THU PM Update: Evers’ economic interest statement; JFC nixes Medicaid expansion, other pillars of Evers’ budget

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — In the midst of a heated gubernatorial campaign, Tony Evers made virtually no changes to his finances, according to investment disclosures filed with the state Ethics Commission. Evers’ most recent Statement of Economic Interest — which was filed three weeks after his inauguration as governor and covers calendar year 2018 — s… 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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Sen. Darling, Rep. Nygren: Statement on eliminating Tony Evers’ tax hikes

Contact: Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) 1-608-266-5830 Representative John Nygren (R-Marinette) 1-608-266-2343 Sen. Darling, Rep. Nygren: Statement on eliminating Tony Evers’ tax hikes Madison–State Representative John Nygren (R-Marinette) and Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills), Co-Chairs of the Joint Committee on Finance, released the following statement regarding Thursday’s vote to remove Tony Evers’ more than $1 billion in tax hikes. “Republicans are continuing to put taxpayers first. We are starting the state budget process by removing more than $1 billion in tax hikes the governor demanded in his budget. Our careful budgeting and reforms led to more than $2 billion in

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Rep. Subeck: Republicans put health care access in jeopardy for Women and families

CONTACT: Lisa Subeck, 608-266-7521(office) MADISON – Today, Republicans on the Assembly Health Committee passed Assembly Bills 179, 180, 182, and 183, four divisive, inflammatory reproductive health bills. On the same day, the Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee will strip Medicaid expansion from the state budget, along with a number of other important proposals. Representative Lisa Subeck (D-Madison) released the following statement regarding today’s actions. “Assembly Republicans are advancing a divisive, anti-women’s health agenda when we can and should be working together to improve health outcomes for women, babies, and families. Legislative Republicans’ choice to cut Medicaid expansion from the budget leaves

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Rep. Novak: Water Quality Task Force holds hearing in Lancaster

Contact: Rep. Todd Novak, (608) 266-7502 MADISON – The Speaker’s Task Force on Water Quality chaired by Rep. Todd Novak (Dodgeville) held a public hearing in Lancaster on Wednesday at the UW-Extension Youth and Ag Building. The 16-member bipartisan committee consists of members from both the State Assembly and Senate. The Task Force first heard testimony from invited speakers followed by members of the public. Invited testimony included representatives from the Southwest Wisconsin Groundwater and Geology Study (SWIGG), Lafayette Ag Stewardship Alliance (LASA), The Wisconsin Pork Producers Association, UW-Platteville Pioneer Farms, and UW Discovery Farms. An estimated 150 people were

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Sen. Fitzgerald: Applauds Joint Finance Committee eliminating over $1 billion in Gov. Evers’ tax hikes

Contact: Alec Zimmerman (608) 266-5660 [Madison, WI] — Following today’s vote by the Joint Finance Committee to eliminate over $1 billion in tax hikes, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald released the following statement: “The governor’s proposed budget was built on sand. It spent too much, taxed too much, and resulted in a nearly $2 billion structural deficit. Today, Wisconsin Republicans took the first step in protecting taxpayers and eliminated over $1 billion in tax hikes proposed under the governor’s spending plan. “Wisconsin’s economy is expanding and employers are creating jobs in every corner of the state. Now isn’t the time

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JFC nixes state aid increase to munis after pulling Evers plan to relax property tax caps

The Joint Finance Committee rejected Gov. Tony Evers’ call to give municipalities a $15.1 million boost in state aid during the second year of the budget. The guv wanted to give each community a 2 percent increase in state aid after cuts over the past 15 years left county and municipal aids 20.7 percent lower in 2019 than in 2003. But Republicans rejected a Dem motion to embrace the plan, leaving … 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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JFC approves Evers mental health proposals, but with changes

The Joint Finance Committee largely backed a series of Gov. Tony Evers’ proposals to address treating those with mental health issues, but added several caveats over the objections of Dems. For example, the committee supported the creation of a new unit for initial intake, triage and treatment of patients upon arriving at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, helping to address staffing issues. B… 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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WisPolitics Midday: May 9, 2019

In today’s WisPolitics Midday update: LFB predicts $5 mil less than the Evers Administration in Tribal Gaming Payments for the next two years. Assembly Health Committee advances four abortion-related bills. Recap of Sen Amy Klobuchar’s Milwaukee Fox-News sponsored town hall.

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JFC approves pulling Medicaid expansion, other provisions from Evers budget

The GOP-controlled Joint Finance Committee voted Thursday to wipe out some of the pillars of Dem Tony Evers’ budget, including an expansion of Medicaid, which the guv considered the linchpin for a $1.6 billion boost in health care spending over the next two years. GOP Sen. Luther Olsen, who has expressed an openness to accepting the federal money to expand Medicaid, voted with his fellow Republica… 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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Wisconsin Step Therapy Coalition: Step therapy legislation passes Assembly Committee on Health — bill joins companion Senate legislation for expected vote by both houses soon

CONTACT: Angie Thies – National Psoriasis Foundation State Govt. Relations Manager 614.208.3794 / athies@psoriasis.org AB24 and SB26 pass committees in both houses unanimously and will update insurer policy that currently delays access to provider-prescribed medications MADISON, WI (May 9, 2019) – The Wisconsin State Assembly’s Committee on Health has voted unanimously to advance Assembly Bill 24 (AB24) to the full Assembly, according to the Wisconsin Step Therapy Coalition – a statewide organization representing individuals with chronic diseases and health care providers. The bill, which would put commonsense patient protections in place to improve the step therapy process, joins a companion state senate

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Rep. Hintz: Dem radio address: Republicans scrap the “People’s Budget” in favor of the “Politician’s Budget”

Contact: Rep. Gordon Hintz, 608-266-2254 Audio File of Radio Address This is Representative Gordon Hintz with this week’s Democratic Radio Address On Thursday, Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee stripped out key provisions from Governor Evers’ state budget. In one sweeping motion, they removed items that have overwhelming public support. Despite 70% of Wisconsinites supporting Medicaid expansion, Republicans used their first vote on the finance committee to take it out of the Governor’s budget. Apparently they weren’t persuaded by the fact that Medicaid expansion would save taxpayers $324 million dollars in this budget alone and provide affordable health care access

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One Wisconsin Now: No appreciation for teachers from Republicans on Joint Committee on Finance

MEDIA CONTACT Mike Browne, Deputy Director mike@OneWisconsinNow.org (608) 444-3483 GOP Seeks to Strip Paid Prep Time Proposal From State Budget Plan MADISON, Wis. — It’s National Teacher Appreciation Week, but Republicans are showing anything but as they seek to strip a provision from Gov. Tony Evers’ budget to guarantee K-12 public school teachers have a minimum amount of daily, paid “prep time” for classes. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Analiese Eicher called the Republicans’ lack of respect for teaching professionals, “sad, but not surprising.” “It’s teacher appreciation week, yet Republicans are showing them anything but respect and appreciation as they

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SSDC: Sen. Testin blocks protections for pre-existing conditions

Contact: Katie Iliff, katiei@wisdems.org, 608-260-2417 MADISON – As chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, Senator Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point) is fast tracking radical anti-women’s health legislation while single handedly blocking a proposal to protect health coverage for people with pre-existing conditions. Senate Bill 37, also known as the Comprehensive Health Care Protection Act, would safeguard federal health protections at the state level, and ensure families and seniors are able to access the care they need without going bankrupt. Despite overwhelming public support, the bill has languished in Sen. Testin’s Health Committee for months. “It is appalling

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Sen. Darling, Rep. Nygren: Statement on eliminating Tony Evers’ tax hikes

Contact: Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) 1-608-266-5830 Representative John Nygren (R-Marinette) 1-608-266-2343 Sen. Darling, Rep. Nygren: Statement on eliminating Tony Evers’ tax hikes Madison–State Representative John Nygren (R-Marinette) and Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills), Co-Chairs of the Joint Committee on Finance, released the following statement regarding Thursday’s vote to remove

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Rep. Novak: Water Quality Task Force holds hearing in Lancaster

Contact: Rep. Todd Novak, (608) 266-7502 MADISON – The Speaker’s Task Force on Water Quality chaired by Rep. Todd Novak (Dodgeville) held a public hearing in Lancaster on Wednesday at the UW-Extension Youth and Ag Building. The 16-member bipartisan committee consists of members from both the State Assembly and Senate.

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JFC approves Evers mental health proposals, but with changes

The Joint Finance Committee largely backed a series of Gov. Tony Evers’ proposals to address treating those with mental health issues, but added several caveats over the objections of Dems. For example, the committee supported the creation of a new unit for initial intake, triage and treatment of patients upon

Read More »

WisPolitics Midday: May 9, 2019

In today’s WisPolitics Midday update: LFB predicts $5 mil less than the Evers Administration in Tribal Gaming Payments for the next two years. Assembly Health Committee advances four abortion-related bills. Recap of Sen Amy Klobuchar’s Milwaukee Fox-News sponsored town hall.

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Wisconsin Step Therapy Coalition: Step therapy legislation passes Assembly Committee on Health — bill joins companion Senate legislation for expected vote by both houses soon

CONTACT: Angie Thies – National Psoriasis Foundation State Govt. Relations Manager 614.208.3794 / athies@psoriasis.org AB24 and SB26 pass committees in both houses unanimously and will update insurer policy that currently delays access to provider-prescribed medications MADISON, WI (May 9, 2019) – The Wisconsin State Assembly’s Committee on Health has voted unanimously to

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Rep. Hintz: Dem radio address: Republicans scrap the “People’s Budget” in favor of the “Politician’s Budget”

Contact: Rep. Gordon Hintz, 608-266-2254 Audio File of Radio Address This is Representative Gordon Hintz with this week’s Democratic Radio Address On Thursday, Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee stripped out key provisions from Governor Evers’ state budget. In one sweeping motion, they removed items that have overwhelming public support.

Read More »

SSDC: Sen. Testin blocks protections for pre-existing conditions

Contact: Katie Iliff, katiei@wisdems.org, 608-260-2417 MADISON – As chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, Senator Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point) is fast tracking radical anti-women’s health legislation while single handedly blocking a proposal to protect health coverage for people with pre-existing conditions. Senate Bill 37, also known

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