On February 19, Gov. Evers (D) signed into law his own redistricting proposal (now 2023 Wisconsin Act 94) after the Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature adopted it. See the governor’s press release and prepared remarks on the bill signing and several news articles. Late last year, the liberal majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court held that the […]
Senate and Assembly Floor Sessions: February 13, 2024 (Redistricting, Taxes, Economic and Workforce Development)
Date Mon, Feb. 26, 2024 - 7:45am By Hamilton
Both houses of the Wisconsin Legislature met February 13, 2024. Also this month, both houses of the Legislature met February 20 (Senate, Assembly) and the Assembly met February 15 and 22. Most notably, both houses voted to amend and pass SB 488, related to legislative redistricting. The updated bill consisted of new Senate and Assembly […]
Key Issues as 2023-24 Session Nears Conclusion: Budget Surplus, Redistricting, Abortion
Date Wed, Jan. 31, 2024 - 12:39pm By Hamilton
As we approach the end of the 2023-24 legislative session in Wisconsin, several key political and policy issues are dominating conversations among the Republican-led Wisconsin Legislature and Gov. Tony Evers (D). Budget Surplus, Taxes, Child Care, and Workforce Gov. Evers and Republican legislative leaders are still at odds over what to do with the remainder […]
Wisconsin Supreme Court Finds State Legislative Maps Unconstitutional, Orders New Maps for 2024
Date Wed, Jan. 3, 2024 - 1:24pm By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled that the state legislative maps adopted by the same court in April 2022 are unconstitutional. The court issued a decision in Clarke v. WEC on December 22, 2023. The justices of the court voted 4-3 along ideological lines to find that the current maps are unconstitutional and to order […]
Assembly Floor Session: November 9 (Election Policy)
Date Sun, Nov. 19, 2023 - 9:43pm By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Assembly met November 9 and voted to pass 21 bills and four resolutions. Visit the links for coverage of the November 7 and November 14 floor days. In addition to its regular calendar, The Assembly scheduled a special session floor day to consider the governor’s workforce package, which was amended and passed by […]
Wisconsin Supreme Court Accepts Redistricting Case; Protasiewicz Will Not Recuse
Date Tue, Oct. 24, 2023 - 11:13am By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has accepted a lawsuit challenging the legality of Wisconsin’s state legislative maps. As we covered here, two petitions for original action were filed in August, each asking the supreme court to bypass the typical trial and appellate court process and rule that Wisconsin’s current state legislative maps are unconstitutional. On October […]
Fall 2023 Floor Period: Taxes, Child Care, and Redistricting Emerge as Key Issues
Date Wed, Sep. 27, 2023 - 9:43am By Hamilton
Between the Republican-led Wisconsin Legislature and Gov. Tony Evers (D), both sides were dissatisfied with aspects of the 2023-25 state budget and are seeking legislation to address those issues. After a quiet summer following passage of the budget, legislators resumed regular committee and floor activities in early September. The Assembly and Senate are each expected […]
Assembly and Senate Floor Sessions: September 12 and 14
Date Wed, Sep. 27, 2023 - 8:53am By Hamilton
After a quiet summer following passage of the 2023-25 state budget, the Wisconsin Legislature resumed regular committee and floor activities in early September. The Assembly and Senate are each expected to hold several floor days in October and November and again over the first few months of 2024 before adjourning the 2023-24 session. See this […]
Protasiewicz Joins Wisconsin Supreme Court as New Majority Asserts Control; Redistricting Lawsuits Filed
Date Thu, Aug. 17, 2023 - 10:20am By Hamilton
Janet Protasiewicz was sworn in as a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court on August 1, replacing Justice Patience Roggensack, who did not seek reelection after serving two ten-year terms, including a stint as chief justice from 2015 to 2021. Justice Protasiewicz, previously a judge in Milwaukee County, defeated former Justice Dan Kelly in the […]
Republican Melotik Wins AD 24 Special Election
Date Thu, Jul. 20, 2023 - 3:30pm By Hamilton
Paul Melotik (R-Grafton) defeated Bob Tatterson (D-Mequon) in a special election for the vacant 24th Assembly District. Melotik’s victory gives Republicans a 64-35 majority in the 99-member Assembly, two seats shy of a veto-proof majority. About 12,000 votes were cast in the July 18 election, and the results were as follows: Paul Melotik: 53.7% Bob […]