Visit WisPolitics-State Affairs for premium content,
keyword notifications, bill tracking and more
Despite a contentious debate on several Dem amendments, the state Assembly today signed off on nine special session bills on opioid abuse. Dems sought to amend some of the bills to ensure the state accepts the Medicaid expansion under the
The Senate will reconvene tomorrow morning to continue discussion on a high-capacity wells bill after Dems objected to a third reading of the legislation this evening. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald proposed the 8 a.m. meeting time, which begins two hours before a
Assembly Republicans are turning back an effort from Dems to accept the Medicaid expansion during today’s debate on several special session bills on opioid abuse. Republicans also charged Dems with fundraising off the debate, with Assembly Speaker Robin Vos saying it’s “disgusting” that Dems
The state Assembly today unanimously approved a bill designating cheese as the official state dairy product. The proposal, approved 96-0, was the idea of a 4th grade classroom, said Rep. Todd Novak, R-Dodgeville. Novak authored the bill and ticked off
The Senate unanimously signed off on legislation that would alter the criteria for broadband expansion grants and make $18.5 million more available after amending it to ban providers from collecting information on their customers’ use without their permission. The amendment
Senate Dems today will object to a final vote on the high-capacity well bill, a procedural move that would delay Senate action on the legislation. Tony Palese, a spokesman for Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, said Dems will object
The Senate will take up the high-capacity wells bill when it hits the floor this morning, as well as SB 49, which would alter the eligibility criteria for broadband expansion grants and add $15 million to the program. Senators also
GOP Sen. Dave Craig and Rep. Mary Felzkowski are proposing legislation that would allow Wisconsin residents to carry a concealed weapon without first obtaining a permit. It also would eliminate the state’s school gun free zone law, though schools could
The Assembly passed a bill that would change the expiration dates on concealed carry licenses that are renewed on a 92-7 vote, sending the bill to Gov. Scott Walker’s desk. Under current law, a license is valid for five years after
A bill that would ban local governments from requiring that companies bidding on public projects enter into project labor agreements is heading to Gov. Scott Walker’s desk after a 64-35 vote in the Assembly. Dems slammed the bill at today’s session, saying
The Assembly today voted 68-31 on a constitutional amendment that would eliminate the state treasurer’s office, putting the question before voters in an April 2018 referendum. In addition to eliminating the office, the proposal would change the state constitution to replace
The Assembly is in session today to vote on an amendment nixing the state treasurer’s office. Members also will vote on legislation to ban local governments from requiring that companies bidding on public projects enter into project labor agreements, as well
The state Assembly today voted 85-13 to approve a “right to try” bill that would let terminally ill patients get treatments that have yet to win full FDA approval. The bill, AB 69, would let eligible patients access a treatment that
The state Assembly today unanimously passed a CBD oil bill that lawmakers said would provide relief to families who use the marijuana extract to treat their children’s seizures. The Assembly signed off 98-0 on SB 10, which passed the Senate
The state Assembly shot down a Dem amendment to a CBD oil bill that would’ve set up a process for letting people obtain medical marijuana. The bill would shield from state prosecution those who possess the cannabidiol marijuana extract, which is
The state Senate voted today to add juvenile correctional officers to the list of professionals who must report suspected child abuse even as Dems said it was an inadequate step to address problems at youth prisons in northern Wisconsin. SB
The state Senate again voted today to eliminate the office of the state treasurer, putting the constitutional amendment one step away from going to the voters for final say next spring. Dems objected to the amendment, with Sen. Kathleen Vinehout,
Both houses of the Legislature will be on the floor today, and the Assembly will take up “right to try” legislation that would allow terminally ill patients to get treatments that have yet to win full FDA approval. The Assembly
The Assembly today unanimously passed a bill to help Plymouth-based Masters Gallery Foods Inc. build a $30 million packaging and distribution facility in the village of Oostburg. The cheese producer aims to create 120 jobs at the planned 150,000-square-foot facility
The Senate passed the PLA bill 19-13 along party lines after a little more than an hour of discussion.
Despite a contentious debate on several Dem amendments, the state Assembly today signed off on nine special session bills on opioid abuse. Dems sought to amend some of the bills to ensure the state accepts the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, but Republicans said those amendments were brought to
The Senate will reconvene tomorrow morning to continue discussion on a high-capacity wells bill after Dems objected to a third reading of the legislation this evening. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald proposed the 8 a.m. meeting time, which begins two hours before a Joint Finance Committee public hearing on the budget in West
Assembly Republicans are turning back an effort from Dems to accept the Medicaid expansion during today’s debate on several special session bills on opioid abuse. Republicans also charged Dems with fundraising off the debate, with Assembly Speaker Robin Vos saying it’s “disgusting” that Dems are “using this as a political issue to raise money.”
The state Assembly today unanimously approved a bill designating cheese as the official state dairy product. The proposal, approved 96-0, was the idea of a 4th grade classroom, said Rep. Todd Novak, R-Dodgeville. Novak authored the bill and ticked off several statistics on the state’s cheese production, including that Wisconsin
The Senate unanimously signed off on legislation that would alter the criteria for broadband expansion grants and make $18.5 million more available after amending it to ban providers from collecting information on their customers’ use without their permission. The amendment comes a day after President Trump signed legislation to repeal
Senate Dems today will object to a final vote on the high-capacity well bill, a procedural move that would delay Senate action on the legislation. Tony Palese, a spokesman for Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, said Dems will object to third reading because the bill was voted on in
The Senate will take up the high-capacity wells bill when it hits the floor this morning, as well as SB 49, which would alter the eligibility criteria for broadband expansion grants and add $15 million to the program. Senators also are to vote on the confirmation of Jay Risch as
GOP Sen. Dave Craig and Rep. Mary Felzkowski are proposing legislation that would allow Wisconsin residents to carry a concealed weapon without first obtaining a permit. It also would eliminate the state’s school gun free zone law, though schools could still post signs on their buildings and grounds banning weapons.
The Assembly passed a bill that would change the expiration dates on concealed carry licenses that are renewed on a 92-7 vote, sending the bill to Gov. Scott Walker’s desk. Under current law, a license is valid for five years after the date it’s issued. The bill would change that so
A bill that would ban local governments from requiring that companies bidding on public projects enter into project labor agreements is heading to Gov. Scott Walker’s desk after a 64-35 vote in the Assembly. Dems slammed the bill at today’s session, saying it would hurt the middle class and reduce the quality
The Assembly today voted 68-31 on a constitutional amendment that would eliminate the state treasurer’s office, putting the question before voters in an April 2018 referendum. In addition to eliminating the office, the proposal would change the state constitution to replace the treasurer with the lieutenant governor on the Board of
The Assembly is in session today to vote on an amendment nixing the state treasurer’s office. Members also will vote on legislation to ban local governments from requiring that companies bidding on public projects enter into project labor agreements, as well as a bill that would change the expiration dates on concealed
The state Assembly today voted 85-13 to approve a “right to try” bill that would let terminally ill patients get treatments that have yet to win full FDA approval. The bill, AB 69, would let eligible patients access a treatment that has yet to get approval from the FDA but has
The state Assembly today unanimously passed a CBD oil bill that lawmakers said would provide relief to families who use the marijuana extract to treat their children’s seizures. The Assembly signed off 98-0 on SB 10, which passed the Senate last month. The bill, which now heads to the guv’s
The state Assembly shot down a Dem amendment to a CBD oil bill that would’ve set up a process for letting people obtain medical marijuana. The bill would shield from state prosecution those who possess the cannabidiol marijuana extract, which is used to treat seizures. Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison, sought to
The state Senate voted today to add juvenile correctional officers to the list of professionals who must report suspected child abuse even as Dems said it was an inadequate step to address problems at youth prisons in northern Wisconsin. SB 35, approved via voice vote, was proposed following reports of
The state Senate again voted today to eliminate the office of the state treasurer, putting the constitutional amendment one step away from going to the voters for final say next spring. Dems objected to the amendment, with Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, D-Alma, pointing to the duties that have been stripped away
Both houses of the Legislature will be on the floor today, and the Assembly will take up “right to try” legislation that would allow terminally ill patients to get treatments that have yet to win full FDA approval. The Assembly calendar also includes the CBD oil bill, which would shield
The Assembly today unanimously passed a bill to help Plymouth-based Masters Gallery Foods Inc. build a $30 million packaging and distribution facility in the village of Oostburg. The cheese producer aims to create 120 jobs at the planned 150,000-square-foot facility within the next two to three years, with the possibility
The Senate passed the PLA bill 19-13 along party lines after a little more than an hour of discussion.