The UW tuition freeze that’s been in place for the past eight years would expire under a GOP motion the Joint Finance Committee approved today. Along with allowing the cap on in-state, undergrad tuition to go away, the motion would

Wisconsin schools would get $128 million in general purpose revenue over the next two years, a fraction of what Dem Gov. Tony Evers originally proposed, under a motion the GOP-controlled Joint Finance Committee approved today. The GOP motion, approved 11-4

The Joint Finance Committee will meet Wednesday to take up funding for several state agencies as well as the state’s unemployment insurance program. GOP lawmakers and Dem Gov. Tony Evers have been at odds over the UI program for much

The GOP-controlled Joint Finance Committee today reworked a $154 million pot of federal money to reward districts that provided in-person instruction for at least half of the 2020-21 school year. The motion, approved 11-4 along party lines, also would give

GOP lawmakers are proposing to put $150 million into K-12 education now, while putting aside $350 million that could be released later. The proposed move comes with a federal requirement that the state maintain its current spending commitment to K-12

GOP lawmakers would have to put another $428 million into K-12 and higher education to ensure Wisconsin gets $2.2 billion from federal COVID-19 relief packages, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. That price tag is based on the actions of

Wisconsin will have to maintain its current funding commitment to K-12 schools to ensure districts qualify for the full $1.5 billion in federal money that’s part of the latest COVID-19 package, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. And the Legislature

DOA Secretary Joel Brennan today raised concerns with the Joint Finance co-chairs over their efforts to cut vacant state jobs, arguing those unfilled positions were meant to help save money at the outset of the pandemic and were never meant

The GOP-controlled Joint Finance Committee voted today to reject the guv’s call to pump more than $90 million into programs to help the homeless and provide assistance to those struggling to pay their water bills. In all, the committee approved

The Joint Finance Committee voted to increase lobbying fees for the first time in more than 28 years, but by a fraction of what the Ethics Commission had requested. Lobbying principals now pay $375 a year to register and $125

The Joint Finance Committee will meet May 27 to take up K-12 funding and the UW System. The two areas are among the biggest drivers of spending in the state budget and are often put off until the end of

Gov. Tony Evers announced today he will use $100 million in coming federal COVID stimulus funds to cover a first round of broadband expansion grants through the Public Service Commission using the money. Evers had previously announced he planned to

Thursday’s Joint Finance executive session includes broadband provisions under the Public Service Commission. The committee also plans to vote on energy programs under the PSC along with: Administration — General Agency Provisions Administration — Housing and Homelessness Administration — Energy

The Joint Finance Committee voted unanimously to create a new $10 million fund for the state’s veterans homes to help them cover the costs of a future natural disaster or public emergency. In doing so, Republicans on the committee knocked

Wisconsin will get $700 million less from the latest round of COVID-19 stimulus funds than originally expected. In addition, the $2.5 billion now coming will be split into two payments a year apart. The drop in money the state will

The Joint Finance Committee will take up eight agencies on Thursday when it meets for its next executive session, including the lieutenant governor’s office and Veterans Affairs. The other agencies on Thursday’s agenda include: Board of Commissioners of Public Lands

The Joint Finance Committee voted along party lines to pull more than 380 items from Gov. Tony Evers’ budget, including his call to expand Medicaid. Dems decried the move, noting expanding the program would provide health care to an additional

The Joint Finance Committee today unanimously approved nearly $66 million to expand the Mendota Juvenile Justice Treatment Center, a key step in the process to close the state’s troubled youth prisons. Even with the move, the state still would need

Gov. Tony Evers wrote GOP legislative leaders today that he’s open to meeting with them on how he plans to spend $3.2 billion in federal COVID-19 aid. But he also challenged them to bring to the meeting their plan to

A motion Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee plan to approve Thursday would mean forgoing $2.4 billion in federal money while nixing $1 billion in general fund tax increases, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. The memo the agency prepared