The state Senate today unanimously confirmed Gov. Tony Evers’ picks to lead the Department of Workforce Development and to head the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority. Caleb Frostman at DWD and Joaquin Altoro at WHEDA cleared the chamber unanimously. There was no debate on Frostman, a former Dem senator

The Assembly unanimously approved a series of bills that would raise wages for collective bargaining employee contracts for construction projects. The move came after the Joint Committee on Employment Relations approved the contracts last month. AB 706, 708,709, 710 and 711 would ratify employee contract agreements between UW-Madison, the UW

A split Assembly today signed off on a set of bills that would overhaul aspects of the state’s adoption system. The eight-bill package stemmed from an adoption task force commissioned last year and chaired by freshman Rep. Barbara Dittrich, who said she learned through the process that there was no

The Assembly today approved a nine-bill package designed to update placement and support obligations for children whose parents are divorced or separated. The package, which passed via voice vote, includes proposals that would: *create a process for temporary delegating custodial duties during a parent’s military service. *allow a court to

Three Dems sided with Gov. Tony Evers to deny GOP lawmakers a veto on a bill that would have reduced the number of training hours required for nursing assistants. Republicans needed at least three Dems to flip their votes to override the veto and Dem Reps. Don Vruwink, of Milton,

The Assembly today approved a resolution to call the evergreen displayed each year in the rotunda the “Wisconsin State Christmas Tree.” The resolution, which just began circulating yesterday, comes after Gov. Tony Evers went back to calling it a “Holiday Tree” after former Gov. Scott Walker referred to it as

— A bill that would add 12 new circuit court branches passed the Assembly by voice vote today and is now on its way to the Senate.  AB 470 would add four new circuit court judges in August 2020, four in August 2021 and the final four in August 2022.

The Assembly today passed a measure that would bring Wisconsin’s hemp regulations in line with federal guidelines, boosting the state’s chances of gaining lead oversight of the nascent crop from federal regulators. “I know everybody is gonna push the green button because this is a great bill,” Rep. Tony Kurtz,

— The Assembly today passed a resolution to recognize the week of Thanksgiving as National Bible Week.  “For centuries the bible has been recognized as the greatest book ever written,” the resolution’s author Rep. Paul Tittle, R-Manitowoc, said on the floor. “Whether you’re Catholic, Jewish, baptist or you just like

GOP legislative leaders late Thursday quickly dismissed Tony Evers’ call for a special session on new gun restrictions and shrugged off criticism they were ignoring the will of voters by failing to even debate the two bills the guv urged them to take up. With largely just reporters watching, Senate

The Assembly late this evening passed a series of bills stemming from recommendations made by the Speaker’s Task Force on Suicide Prevention.  The hours-long scheduled debate focused mainly on gun violence bills brought forth by Gov. Tony Evers for a special session mandated for 2 p.m. today.  Dems blasted Republicans

Assembly GOP lawmakers failed to meet the two-thirds threshold to override three of Gov. Tony Evers’ budget vetoes. After more than two hours of heated debate the chamber voted along party lines. The trio of override votes received the support of all 62 Republican members present in the chamber, falling

The state Senate today voted to put a hard deadline on ending the five-county sales tax that helped build Milwaukee’s Miller Park, clearing the way for the bill to go to the guv’s desk. Under current law, the district that oversees the stadium would begin the process to end the

Guvs would no longer be able to use their partial-veto authority to increase state spending beyond what lawmakers had approved under a constitutional amendment approved by the state Senate 19-14 along party lines. Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, called it the latest “power grab” from Republicans as they seek

The state Senate signed off today on two bills that would stiffen the penalties for drunk driving, including one that would set a minimum mandatory sentence of five years for those convicted of an OWI homicide. The bill includes an exception to the five-year minimum if a court finds a

With Tony Evers watching from the wings, the state Senate today voted along party lines Tuesday to reject the nomination of Brad Pfaff as DATCP secretary. It is the first time in at least three decades that the chamber has shot down a guv’s pick to serve in his cabinet,

Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said today the Senate will move ahead with a planned vote on the nomination of Brad Pfaff to serve as DATCP secretary. The guv’s administration, ag groups and others made a furious push to at least delay a vote on the nomination after Fitzgerald’s office

The Assembly today passed by voice vote a measure that would allow minors to operate temporary stands without a permit or license.  The measure, which cleared the Senate on Tuesday, now heads to Gov. Tony Evers’ desk. Other bills the Assembly signed off on that now head to Evers desk

The Assembly today backed a resolution expressing support for basing F-35 fighter jets at the Air National Guard Base in Madison. This comes after some residents near Truax Field have raised concerns over noise from the new planes. The base is now home to F-16s and the debate over the