Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Gov. Scott Walker called on the Department of Corrections today to appoint an interim superintendent of the state’s juvenile prisons, following attacks on staff. In the letter, Walker suggested “violent individuals in these institutions have become emboldened following repeated media reports and

Two bills seeking to promote healthier eating among food stamp recipients cleared an Assembly committee this morning — although one passed with Dem support while the other did not. AB 501, which won the votes of all three of the committee’s Dems and ultimately passed with unanimous support, would create

The Walker administration is increasing reimbursement rates for professionals treating those with mental health and substance abuse issues. The bump of about $17 million includes $7 million in state funding, which a DHS spokeswoman said would come from the existing Medicaid budget. Gov. Scott Walker said the move was designed

A coalition backing legislation that would ban the sale of fetal tissue from abortion and a companion bill said both must clear committee by early November to have a chance of becoming law this session. Still, two key legislators pushing the bills said they don’t have assurances from leadership the

Dems today used a May audit to cast doubt on whether the state’s job agency is up to overseeing the $3 billion Foxconn incentive package in the coming years. Still, others on the Legislative Audit Committee commended the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation for the improvements noted by the audit, while

More than half of Milwaukee-area adults say Foxconn would “substantially improve” the area economy, according to a new Marquette University Law School Poll out today. The poll surveyed residents of five Milwaukee-area counties: Milwaukee, Racine, Waukesha, Washington and Ozaukee counties. It found that while 54 percent of respondents across those

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Facing a bipartisan backlash, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos today apologized for calling three GOP senators “terrorists,” saying it “goes against the guidelines I’ve sent for our chamber, and myself.” Still, the Rochester Republican continued to criticize the actions of “a few Senators,

Two Dems are circulating a bill that would close the state’s juvenile prisons following reports detailing abuses of guards and teen inmates alike. The bill, from Rep. Chris Taylor and Sen. Lena Taylor, would require the Department of Corrections to “permanently” close the Lincoln Hills School for Boys and the

The state GOP outraised its Dem counterpart in September through its federal account. But the state Dem Party raised more federal dollars over the first nine months of the year. The state GOP’s filing with the FEC showed $119,959 in receipts last month, $49,092 spent and $642,257 cash on hand.

Dem state Sen. Tim Carpenter, a member of the WEDC board, says he wants to see the contract with Foxconn before voting on it. But an agency spokesman said the contract is proceeding just like it has for other enterprise zone awards. The board will vote on allowing staff to

Almost 2,700 more students are enrolling in private voucher school programs, up about 8 percent from last year, according to preliminary enrollment figures from DPI. In all, 36,249 students across the three programs in Wisconsin — Racine, Milwaukee and one operating statewide — are receiving vouchers, up from 33,565 students

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — The Dairy Business Association and Department of Natural Resources have settled a lawsuit that claimed the agency is overstepping its regulatory authority. The lawsuit, which DBA first filed in Brown County Circuit Court at the end of July, alleged the DNR is

— Rep. David Steffen today pitched his proposal to let a private company build a new prison in the Green Bay area as a unique chance to save taxpayers money — and a win for local governments. But Democrats said the state shouldn’t build new prisons and instead focus on

Dems are pointing to remarks from the president today on Foxconn to raise questions about whether the deal will materialize. During a meeting with Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló, Trump was asked about the budget and started talking about the need for tax cuts. He transitioned to talking about companies

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — The UW System said today it found no other “illegal guarantees or loans” beyond those the system is suing two former UW-Oshkosh officials over, though some minor concerns over transactions between campuses and their private foundations were found. The system has for

Former state Rep. Mandela Barnes today accused the state GOP of race baiting after the party responded to reports he is looking at a run for lt. guv by promoting a 2015 video of the Milwaukee Dem’s confrontation with a frequent Capitol protester. Barnes, who is African-American, and two fellow

A public hearing on a bill that would limit FoodShare benefits to foods and drinks with “sufficient nutritional value” seems to have violated a new Assembly requirement because only the bill’s author spoke in favor of the legislation. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, imposed the requirement near the beginning of

A bill that would give Wisconsin farmers the go-ahead to grow industrial hemp unanimously passed a Senate committee this morning. But four Dem amendments to the bill failed on 5-4 party-line votes, including one that would nix a requirement under the bill to allow for the seizure and destroying of

The state is adding an additional layer of verification over the Foxconn deal that would ensure an independent accountant reviews whether the Taiwanese company is meeting its promises to the state, according to a DOA spokesman. State lawmakers this year approved the $3 billion incentive package for the company, which

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — WEDC Secretary and CEO Mark Hogan said today the earliest that the agency’s board could vote on the $3 billion incentive package for Foxconn would likely be at its next scheduled meeting Nov. 8. Hogan spoke to reporters after a WEDC board