Assembly advances bill to up penalties for defrauding the state’s unemployment insurance fund

A bill that would increase the penalties for defrauding the state’s unemployment insurance fund cleared the Assembly on a 62-35 party-line vote. Backers of the bill have argued the stricter penalties under the bill are needed to help deter individuals from intentionally committing fraud. Dems and other opponents, though, have expressed concern workers who unintentionally defrauded the system could… Please log in to access subscriber content. If you don’t have a subscription, click here for a WisPolitics free trial and to view the different subscription options. Username or E-mail Password * Remember Me     Forgot Password

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Assembly signs off on bill to create state merit scholarship program

A bill that would provide merit scholarships to students at UW schools cleared the Assembly shortly after the chamber moved back into regular session. The bill, by Rep. Tyler August, R-Lake Geneva, and Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, would require the UW Board of Regents to distribute $5,000 scholarships to Wisconsin high school graduates. It passed on a 65-32 vote. The merit scholarship program would not require any GPR spending, instead getting its funding from interest earnings from the $28 million Normal School Fund, which is administered by the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. The number of scholarships awarded will

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THU PM Update: Assembly debating last of 10 welfare overhaul bills

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — The Assembly was still debating the final of 10 special session welfare bills this afternoon. The other nine bills, which would set new requirements for various government assistance programs including food stamps, cleared the chamber in under three hours. Dems have voted against each of the bills, authored by Speaker Robin Vos … Please log in to access subscriber content. If you don’t have a subscription, click here for a WisPolitics free trial and to view the different subscription options.

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Assembly approves GOP welfare overhaul package

The Assembly signed off on a package of special session welfare bills to set new requirements for various government assistance programs including food stamps. Dems voted against each of the 10 bills, authored by Speaker Robin Vos and Sen. Chris Kapenga, although they were largely silent on the floor as the legislation cleared the chamber in around three hours. All but two of the bills passed on 62-35 party-line votes. Those are Special Session Assembly Bill 9, which which would create a savings account program for Medicaid; and SSAB 10, which would add photo IDs to food stamp cards. Both passed on

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Gov. Walker: Weekly Radio Address: Delivering on the Promise of Tax Relief

Contact: Amy Hasenberg, (608) 266-2839 MADISON – Governor Scott Walker released his Weekly Radio Address today titled “Delivering on the Promise of Tax Relief.” Hi, Scott Walker here. Everyone in the state will get a sales tax holiday during the first weekend of August on retail purchases under $100. Whether you’re a retired couple purchasing some items for home or a young family buying some things for a new baby, everyone in Wisconsin will be eligible for our sales tax holiday under a plan we worked on with Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. Our plan also includes a $100 per child tax

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One Wisconsin Now: NRA campaign cash and endorsements put Wisconsin on lockdown

MEDIA CONTACT Mike Browne, Deputy Director mike@OneWisconsinNow.org (608) 444-3483   MADISON, Wis. — Millions of dollars in campaign spending and political endorsements by the National Rifle Association (NRA) have bought the pro-gun lobby access to top state Republicans and locked down their opposition to common sense efforts to reduce gun violence. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross noted, in the aftermath of 30th mass shooting of 2018 in the U.S, top Wisconsin Republicans Scott Walker and Brad Schimel and state high court candidate Michael Screnock responding with inaction and silence.“The NRA has spent millions of dollars and wielded their political power

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Mitchell campaign: SEIU WI endorses Mitchell for Governor

Contact: Lis Smith, 224-567-9062 Taylor Bollhagen, 949-584-1544   MILWAUKEE, WI—Today, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mahlon Mitchell accepted the endorsement of the Service Employees International Union Wisconsin State Council. Prior to the press conference, Mitchell toured the home of Denise Lindsey, a Milwaukee-are homecare worker, to “walk a day in her shoes” and learn about the challenges facing homecare workers across Wisconsin. SEIU leaders praised Mitchell’s record as an advocate for working people across Wisconsin and said that he will bring much-needed change to Madison. “Our members perform critical services that keep our communities running, but too many of them and their colleagues in

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Wisconsin Rep.: Vote to weaken state limits on high-cost loans

National Consumer Law Center contacts: Lauren Saunders (lsaunders@nclc.org) or (202) 595-7845; Stephen Rouzer (srouzer@nclc.org) or (202) 595-7847 Washington – Last night, Representatives Ron Kind (D-WI-3) and Gwen Moore (D-WI-4) broke with the rest of the state’s Democrats and joined Wisconsin’s Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives in voting to pass a bill, H.R. 3299, that would allow lenders to launder loans through banks to override limits on high-cost loans, potentially paving the way for loans of up to 300 percent APR in states where those rates are prohibited. The U.S. Senate’s companion piece of legislation is S. 1642

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Baird: Ranks No. 12 on Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For

For additional information, contact: Marianne Foster, Baird Public Relations 414-298-1906 mfoster@rwbaird.com MILWAUKEE, February 15, 2018 – Baird has been named to FORTUNE magazine’s 2018 list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, ranking No. 12.  Baird, an employee-owned international financial services firm, has been honored on the list for 15 consecutive years. The 100 Best list is an annual ranking of the top U.S. workplaces based on survey responses from more than 310,000 employees rating their workplace culture on 50-plus elements of the workplace.These include trust in managers, compensation, fairness, camaraderie and workplace traits linked to innovation. The ranking accounted for the experiences of all employees

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Assembly signs off on bill to create state merit scholarship program

A bill that would provide merit scholarships to students at UW schools cleared the Assembly shortly after the chamber moved back into regular session. The bill, by Rep. Tyler August, R-Lake Geneva, and Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, would require the UW Board of Regents to distribute $5,000 scholarships to Wisconsin

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THU PM Update: Assembly debating last of 10 welfare overhaul bills

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — The Assembly was still debating the final of 10 special session welfare bills this afternoon. The other nine bills, which would set new requirements for various government assistance programs including food stamps, cleared the chamber in under three hours. Dems have voted

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Assembly approves GOP welfare overhaul package

The Assembly signed off on a package of special session welfare bills to set new requirements for various government assistance programs including food stamps. Dems voted against each of the 10 bills, authored by Speaker Robin Vos and Sen. Chris Kapenga, although they were largely silent on the floor as

Read More »

One Wisconsin Now: NRA campaign cash and endorsements put Wisconsin on lockdown

MEDIA CONTACT Mike Browne, Deputy Director mike@OneWisconsinNow.org (608) 444-3483   MADISON, Wis. — Millions of dollars in campaign spending and political endorsements by the National Rifle Association (NRA) have bought the pro-gun lobby access to top state Republicans and locked down their opposition to common sense efforts to reduce gun violence. One

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Mitchell campaign: SEIU WI endorses Mitchell for Governor

Contact: Lis Smith, 224-567-9062 Taylor Bollhagen, 949-584-1544   MILWAUKEE, WI—Today, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mahlon Mitchell accepted the endorsement of the Service Employees International Union Wisconsin State Council. Prior to the press conference, Mitchell toured the home of Denise Lindsey, a Milwaukee-are homecare worker, to “walk a day in her shoes”

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Wisconsin Rep.: Vote to weaken state limits on high-cost loans

National Consumer Law Center contacts: Lauren Saunders (lsaunders@nclc.org) or (202) 595-7845; Stephen Rouzer (srouzer@nclc.org) or (202) 595-7847 Washington – Last night, Representatives Ron Kind (D-WI-3) and Gwen Moore (D-WI-4) broke with the rest of the state’s Democrats and joined Wisconsin’s Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives in voting

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Baird: Ranks No. 12 on Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For

For additional information, contact: Marianne Foster, Baird Public Relations 414-298-1906 mfoster@rwbaird.com MILWAUKEE, February 15, 2018 – Baird has been named to FORTUNE magazine’s 2018 list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, ranking No. 12.  Baird, an employee-owned international financial services firm, has been honored on the list for 15 consecutive years. The 100

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