From WisPolitics … — The Senate will be first to take up the $111.1 billion budget that emerged from the Joint Finance Committee, with the Assembly planning a final vote on the document tomorrow, Speaker Robin Vos said. The two
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
From WisPolitics … — Dem Gov. Tony Evers and legislative leaders announced they have reached an agreement to pump an additional $1.2 billion into K-12 education, child care and the UW System. The deal also includes a $1.5 billion tax
From WisPolitics … — Attorney General Josh Kaul said today that Joint Finance Committee-approved money for crime victims “falls far short” of what providers need to continue service without significant cuts. This comes after JFC on Friday approved $20 million
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. —
From WisPolitics … — State Sen. LaTonya Johnson says Senate Dems are “not willing to be picked off one by one” to back the budget, but she still sees a bipartisan path to a two-year spending plan. “We are determined
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
From WisPolitics … — The Joint Finance Committee is scheduled to begin its final push on the state budget with GOP legislative leaders hoping to finish work on the document by the end of next week. A spokesperson for Tony
From WisPolitics … — The Joint Finance Committee will vote tomorrow on a request from the Department of Public Instruction to release $49.7 million to fund a literacy package, days ahead of the money lapsing to the general fund without
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.
From WisPolitics … — Republicans are hailing a unanimous decision by the state Supreme Court to reject two lawsuits asking the justices to redraw Wisconsin’s congressional map ahead of the 2026 election. The requests received national attention with control of
From WisPolitics … — Speaker Robin Vos told WisPolitics he’s optimistic lawmakers will wrap up the budget by the end of next week after Assembly and Senate Republicans met in a joint caucus today. Budget talks broke off last week
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
From WisPolitics … — A member of the state GOP’s Executive Committee wrote in an email obtained by WisPolitics that he had been assured by the party’s first vice chair that there would be no further attempts to remove Chair
From WisPolitics … — GOP Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said he spoke with Dem Gov. Tony Evers this morning about state budget talks after the Senate stepped away from the negotiations last week. “So we’re staying in regular communication, and
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
From WisPolitics … — The Assembly meets today to take up several bills, including measures related to elections, judicial security and nuclear power. One bill would create a process for candidates who have suspended their campaigns to opt out of
From WisPolitics … — UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin today directed schools and colleges to reduce their base budgets by 5% for fiscal year 2025-26, citing uncertainty at the federal and state levels. Mnookin wrote in a communication to faculty and
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
From WisPolitics … — Chief Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, who will retire when her term ends next month, says politicization and the record spending in recent state Supreme Court races is a danger to the future of the court. “It’s
From WisPolitics … — The Senate will be first to take up the $111.1 billion budget that emerged from the Joint Finance Committee, with the Assembly planning a final vote on the document tomorrow, Speaker Robin Vos said. The two chambers approved convening in extraordinary session as they work to
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
From WisPolitics … — Dem Gov. Tony Evers and legislative leaders announced they have reached an agreement to pump an additional $1.2 billion into K-12 education, child care and the UW System. The deal also includes a $1.5 billion tax cut package, adding two of the guv’s priorities to what
From WisPolitics … — Attorney General Josh Kaul said today that Joint Finance Committee-approved money for crime victims “falls far short” of what providers need to continue service without significant cuts. This comes after JFC on Friday approved $20 million to fund services for crime victims, less than a third
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
From WisPolitics … — State Sen. LaTonya Johnson says Senate Dems are “not willing to be picked off one by one” to back the budget, but she still sees a bipartisan path to a two-year spending plan. “We are determined to stick together as a body to make sure that
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
From WisPolitics … — The Joint Finance Committee is scheduled to begin its final push on the state budget with GOP legislative leaders hoping to finish work on the document by the end of next week. A spokesperson for Tony Evers said there was no deal between GOP lawmakers and
From WisPolitics … — The Joint Finance Committee will vote tomorrow on a request from the Department of Public Instruction to release $49.7 million to fund a literacy package, days ahead of the money lapsing to the general fund without committee action. The committee originally received the request on March
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
From WisPolitics … — Republicans are hailing a unanimous decision by the state Supreme Court to reject two lawsuits asking the justices to redraw Wisconsin’s congressional map ahead of the 2026 election. The requests received national attention with control of the narrowly divided House at stake next fall. That’s particularly
From WisPolitics … — Speaker Robin Vos told WisPolitics he’s optimistic lawmakers will wrap up the budget by the end of next week after Assembly and Senate Republicans met in a joint caucus today. Budget talks broke off last week after Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, said his caucus
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
From WisPolitics … — A member of the state GOP’s Executive Committee wrote in an email obtained by WisPolitics that he had been assured by the party’s first vice chair that there would be no further attempts to remove Chair Brian Schimming. Meanwhile, a former county chair is urging an
From WisPolitics … — GOP Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said he spoke with Dem Gov. Tony Evers this morning about state budget talks after the Senate stepped away from the negotiations last week. “So we’re staying in regular communication, and we continue to work through it. I think the most
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
From WisPolitics … — The Assembly meets today to take up several bills, including measures related to elections, judicial security and nuclear power. One bill would create a process for candidates who have suspended their campaigns to opt out of appearing on the ballot. AB 35 was introduced after Robert
From WisPolitics … — UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin today directed schools and colleges to reduce their base budgets by 5% for fiscal year 2025-26, citing uncertainty at the federal and state levels. Mnookin wrote in a communication to faculty and staff that changes in how much the federal government will
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
From WisPolitics … — Chief Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, who will retire when her term ends next month, says politicization and the record spending in recent state Supreme Court races is a danger to the future of the court. “It’s dangerous to the court,” Walsh Bradley said on WISN 12’s