TOP STORIES Evers, Republican leaders reach a deal on large elements of a state budget… includes a $1.3 billion tax cut plan that would expand the state’s second-lowest tax bracket, exempt some retirement income from taxation, eliminate the residential utilities
TOP STORIES Lawmakers release funds for literacy but leave much of state budget undone… Closed caucus meetings delayed [JFC] start half a dozen times throughout the day and into Friday night. … began its meeting shortly after 10 p.m. —
TOP STORIES Businessmen Michels, Hovde considering return to politics with runs for WI governor… [RPW Chair Schimming] doubted Michels would get in the race: “I haven’t gotten any indication that he is (running).” … wouldn’t be surprised if Hovde runs
TOP STORIES Supreme Court refuses challenges to the state’s congressional district boundaries… [unanimous] decisions, made without explanation [rejected suits] from the Elias Law Group, which represents Democratic groups and candidates, and … on behalf of voters by Campaign Legal Center.
TOP STORIES Supreme Court sides with Republican Legislature in fight with governor… [unanimously] ruled that Evers improperly used his partial veto on a [science of reading] bill … said the budget committee can legally put money into an emergency fund
TOP STORIES Wisconsin Supreme Court delivers win for environmentalists in fight over ‘forever chemicals’… [5-2 Ziegler, Bradley] ruled [DNR under Spills Law]] can force landowners to clean up emerging pollutants such as PFAS before they are officially designated as hazardous
TOP STORIES To scuttle Evers’ partial-veto authority, Republicans push legislation with no funding… 15 such bills this session … bills could be used to incentivize Democratic votes for the budget, or to ensure that Republicans can control funding for programs
TOP STORIES Wisconsin state budget work breaks down as deadline nears… the second time Republican legislative leaders have publicly acknowledged [talks with Gov.] Evers have fallen apart, this time with [JFC] canceling a planned set of votes and both [Evers
TOP STORIES Lawmakers on edge as statehouse security tightens after Minnesota shootings… Legislatures in most states are done meeting for the year, but those like Wisconsin that are still in session are taking emergency action to bolster security. … Visitors
TOP STORIES JFC GOP vote to add new prosecutors, but won’t replace expiring federal funds$ARP$ funds that paid for about 29 prosecutor jobs are set to expire in July [Evers budget refunded expiring gigs] … would add 42 prosecutor positions
TOP STORIES Wisconsin Supreme Court unanimously sides with AG on power to settle some lawsuitsCase challenged part of lame-duck law passed by GOP-controlled state Legislature … concluded that the attorney general should have authority over resolving lawsuits if those lawsuits
TOP STORIES WisDems elect Devin Remiker as next state party chair… When Remiker’s victory was announced, the convention hall erupted with cheers. He took the stage alongside Garcia and Zepecki and told delegates it’s time to “hit the gas” heading
TOP STORIES JFC Republicans back $1.3B tax cut plan that lowers bills for 1.6M residents* Expands second-lowest tax bracket to between $14,320-50,480 [from 28,640] for single filers, from $19,090-67,300 [from $38,190] for married filers* Excludes from taxation the first $24,000
TOP STORIES Knowles-Nelson supporters worry a ‘trailer bill’ could complicate renewal … Assembly Committee on Forestry, Parks and Outdoor Recreation held a hearing June 11 on [Kurtz-Testin] bill aimed at reauthorizing the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship program, only about a week after
TOP STORIES JFC GOP reject funding for Wisconsin Supreme Court securityCo-chairs Marklein and Born telegraphed the party-line rejection ahead of the 4-12 vote.* Marklein: “I don’t think we believe we want to create a new police force just for the
TOP STORIES Trump administration urges court not to dismiss case against Judge Dugan… [US DOJ filing argued that dismissing charges against Dugan for judicial immunity] would be unprecedented and would ignore “well-established law that has long permitted judges to be
TOP STORIES Wisconsin projects 63,000 would lose Medicaid coverage under Trump spending bill… DHS Medicaid Dir. Hanna] told Wispolitics.com [House BBB] could cost the state $8 million in the first year… add duties … likely require health care providers to
TOP STORIES Trump administration accuses Wisconsin of violating federal election law… latest letter from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division accused [WEC] of violating [HAVA] for not having a state-based administrative complaint procedure to address alleged violations … “have left
TOP STORIES State budget talks called off as Gov. Tony Evers, Republican lawmakers hit impasse… hardly shocking … under divided government since 2019 … followed what Evers’ office said was months of negotiations. … [GOP leaders] described … as “good
TOP STORIES State withholding more money from Milwaukee Public Schools after another missed deadlineThe Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction confirmed Tuesday it is withholding more financial aid from Milwaukee Public Schools after the district missed May 16 and May 30
TOP STORIES Evers, Republican leaders reach a deal on large elements of a state budget… includes a $1.3 billion tax cut plan that would expand the state’s second-lowest tax bracket, exempt some retirement income from taxation, eliminate the residential utilities sales tax and create a film tax credit capped at
TOP STORIES Lawmakers release funds for literacy but leave much of state budget undone… Closed caucus meetings delayed [JFC] start half a dozen times throughout the day and into Friday night. … began its meeting shortly after 10 p.m. — more than 12 hours later than initially scheduled … most
TOP STORIES Businessmen Michels, Hovde considering return to politics with runs for WI governor… [RPW Chair Schimming] doubted Michels would get in the race: “I haven’t gotten any indication that he is (running).” … wouldn’t be surprised if Hovde runs … “He’s got the benefit of time because now he
TOP STORIES Supreme Court refuses challenges to the state’s congressional district boundaries… [unanimous] decisions, made without explanation [rejected suits] from the Elias Law Group, which represents Democratic groups and candidates, and … on behalf of voters by Campaign Legal Center. … the second [rejection] in as many years. Suits hoped
TOP STORIES Supreme Court sides with Republican Legislature in fight with governor… [unanimously] ruled that Evers improperly used his partial veto on a [science of reading] bill … said the budget committee can legally put money into an emergency fund to be distributed later. [as it did] with the $50
TOP STORIES Wisconsin Supreme Court delivers win for environmentalists in fight over ‘forever chemicals’… [5-2 Ziegler, Bradley] ruled [DNR under Spills Law]] can force landowners to clean up emerging pollutants such as PFAS before they are officially designated as hazardous substances. …. [a defeat for plaintiffs WMC. Reviews PFAS, where
TOP STORIES To scuttle Evers’ partial-veto authority, Republicans push legislation with no funding… 15 such bills this session … bills could be used to incentivize Democratic votes for the budget, or to ensure that Republicans can control funding for programs that are widely popular, said [WPF’s] Byrnes … This year
TOP STORIES Wisconsin state budget work breaks down as deadline nears… the second time Republican legislative leaders have publicly acknowledged [talks with Gov.] Evers have fallen apart, this time with [JFC] canceling a planned set of votes and both [Evers and Vos] urging Senate Republicans to work with them. …
TOP STORIES Lawmakers on edge as statehouse security tightens after Minnesota shootings… Legislatures in most states are done meeting for the year, but those like Wisconsin that are still in session are taking emergency action to bolster security. … Visitors to the … Wisconsin’s state Capitol, one of the most
TOP STORIES JFC GOP vote to add new prosecutors, but won’t replace expiring federal funds$ARP$ funds that paid for about 29 prosecutor jobs are set to expire in July [Evers budget refunded expiring gigs] … would add 42 prosecutor positions in 23 counties [Brown 7, Waukesha 6], Most others on
TOP STORIES Wisconsin Supreme Court unanimously sides with AG on power to settle some lawsuitsCase challenged part of lame-duck law passed by GOP-controlled state Legislature … concluded that the attorney general should have authority over resolving lawsuits if those lawsuits have to do with “core executive powers.” … “The settlement
TOP STORIES WisDems elect Devin Remiker as next state party chair… When Remiker’s victory was announced, the convention hall erupted with cheers. He took the stage alongside Garcia and Zepecki and told delegates it’s time to “hit the gas” heading into the November 2026 midterm elections. “The Democratic Party of
TOP STORIES JFC Republicans back $1.3B tax cut plan that lowers bills for 1.6M residents* Expands second-lowest tax bracket to between $14,320-50,480 [from 28,640] for single filers, from $19,090-67,300 [from $38,190] for married filers* Excludes from taxation the first $24,000 of retirement income received by [WI residents] age 67 and
TOP STORIES Knowles-Nelson supporters worry a ‘trailer bill’ could complicate renewal … Assembly Committee on Forestry, Parks and Outdoor Recreation held a hearing June 11 on [Kurtz-Testin] bill aimed at reauthorizing the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship program, only about a week after the bill was introduced. While most of the testimony was
TOP STORIES JFC GOP reject funding for Wisconsin Supreme Court securityCo-chairs Marklein and Born telegraphed the party-line rejection ahead of the 4-12 vote.* Marklein: “I don’t think we believe we want to create a new police force just for the Supreme Court.”* Born said Wisconsin’s Capitol Police could protect justices,
TOP STORIES Trump administration urges court not to dismiss case against Judge Dugan… [US DOJ filing argued that dismissing charges against Dugan for judicial immunity] would be unprecedented and would ignore “well-established law that has long permitted judges to be prosecuted for crimes they commit. Such a ruling would give
TOP STORIES Wisconsin projects 63,000 would lose Medicaid coverage under Trump spending bill… DHS Medicaid Dir. Hanna] told Wispolitics.com [House BBB] could cost the state $8 million in the first year… add duties … likely require health care providers to cover more [indigent] costs. Reviews US Senate GOP concerns from
TOP STORIES Trump administration accuses Wisconsin of violating federal election law… latest letter from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division accused [WEC] of violating [HAVA] for not having a state-based administrative complaint procedure to address alleged violations … “have left complainants alleging HAVA violations by the Commission without any recourse,”
TOP STORIES State budget talks called off as Gov. Tony Evers, Republican lawmakers hit impasse… hardly shocking … under divided government since 2019 … followed what Evers’ office said was months of negotiations. … [GOP leaders] described … as “good faith.” … [Evers’ office said guv] was prepared to accept
TOP STORIES State withholding more money from Milwaukee Public Schools after another missed deadlineThe Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction confirmed Tuesday it is withholding more financial aid from Milwaukee Public Schools after the district missed May 16 and May 30 deadlines to submit financial reports to the state. … DPI