Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Corrections would no longer face a hard deadline of July 1, 2020, to close Lincoln Hills to provide flexibility for the opening of new juvenile facilities under a substitute amendment lawmakers plan to introduce tomorrow, Rep. Michael Schraa told WisPolitics.com. The amendment

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — The Assembly was still debating the final of 10 special session welfare bills this afternoon. The other nine bills, which would set new requirements for various government assistance programs including food stamps, cleared the chamber in under three hours. Dems have voted

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Gov. Scott Walker said today it was “imperative” the Legislature approve a juvenile prisons package before adjourning next month. But Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald continued to call the legislation a “heavy lift,” saying his caucus may only be able to put

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said he is taking another run at creating an alcohol czar, claiming enforcement of current rules by the Department of Revenue has fallen apart. Earlier talks this session about an Office of Alcohol Beverages Enforcement faded amid

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Middleton attorney Tim Burns raised $79,041 in the most recent reporting period, nearly $13,000 less than Supreme Court rival Rebecca Dallet pulled in over the five weeks. Sauk County Judge Michael Screnock, the third candidate in the Feb. 20 primary, had not

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Assembly Speaker Robin Vos today praised a deal he reached with Scott Walker to overhaul the guv’s child tax credit and add a sales tax holiday, saying it was a creative way to boost the economy. But Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald,

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — The Legislature’s top two Republicans today said open road tolling is the most viable option to address Wisconsin’s long-term transportation needs and attract federal funding that could be included in an infrastructure package. But Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald and Assembly Speaker

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Dem guv candidate and state firefighters union president Mahlon Mitchell said he’d back a proposal from Gov. Scott Walker to match Foxconn’s job creation tax credits for Kimberly-Clark. Walker yesterday said he would work with lawmakers to increase the tax credits available

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Gov. Scott Walker today opened the door to a gas tax hike to grab a piece of a proposed federal infrastructure plan months after ruling out that option for the 2017-19 state budget. Critics immediately seized on the comments to accuse Walker

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — The Elections Commission today voted to put off until March a decision on whether to appoint a new interim administrator and begin a national search for a permanent one. The move comes after the commission last week decided to keep Mike Haas

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — GOP U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson today brushed off reports he was paid by the Democratic Party for campaign work as late as 2002, despite previously claiming he was “absolutely sure” he was not a Dem after speaking at the party’s 2000

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Maggie Gau is taking over as campaign manager for Dem Tony Evers’ guv bid after the state superintendent parted ways last week with Nathan Henry. The move comes not long after the leading Dem guv candidates filed campaign finance reports that showed

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Gov. Scott Walker, in Milwaukee for a post-State of the State promotion of his child tax credit proposal, expressed confidence the GOP-run Legislature will back the plan even though some conservatives question his new spending proposals. Walker said the plan was a

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Gov. Scott Walker’s Department of Administration won’t recognize the Elections Commission’s decision to re-appoint Mike Haas as agency administrator through April 30. The commission this afternoon voted 4-2 to keep Haas on through April 30 to cover the upcoming spring election and

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — The Ethics Commission agreed to pay investigator Patrick Fiedler $350 an hour to conduct the probe into allegations administrator Brian Bell had acted in a partisan manner, according to a copy of the agreement provided to WisPolitics.com under the open records law.

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — U.S. Sens. Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin joined a majority of their colleagues today in voting for a short term funding bill that will keep the government going for three weeks. Senators allowed the government to shut down midnight Friday after failing

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Ethics Commission Administrator Brian Bell said today he raised his concerns about partisanship at the old Government Accountability Board with former Director Kevin Kennedy. But in a phone interview with WisPolitics.com today, Kennedy rejected Bell’s description of the GAB, saying “It just

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — JFC Co-chair Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, hailed the new revenue numbers released today, but isn’t committing just yet to a bill that would boost state aid to rural school districts. “I think we have to look at all of our priorities,” she

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Gov. Scott Walker pulled in $3.7 million during the second half of 2017, outraising the collective Dem field over the six-month period and finishing the year with more cash on hand. Walker’s numbers also trailed what he reported at the same point

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — The state Ethics Commission today unanimously signaled its confidence in agency Administrator Brian Bell as Republican lawmakers continue to push for his ouster. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, has refused calls for a public hearing on Bell and Elections Commission Administrator