Assembly votes along party lines to push back redrawing city council, county board boundaries

The Assembly passed along party lines a bill today that would delay redrawing of boundaries for city councils and county boards until just before 2023 elections. Under AB369, the February 2022 primary and April 2022 general election for local offices would be held under current maps drawn in 2011. Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, accused Dems of over-exaggerating the bill’s contents and asked for a 25-minute recess so Dems could walk to Gov. Tony Evers’ office and ask if he wants to amend it. Rep. Mark Spreitzer, D-Beloit, called the recess a “cheap political stunt” and claimed Vos wants Wisconsin to

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Assembly approves ban on COVID-19 vaccine passports

The Assembly today passed a bill banning businesses and government entities from requiring vaccination passports to prove people have been inoculated against COVID-19. Rep. Mark Spreitzer, D-Beloit, said the bill would interfere with business’ operations and could be harmful to public health. Spreitzer added the government should not tell businesses when it’s appropriate to require customers to be vaccinated. But Rep. Tyler August, R-Lake Geneva, countered people shouldn’t be forced to disclose their vaccination status to go about their daily lives. He said the bill was needed with lawsuits over the issue filed in other states. “People still have the

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Assembly passes series of bills to overhaul police policies, sends four to Evers’ desk

The Assembly today approved a series of bills to overhaul police policies, including one to ban chokeholds except in self-defense or when an officer’s life is in danger. That bill was one of four heading to the desk of Gov. Tony Evers, who has said while he wished the bills went further, they were a first step. One of the bills in the package hit a snag as the Assembly put off debating a Senate bill that would define use-of-force for police policies and include new requirements that officers must report colleagues who use excessive force. SB 120 outlines when

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Assembly passes bills banning trans students from playing women’s school sports

The Assembly passed along party lines two bills that would ban transgender student-athletes from participating in girl’s or women’s school sports. One of the bills would ban transgender girls who were designated male at birth from competing in Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association girls’ sports categories. But it would still allow transgender boys who were designated female at birth to compete in men’s categories. The bill would also create a separate co-ed category for those athletes who want to compete against any gender. The second bill would largely do the same but for the UW System and tech colleges. Dems on

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WED PM Update: Assembly sends four policing bills to Evers’ desk

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — The Assembly today approved a series of bills to overhaul police policies, including one to ban chokeholds except in self-defense or when an officer’s life is in danger. That bill was one of four heading to the desk of Gov. Tony Evers, who has said while he wished the bills went further, they were a first step. One of the bills… 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

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U.S. Rep. Moore: Named to select committee on economic disparity and fairness in growth

“I am honored to be chosen to join the Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth. I am pleased that the Speaker recognized my longstanding efforts, both before and during my time in the State legislature and now in Congress, to address the need to provide opportunity for all in our communities. These issues of economic inequalities and disparities hit home in my district. Milwaukee residents are forced to grapple with many challenges stemming from redlining, segregation, and discrimination that are present in our current disparities between Black and white residents in unemployment, incarceration, and poverty rates. The

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Voces de la Frontera: Immigrant essential workers and families celebrate Father’s Day; embark on historic 9-day march to demand citizenship for all

(Milwaukee, WI) – Join Voces de la Frontera for a virtual press conference tomorrow, Thursday, June 17 at 11:30am CST ahead of our historic nine-day march from Milwaukee to Madison led by Wisconsin immigrant essential workers, and part of a larger national immigrant rights campaign. Members of Voces de la Frontera’s Immigrant Essential Worker Network will speak about the necessity of creating a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrant essential workers and families who have been at the frontlines during this pandemic. They will be joined by rural and urban allies: Milwaukee Alderman Jose Perez; Michael Slattery, farmer from Manitowoc County and member of

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U.S. Sen. Johnson: Amendment would protect taxpayers from infrastructure boondoggles

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) introduced an amendment to the Surface Transportation Investment Act that would relieve localities from having to pay back federal transit grants used for projects those cities later find are unsustainable. This amendment would have significant impact for Wisconsinites as it would save taxpayers from footing the bill for the city of Milwaukee’s streetcar, “The Hop,” which has operating costs of $4.6 million per year in 2021 and a daily ridership in recent months of fewer than 1,000 passengers. The city is operating the streetcar at a $3.17 million annual deficit, but the Milwaukee Common Council was told by city

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Assembly approves ban on COVID-19 vaccine passports

The Assembly today passed a bill banning businesses and government entities from requiring vaccination passports to prove people have been inoculated against COVID-19. Rep. Mark Spreitzer, D-Beloit, said the bill would interfere with business’ operations and could be harmful to public health. Spreitzer added the government should not tell businesses

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WED PM Update: Assembly sends four policing bills to Evers’ desk

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — The Assembly today approved a series of bills to overhaul police policies, including one to ban chokeholds except in self-defense or when an officer’s life is in danger. That bill was one of four heading to the desk of Gov. Tony Evers,

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Voces de la Frontera: Immigrant essential workers and families celebrate Father’s Day; embark on historic 9-day march to demand citizenship for all

(Milwaukee, WI) – Join Voces de la Frontera for a virtual press conference tomorrow, Thursday, June 17 at 11:30am CST ahead of our historic nine-day march from Milwaukee to Madison led by Wisconsin immigrant essential workers, and part of a larger national immigrant rights campaign. Members of Voces de la Frontera’s Immigrant Essential Worker Network

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