From WisPolitics … — A Senate panel today will take testimony on legislation to bar race-based programs in higher ed and instead focus on economically disadvantaged students. The programs SB 596/AB 554 would impact include: a minority teacher loan program administered by the Higher Educational Aids Board; minority undergraduate grants;

From WisPolitics … — Three municipal clerks are asking a Dane County judge to ensure his expected order on when they must accept absentee ballots missing witness information on the envelope is “sufficiently specific as to address the practical realities of processing.” Dane County Judge Ryan Nilsestuen earlier this month

From WisPolitics … — U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says a recession in 2024 is unlikely as she touted the economic outlook during a stop in Milwaukee. “I do not think it’s probable,” Yellen told WISN’s “UpFront,” which is produced in partnership with WisPolitics. “I think we’re on a course

From WisPolitics … — Gov. Tony Evers is appointing Dem state Sen. Lena Taylor to the Milwaukee County Circuit Court. Evers’ office said the appointment is effective Tuesday, and Taylor is resigning from the state Senate today. Evers will call a special election later this spring to fill Taylor’s heavily

From WisPolitics … — The GOP co-chairs of the Joint Finance Committee are arguing a drop in the state’s projected surplus is even more reason to cut taxes. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau is projecting the state will now finish the 2023-25 biennium with a surplus of $3.25 billion. That’s nearly

From WisPolitics … — Gov. Tony Evers will hit Eau Claire, Wausau and Green Bay today as part of a statewide tour following his State of the State address. Evers will be joined by Health Services Secretary Kirsten Johnson and others on the stops. In last night’s speech, the guv

From WisPolitics … — Gov. Tony Evers will deliver his sixth State of the State address this evening in what will be a busy day at the state Capitol. Evers will begin his speech at 7 p.m., and it will be streamed live on WisconsinEye. Watch the speech. See WisPolitics

From WisPolitics … — Both those who support abortion rights and those who oppose them are knocking a proposal by GOP lawmakers to ask voters to impose a ban on the procedure after 14 weeks of pregnancy. On the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Assembly Health, Aging and

From WisPolitics … — All GOP members of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation voted against a bill to avert a government shutdown as the House sent the measure to President Joe Biden’s desk for approval. U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore blasted Republicans who voted against the measure to keep the government funded after

From WisPolitics … — The Assembly’s calendar today includes measures to ban government lists of firearm owners and prohibit the state from infringing upon certain rights for parents.  Lawmakers are scheduled to vote on AB 468, which would ban government entities from intentionally creating, storing or maintaining a list of

From WisPolitics … — Dem voters asked the state Supreme Court to redraw Wisconsin’s congressional districts ahead of the 2024 elections, citing its ruling last month striking down the legislative lines. The petition, filed yesterday, argued a foundation of the lines now in place was the court’s 2021 decision to

From WisPolitics … — The Assembly and Senate will be on the floor today for the first time in 2024. The Senate calendar includes a vote on the nomination of Tyler Huebner to the Public Service Commission. On Friday, a Senate committee voted 3-2 against recommending his confirmation. The Senate

Subscribers: There will be no WisPolitics products Monday due to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. Thank you for subscribing! From WisPolitics … — U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin announced today she raised more than $3 million during the fourth quarter of 2023 as the Madison Dem continued to pull

From WisPolitics … — The Joint Finance Committee has a public hearing today on two bills that are part of a deal Assembly Speaker Robin Vos struck with UW leadership to curtail DEI positions at the university. One bill would authorize nearly $696.7 million in projects on UW campuses, including

From WisPolitics … — The liberal group Opportunity Wisconsin has launched two new ads — one on TV targeting U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil of Janesville, and the other a digital spot going after U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden of Prairie du Chien. Both Republicans are in swing districts though Van

From WisPolitics … — State law didn’t allow the city of Racine to use a van to facilitate absentee voting during the August 2022 state primary, a judge has ruled. Judge Eugene Gasiorkiewicz in yesterday’s decision also found the places the van stopped during that election inappropriately favored Dem voters.

From WisPolitics … — Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says the medical marijuana bill being unveiled by Republicans will “probably be the most restrictive version in the entire country.” Lawmakers are set to hold a number of regional news conferences today to unveil the details. Those are planned for South Milwaukee,

Political Stock Report –A collection of insider opinion– (Jan. 1 – 5, 2024) Rising Pedro Colón: The former Dem lawmaker snagged an appointment to the Milwaukee-based 1st District Court of Appeals last year. Now, he’s poised to get a full six-year term without so much as token opposition on the

From WisPolitics … — Gov. Tony Evers said “hell yes” Senate Republicans have made it more difficult to find a new DNR secretary after a series of his appointments have been rejected. Evers told WisPolitics in an interview this week that he hasn’t yet offered the job to anyone since

From WisPolitics … — Wisconsin’s state and local tax burden in fiscal year 2022-23 rose slightly to 10% from the previous fiscal year’s historic low of 9.96%, according to a Wisconsin Policy Forum report.  Overall, state and local tax collections rose 2.5% to $36.2 billion from $35.4 billion in 2021-22.