Visit WisPolitics-State Affairs for premium content,
keyword notifications, bill tracking and more
Legislative Republicans have begun enforcing rules that bar members of the public from recording committee proceedings with WisconsinEye off the air.
The decisions came after the Legislature failed to pass legislation that was designed to give utilities with existing infrastructure in Wisconsin the first crack at building the lines. Conservative groups opposed the bill — dubbed right of first refusal — arguing allowing them to be competitively bid would drive down the cost of the work.
The Department of Health Services is now projecting Medicaid GPR spending to come in $213.2 million higher than projected when the 2025-27 budget was signed six months ago.
Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan is resigning effective immediately following her felony conviction for interfering with federal agents as they sought to arrest an undocumented immigrant who came to her courtroom.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos during a year-end interview told WisPolitics his chamber likely will pass legislation to allow online gaming in Wisconsin, though the final version of the bill may differ from the one abruptly pulled from a floor calendar last month.
Gov. Tony Evers’ picks for the Public Service Commission have approved $2.2 billion in utility rate increases since becoming a majority on the body, more than seven times what former Gov. Scott Walker’s nominees did over a similar period, according to a WisPolitics review.
The group Mandela Barnes created after his failed U.S. Senate run spent four times what the average federal leadership PAC dropped on administrative costs while giving a third as much to other campaigns, a WisPolitics review shows.
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, says regulating the THC industry will be a top priority for the spring floor period.
Senate Dems want to boost the state’s share of special education funding to 90%, to offset the impact of school costs on homeowners and to boost the Homestead property tax credit. Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein, D-Middleton, believes they can accomplish all of that — and then some — without a tax increase if the Legislature makes affordability a priority in how it builds the next state budget.
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu yesterday announced a special committee that will do a comprehensive review of the state DOJ’s “operations, priorities and external influences” affecting the agency. DOJ spokesperson Riley Vetterkind called the move an “obviously partisan stunt” and
In a Dec. 15 interview with WisPolitics, Kaul ticked off a series of improvements at the labs, from a new one opening in Milwaukee next year to using better tests and upgrading information mechanisms.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mandela Barnes says he’s shooting to raise “closer to $50 million” for his campaign cycle, which would be a significant uptick from his 2022 bid for U.S. Senate.
After the results of this fall’s elections in places like Virginia and New Jersey, national consultants have argued 2026 campaigns should be focused on just one thing — affordability. Minority Leader Greta Neubauer told WisPolitics in a new interview that will be Assembly Dems’ main focus during the spring floor period. And then they’ll take the same message to voters next fall.
The Wisconsin State Crime Laborator received fewer cases in 2024 than it did the year before, while taking longer on average to process assignments involving DNA and toxicology, the latest DOJ report says. Meanwhile, the lab took less time on average to process new assignments involving controlled substances, as well as prints and footwear.
In a motion filed with the panel, the Dem attorneys argued the parties in the case have had their motion for summary judgment since Sept. 5 and “time is of the essence” to have a new map in place for next fall if the judges rule the current lines are unconstitutional.
The Public Service Commission has approved a $31.3 million rate increase for Madison Gas & Electric over the next two years, $27.5 million less than what the utility had requested, according to preliminary figures the agency shared with WisPolitics.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court today appointed separate three-judge panels to hear two lawsuits seeking new congressional lines, opening the door to new maps being in place ahead of the 2026 elections.
Elections clerks notified the Elections Commission of 127 instances of possible voter fraud or irregularities in recent elections, including bribery, a noncitizen registering and casting a ballot, and disrupting a drop box.
Majority Leader Tyler August, R-Walworth, told WisPolitics on Thursday that he expected to have at least 50 GOP votes for the bill when it came to the floor. He said ahead of today’s floor period there was no rush to pass the bill with the Senate not taking it up until at least January and continued to express confidence it would pass the Assembly if put to a vote.
New acting U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel told WisPolitics-State Affairs that Attorney General Pam Bondi had no alternative but to appoint someone to the position after the commission established by Wisconsin’s U.S. senators failed to agree on any candidates for the vacant post.
Legislative Republicans have begun enforcing rules that bar members of the public from recording committee proceedings with WisconsinEye off the air.
The decisions came after the Legislature failed to pass legislation that was designed to give utilities with existing infrastructure in Wisconsin the first crack at building the lines. Conservative groups opposed the bill — dubbed right of first refusal — arguing allowing them to be competitively bid would drive down the cost of the work.
The Department of Health Services is now projecting Medicaid GPR spending to come in $213.2 million higher than projected when the 2025-27 budget was signed six months ago.
Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan is resigning effective immediately following her felony conviction for interfering with federal agents as they sought to arrest an undocumented immigrant who came to her courtroom.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos during a year-end interview told WisPolitics his chamber likely will pass legislation to allow online gaming in Wisconsin, though the final version of the bill may differ from the one abruptly pulled from a floor calendar last month.
Gov. Tony Evers’ picks for the Public Service Commission have approved $2.2 billion in utility rate increases since becoming a majority on the body, more than seven times what former Gov. Scott Walker’s nominees did over a similar period, according to a WisPolitics review.
The group Mandela Barnes created after his failed U.S. Senate run spent four times what the average federal leadership PAC dropped on administrative costs while giving a third as much to other campaigns, a WisPolitics review shows.
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, says regulating the THC industry will be a top priority for the spring floor period.
Senate Dems want to boost the state’s share of special education funding to 90%, to offset the impact of school costs on homeowners and to boost the Homestead property tax credit. Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein, D-Middleton, believes they can accomplish all of that — and then some — without a tax increase if the Legislature makes affordability a priority in how it builds the next state budget.
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu yesterday announced a special committee that will do a comprehensive review of the state DOJ’s “operations, priorities and external influences” affecting the agency. DOJ spokesperson Riley Vetterkind called the move an “obviously partisan stunt” and argued the Legislature should be “helping to address affordability, keep
In a Dec. 15 interview with WisPolitics, Kaul ticked off a series of improvements at the labs, from a new one opening in Milwaukee next year to using better tests and upgrading information mechanisms.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mandela Barnes says he’s shooting to raise “closer to $50 million” for his campaign cycle, which would be a significant uptick from his 2022 bid for U.S. Senate.
After the results of this fall’s elections in places like Virginia and New Jersey, national consultants have argued 2026 campaigns should be focused on just one thing — affordability. Minority Leader Greta Neubauer told WisPolitics in a new interview that will be Assembly Dems’ main focus during the spring floor period. And then they’ll take the same message to voters next fall.
The Wisconsin State Crime Laborator received fewer cases in 2024 than it did the year before, while taking longer on average to process assignments involving DNA and toxicology, the latest DOJ report says. Meanwhile, the lab took less time on average to process new assignments involving controlled substances, as well as prints and footwear.
In a motion filed with the panel, the Dem attorneys argued the parties in the case have had their motion for summary judgment since Sept. 5 and “time is of the essence” to have a new map in place for next fall if the judges rule the current lines are unconstitutional.
The Public Service Commission has approved a $31.3 million rate increase for Madison Gas & Electric over the next two years, $27.5 million less than what the utility had requested, according to preliminary figures the agency shared with WisPolitics.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court today appointed separate three-judge panels to hear two lawsuits seeking new congressional lines, opening the door to new maps being in place ahead of the 2026 elections.
Elections clerks notified the Elections Commission of 127 instances of possible voter fraud or irregularities in recent elections, including bribery, a noncitizen registering and casting a ballot, and disrupting a drop box.
Majority Leader Tyler August, R-Walworth, told WisPolitics on Thursday that he expected to have at least 50 GOP votes for the bill when it came to the floor. He said ahead of today’s floor period there was no rush to pass the bill with the Senate not taking it up until at least January and continued to express confidence it would pass the Assembly if put to a vote.
New acting U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel told WisPolitics-State Affairs that Attorney General Pam Bondi had no alternative but to appoint someone to the position after the commission established by Wisconsin’s U.S. senators failed to agree on any candidates for the vacant post.