how care is delivered or how it’s

Read More »