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The state Senate today signed off along party lines on all but one of the guv’s welfare bills, clearing the way for the nine pieces of legislation to head to his desk. The package, backed by Republicans, includes: *SSAB 1,
State agencies would have to provide lawmakers a detailed accounting of their spending every two years under legislation the Senate approved today via voice vote. That report would include the minimum level of funding required for each appropriation to achieve
Both houses of the Legislature will be in session today with loaded calendars as lawmakers begin the final sprint before adjourning for the year. That includes both houses taking up Gov. Scott Walker’s $200 million reinsurance plan. The Senate’s calendar
The Assembly today signed off on a bill to roll back permitting requirements for certain urban and rural wetlands on a 58-39 vote. The chamber also approved a new substitute amendment on a voice vote aligning it with the Senate
A bill that would increase the penalties for defrauding the state’s unemployment insurance fund cleared the Assembly on a 62-35 party-line vote. Backers of the bill have argued the stricter penalties under the bill are needed to help deter individuals
The Assembly approved a bill that would up the penalties for having sex with an animal, sending it to the Senate. The bill would make sex with an animal a class H felony. Currently, it’s a misdemeanor. It passed the
A bill that would provide merit scholarships to students at UW schools cleared the Assembly shortly after the chamber moved back into regular session. The bill, by Rep. Tyler August, R-Lake Geneva, and Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, would require the
The Assembly signed off on a package of special session welfare bills to set new requirements for various government assistance programs including food stamps. Dems voted against each of the 10 bills, authored by Speaker Robin Vos and Sen. Chris
The Assembly today signed off on a bill 58-34 that would make sweeping changes to landlord-tenant laws over a series of Dem objections the legislation sought to appeal to wealthy developers over low-income renters. The bill would increase limits on fees
A bipartisan bill that would let kids run their own lemonade stands without a license cleared the Assembly today on a voice vote. Under the bill, from Rep. Joel Kleefisch and Sen. LaTonya Johnson, minors would be able to operate
The GOP-controlled state Senate today rejected along the party lines 18-13 the nominations of Brian Bell and Mike Haas as administrators of the Ethics and Elections commissions. Dems knocked the move as an attempt by Republicans to enact a vendetta
Both houses of Wisconsin’s Legislature are scheduled to be on the floor today, with the Senate planning to take up a series of confirmation votes including the heads of the Ethics and Elections commissions. In addition to voting on the
Dem state Rep. Josh Zepnick says he is “disappointed and disturbed” by Minority Leader Gordon Hintz pulling him off five legislative committees following allegations he kissed two women without their consent in 2011 and 2015. Zepnick, D-Milwaukee, said he has
Rep. Josh Zepnick, who has resisted calls to resign after he was accused of kissing two women without their consent, has been stripped of his committee assignments. A spokeswoman for Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said Dems have not yet
Assembly Dem leaders and the party’s state chair late Friday night called on Rep. Josh Zepnick, D-Milwaukee, to resign following allegations by two women that he kissed them without their consent at political events in 2011 and 2015. The Capital
The Assembly signed off on a bill that would let Wisconsin farmers grow industrial hemp, sending it to the guv’s desk. The bill passed on a 92-0 vote last night, two days after the Senate unanimously voted to approve it.
The state would overhaul its licenses for barbers, cosmetologists and hair salons under legislation that cleared the Assembly and is now headed to the guv. Dems though worried the bills would lower state standards, hurt the industry and undercut patrons’
Those towing waterskiers would no longer need a second person in the boat acting as a spotter so long as the boat is equipped with a rear-view mirror under legislation the Assembly approved and sent to the guv. The bill
The Assembly approved allowing municipalities to provide assistance to those replacing private lead service lines, but covering less of the costs than the Senate had approved. Under the bill, which passed on a voice vote, a municipality would have to
Victims could prevent the release of footage from the body cameras some police officers wear under legislation the Assembly approved on a voice vote Thursday. The legislation also would set a series of statewide standards for how the footage is
The state Senate today signed off along party lines on all but one of the guv’s welfare bills, clearing the way for the nine pieces of legislation to head to his desk. The package, backed by Republicans, includes: *SSAB 1, which would up the work requirement for FoodShare to 30
State agencies would have to provide lawmakers a detailed accounting of their spending every two years under legislation the Senate approved today via voice vote. That report would include the minimum level of funding required for each appropriation to achieve its objectives that does not exceed the prior fiscal year’s
Both houses of the Legislature will be in session today with loaded calendars as lawmakers begin the final sprint before adjourning for the year. That includes both houses taking up Gov. Scott Walker’s $200 million reinsurance plan. The Senate’s calendar also includes measures that would: *roll back permitting requirements for
The Assembly today signed off on a bill to roll back permitting requirements for certain urban and rural wetlands on a 58-39 vote. The chamber also approved a new substitute amendment on a voice vote aligning it with the Senate version of the bill that cleared a committee last week.
A bill that would increase the penalties for defrauding the state’s unemployment insurance fund cleared the Assembly on a 62-35 party-line vote. Backers of the bill have argued the stricter penalties under the bill are needed to help deter individuals from intentionally committing fraud. Dems and other opponents, though, have
The Assembly approved a bill that would up the penalties for having sex with an animal, sending it to the Senate. The bill would make sex with an animal a class H felony. Currently, it’s a misdemeanor. It passed the chamber on a voice vote.
A bill that would provide merit scholarships to students at UW schools cleared the Assembly shortly after the chamber moved back into regular session. The bill, by Rep. Tyler August, R-Lake Geneva, and Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, would require the UW Board of Regents to distribute $5,000 scholarships to Wisconsin
The Assembly signed off on a package of special session welfare bills to set new requirements for various government assistance programs including food stamps. Dems voted against each of the 10 bills, authored by Speaker Robin Vos and Sen. Chris Kapenga, although they were largely silent on the floor as
The Assembly today signed off on a bill 58-34 that would make sweeping changes to landlord-tenant laws over a series of Dem objections the legislation sought to appeal to wealthy developers over low-income renters. The bill would increase limits on fees that landlords can charge tenants for credit checks and limit
A bipartisan bill that would let kids run their own lemonade stands without a license cleared the Assembly today on a voice vote. Under the bill, from Rep. Joel Kleefisch and Sen. LaTonya Johnson, minors would be able to operate temporary stands on private property that bring in less than
The GOP-controlled state Senate today rejected along the party lines 18-13 the nominations of Brian Bell and Mike Haas as administrators of the Ethics and Elections commissions. Dems knocked the move as an attempt by Republicans to enact a vendetta against Bell and Haas over past John Doe probes that
Both houses of Wisconsin’s Legislature are scheduled to be on the floor today, with the Senate planning to take up a series of confirmation votes including the heads of the Ethics and Elections commissions. In addition to voting on the nominations of Brian Bell and Michael Haas, senators will also
Dem state Rep. Josh Zepnick says he is “disappointed and disturbed” by Minority Leader Gordon Hintz pulling him off five legislative committees following allegations he kissed two women without their consent in 2011 and 2015. Zepnick, D-Milwaukee, said he has been facing anonymous allegations and again said he will not
Rep. Josh Zepnick, who has resisted calls to resign after he was accused of kissing two women without their consent, has been stripped of his committee assignments. A spokeswoman for Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said Dems have not yet named replacements for Zepnick’s spots on five committees. Asked if
Assembly Dem leaders and the party’s state chair late Friday night called on Rep. Josh Zepnick, D-Milwaukee, to resign following allegations by two women that he kissed them without their consent at political events in 2011 and 2015. The Capital Times reported neither woman, who spoke to the paper on
The Assembly signed off on a bill that would let Wisconsin farmers grow industrial hemp, sending it to the guv’s desk. The bill passed on a 92-0 vote last night, two days after the Senate unanimously voted to approve it. Under the bill, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer
The state would overhaul its licenses for barbers, cosmetologists and hair salons under legislation that cleared the Assembly and is now headed to the guv. Dems though worried the bills would lower state standards, hurt the industry and undercut patrons’ safety, with Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa, D-Milwaukee, saying the legislation was
Those towing waterskiers would no longer need a second person in the boat acting as a spotter so long as the boat is equipped with a rear-view mirror under legislation the Assembly approved and sent to the guv. The bill passed on a 63-29 vote, with four Dems breaking ranks
The Assembly approved allowing municipalities to provide assistance to those replacing private lead service lines, but covering less of the costs than the Senate had approved. Under the bill, which passed on a voice vote, a municipality would have to approve a resolution asking the Public Service Commission for permission
Victims could prevent the release of footage from the body cameras some police officers wear under legislation the Assembly approved on a voice vote Thursday. The legislation also would set a series of statewide standards for how the footage is handled, and several Dems said they support that concept. But