Wisconsin AFL-CIO President Stephanie Bloomingdale released the following statement:  Set ‘em up, bartender. And don’t forget to clean your room and do your homework… That’s a request Wisconsin bar patrons might make if State Sen. Rob Stafsholt (R-New Richmond) and State Rep. Chanz Green (R-Grandview) have their way. The two lawmakers have sponsored a bill that would let children as young as 14 serve alcohol. Currently, servers must be 18 to pour alcohol, mix drinks or deliver beer, wine, or spirits to a table. If passed, Wisconsin would have the nation’s lowest age limit for workers allowed to serve alcohol,

MILWAUKEE – On May 4, 2023, the Assembly Committee on Local Government held a public hearing on Assembly Bill 245, which proposes changes to county and municipal aid in Wisconsin. Supervisors Peter Burgelis, Ryan Clancy and Vice-Chair Sequanna Taylor attended the meeting on behalf of the County and made the following statements:   “More.”  Supervisor Burgelis replying to a committee question about what specifically Milwaukee County needed.   “The authors of this bill claimed that this is a robust solution for local governments with significant inflationary increases. While that is accurate for many smaller communities, following decades of stagnant support, 14% and 10% for Milwaukee County and the City of Milwaukee falls far short of the needs for basic

APPLETON, Wis. – During the week of May 1, 2023, investigators and agents with the Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group – Drug Unit (LWAM), United States Marshals Service, and area law enforcement agencies arrested multiple members of a drug trafficking organization who are alleged to be responsible for obtaining and distributing approximately 1 million fentanyl pills throughout Northeast Wisconsin in less than a year.  The street value of this quantity of fentanyl pills is approximately $5 million.  The investigation was led by members of LWAM with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).  “Fentanyl poses a major danger to

MADISON, Wis. — In preparation for the 2024 Democratic National Convention to be held in Chicago, Illinois, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin is asking for the public’s feedback on its proposed 2024 Delegate Selection Plan. Per the Democratic National Committee’s rules, the plan and the opportunity to provide public comment will be available for 30 days beginning today, May 5, 2023.  The plan can be found at wisdems.org/2024DNCdelegates. In addition to voting for Democratic presidential and vice presidential nominees, delegates to the Democratic National Convention have an opportunity to vote on the party’s platform and resolutions, as well as the rules that

MADISON, WI – Voters across Wisconsin and the entire country want Congress to address family caregiving issues, according to a new AARP poll released today, conducted by the bipartisan polling team of Fabrizio Ward and Impact Research. This is especially true for those age 50 and older: over two-thirds of voters, and 75% of voters age 50-plus, say it is very important for Congress to help seniors live in their own homes. More than half (57%) say the same for supporting unpaid family caregivers. An overwhelming majority of voters, 78%, are either a current, past, or future family caregiver. Over 70% of voters

Last month, Informing Democracy released a report identifying election officials from six battleground states who exhibited anti-democratic tendencies or actions ahead of the 2022 elections, based on research into the personnel in charge of elections across Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The group identified over 200 officials in its report, laying out how anti-democratic tendencies are rampant at the local level and warning that our democracy is still under threat from potential bad actors. In total, Informing Democracy found 94 local officials responsible for administering elections and 110 state lawmakers who provoked concerns about harboring anti-democratic bias—from

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is accepting nominations for two seats on the Wisconsin Cranberry Board. Producers that grow and sell cranberries in Wisconsin are eligible to nominate themselves or other producers. Nomination forms will be mailed to producers that submit requests prior to June 1, 2023 and can be requested by contacting DATCP Market Orders staff at DATCPMarketOrders@wisconsin.gov. Completed forms must be signed, notarized, and postmarked by June 1, 2023 and include the signatures of five eligible cranberry growers other than the nominee. Completed forms should be mailed to WI DATCP, Market Orders

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today announced three appointments to the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board. The governor has appointed Dylan Bizhikiins Jennings and Jim VandenBrook and reappointed Paul Buhr. These appointments fill the vacancies created by the expiration of two former appointees’ terms on May 1, 2023, and the expiration of Buhr’s term. “From working to protect wildlife to making necessary progress on getting harmful contaminants like PFAS out of our water once and for all, the work of the Natural Resources Board is essential to the health and prosperity of our state,” said Gov. Evers. “We are thrilled to

MADISON —​ Gov. Tony Evers today signed Executive Order #198 calling a special election for the 24th Assembly District, as a vacancy has been created by the election of State Sen. Daniel Knodl to the 8th Senate District. Gov. Evers ordered the special election to be held on July 18, 2023. If a primary is necessary, it will be held on June 20, 2023. Circulation of nomination papers for candidates may begin today, May 5, 2023, and must be filed by 5 p.m. on May 23, 2023.  Executive Order #198 is available here.

MADISON – On Monday, May 8, we recognize ‘A Day without Child Care’ to highlight the significant role of child care providers in our communities and for our economy. Earlier this year, Senator Agard and Representative Neubauer spearheaded a statewide campaign to gather support for fully funding the Child Care Counts program in the 2023-25 state budget. Today, they delivered a list of more than 3,100 petition signees to Republican leaders and members of the Joint Finance Committee. The list of signees include child care providers and workers, parents, guardians, business and community leaders, and concerned citizens from throughout the state. To date,

MADISON —​ Gov. Tony Evers today signed Executive Order #198 calling a special election for the 24th Assembly District, as a vacancy has been created by the election of State Sen. Daniel Knodl to the 8th Senate District. Gov. Evers ordered the special election to be held on July 18, 2023. If a primary is necessary, it will be held on June 20, 2023. Circulation of nomination papers for candidates may begin today, May 5, 2023, and must be filed by 5 p.m. on May 23, 2023. Executive Order #198 is available here. An online version of this release is available here.

The resolution demonstrates the lawmakers’ solidarity with the families and loved ones of missing and murdered Indigenous women, and it calls on the people of the United States to commemorate the lives of American Indian and Alaska Native women whose cases are documented and undocumented in public records and the media. “I join my colleagues in this bipartisan effort to recognize May 5th as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) and Girls. Too many of my Native sisters have been taken from their communities and their families are left with no answers or justice.

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers signed Executive Order #197 ordering the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin to be flown at half-staff on Sun., May 7, 2023, as a mark of respect for the firefighters of Wisconsin who have given their lives in the line of duty. “Every day in communities throughout our state, Wisconsin firefighters bravely put their lives on the line to protect the health and safety of others,” said Gov. Evers. “Honoring those firefighters who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty is a responsibility we share as a state and nation, and I am proud to recognize these fallen heroes and share our deepest condolences with their families, friends, colleagues, and