TUE PM Update: Two-week early voting limit would’ve impacted about 16K voters in Milwaukee, Madison in ‘18 midterms

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Roughly one out of every five voters who cast an in-person absentee ballot in the state’s two largest cities during the 2018 midterm elections did so before the two-week early voting window that will be in place this fall. A unanimous federal appeals court last night upheld a series of GOP-authored election laws that among othe… 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    

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Dept. of Military Affairs: 2020 Wisconsin Statewide NextGeneration9-1-1 Plan now available

MADISON, Wis. – The 2020 Wisconsin Statewide NextGeneration9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) Plan is now available on the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs, Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) website. The 2020 Plan includes a brief overview of the current 9-1-1 environment, outlines the progress that Wisconsin has made towards NG9-1-1 since the previous plan was released in May 2017, and identifies goals and recommendations for continued NG9-1-1 implementation statewide. This NG9-1-1 Plan was developed in conjunction with public safety communications stakeholders across the state, 911 Authority, LLC, and approved by the 9-1-1 Subcommittee on June 18, 2020. The Plan is located at: https://dma.wi.gov/DMA/divisions/oec/library/2020/2020_WI_Statewide_NextGen9-1-1_Plan_FINAL.pdf

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Dept. of Natural Resources: Clean boats, clean waters for a healthy boating summer

MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin residents and visitors that are passionate about protecting waters from aquatic invasive species know the impact they can have on state waters and native species. For nearly 15 years Clean Boats, Clean Waters (CBCW) boat inspectors and educators have met boaters at lake and river launches to remind them that by taking simple preventative steps, they play a vital role. This summer, hundreds of launches will be staffed as usual by these friendly folks in their blue CBCW T-shirts, but most will also have on a cloth CBCW mask and maintain physical distancing. “We know that the

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Mayor Rhodes-Conway: U.S. Seventh Circuit reduces options for safe and equitable voting access

Yesterday, the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago ruled on a lawsuit related to voting laws in Wisconsin that had been pending for over three years. Its ruling undercuts some important strategies that helped keep voting safe and accessible during the pandemic in the April elections, and that have been highlighted as best practices for safe and equitable elections. The Court ruled, among other things, that in-person absentee voting will only be allowed for 13 days, compared to the six weeks it was offered in the last Presidential Election. “In the last Presidential Election, over 57,000 people voted

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U.S. Rep. Kind: Calls for full bipartisan briefing after reports of Russia placing bounties on U.S. troops

Washington, DC— Today, Rep. Ron Kind sent a letter to Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Gina Haspel requesting a full congressional briefing after several press reports found that Russia offered Afghan militants bounties for killing United States and coalition servicemembers in Afghanistan, and the Administration was aware of this intelligence as far back as 2019. “Among the President’s most sacred responsibilities is to protect and defend American troops in the field. If reports are true that the President was aware, it would be a historic breach of trust between our military and their Commander in Chief,” said Rep. Ron

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WHEDA Foundation: Now accepting housing grant applications

MADISON – Wisconsin organizations that provide emergency shelter, transitional residences and extremely low-income housing are encouraged to apply for grants from the WHEDA Foundation. Administered by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority, the WHEDA Foundation grants improve housing for community members with complex challenges such as developmental disabilities, domestic abuse, incomes at or below 30 percent of the area median income, youth homelessness and chronic mental illness. Grants of up to $40,000 are available in two categories, emergency/transitional housing and permanent housing. “Throughout Wisconsin, community organizations play an essential role in providing safe, affordable housing for people in desperate need of

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U.S. Sen. Baldwin: Introduces bill to support economic recovery, finance six months of wages and benefits

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) today introduced legislation to support the economic recovery by immediately financing six months of wages and benefits for unemployed workers. Baldwin is leading this effort with Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Michael F. Bennet (D-CO) and Cory A. Booker (D-NJ) “Millions of Americans are unemployed and struggling to make ends meet, so we need a bold, federal investment in state and local transitional jobs programs to create job opportunities and put people back to work,” said Senator Baldwin. “As we support workers and businesses in our recovery

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Dept. of Public Instruction: Distributes $1.8 billion to Wisconsin schools

MADISON — The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction announced today that in June, the agency distributed a total of $1.8 billion to schools across the state to support mental health programs in public schools, special education students, transportation costs, and other categorical state aids. General state aids, including Equalization Aids, is the state’s main public K-12 funding program, accounting for $1.6 billion of the funding. A portion of that, $110 million, was withheld from districts for their residents enrolled in participating private choice schools and new independent charter schools. Special education aids totaled $117.1 million, transportation aid allocations equaled $14.6

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National Democratic Redistricting Committee: Eric Holder endorses 102 state legislative candidates and NDRC invests $1M more in key legislative races

Washington, D.C. — Today, Eric H. Holder, Jr., the 82nd Attorney General of the United States and Chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, endorsed 102 candidates running for office in Florida, Georgia, Kansas, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin – all key states for redistricting. The NDRC is also investing more than $1 million in direct, individual contributions to many of the endorsed candidates’ campaigns to bolster their efforts amid COVID-19 and ahead of November’s elections. This investment includes contributions to caucuses and other support for key races on the ballot. Today’s announcement builds on last month’s $300,000-plus

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U.S. Rep. Kind: Calls for full bipartisan briefing after reports of Russia placing bounties on U.S. troops

Washington, DC— Today, Rep. Ron Kind sent a letter to Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Gina Haspel requesting a full congressional briefing after several press reports found that Russia offered Afghan militants bounties for killing United States and coalition servicemembers in Afghanistan, and the Administration was aware of

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WHEDA Foundation: Now accepting housing grant applications

MADISON – Wisconsin organizations that provide emergency shelter, transitional residences and extremely low-income housing are encouraged to apply for grants from the WHEDA Foundation. Administered by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority, the WHEDA Foundation grants improve housing for community members with complex challenges such as developmental disabilities, domestic abuse, incomes

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Dept. of Public Instruction: Distributes $1.8 billion to Wisconsin schools

MADISON — The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction announced today that in June, the agency distributed a total of $1.8 billion to schools across the state to support mental health programs in public schools, special education students, transportation costs, and other categorical state aids. General state aids, including Equalization Aids,

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National Democratic Redistricting Committee: Eric Holder endorses 102 state legislative candidates and NDRC invests $1M more in key legislative races

Washington, D.C. — Today, Eric H. Holder, Jr., the 82nd Attorney General of the United States and Chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, endorsed 102 candidates running for office in Florida, Georgia, Kansas, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin – all key states for redistricting. The NDRC is

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