On September 1, 2016, the Wisconsin Department of Revenue released the latest general fund (GPR) tax collection numbers for the 2015-16 fiscal year (FY 2016), which ended on June 30, 2016. The latest numbers are based on preliminary reports and show a 3.8 percent increase over the 2014-15 (FY 2015) revenue numbers. The report shows […]
Latest Revenue Numbers Up Over Last Year, Down from January Estimate
Date Fri, Sep. 2, 2016 - 1:20pm By Hamilton
PSC Energy Assessment Prompts Strong Industry Response
Date Thu, Sep. 1, 2016 - 11:08am By Hamilton
The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin’s (PSC) draft biennial energy assessment became a vehicle for state manufacturing groups to put a marker with the agency on electrical rates. The statutorily required assessment, entitled Strategic Energy Assessment (SEA), describes the agency’s views on the availability, reliability, and sustainability of Wisconsin’s electric energy system. PSCs final report […]
Can Wisconsin State Senate Democrats win back the majority in 2016?
Date Thu, Sep. 1, 2016 - 10:43am By Hamilton
Hamilton Tidbits takes a look at the prospect for a flip in the Senate happening in the 2016 elections Currently, Senate Republicans hold a 19-14 edge in Wisconsin’s upper chamber. This means Senate Democrats would need to win three seats in order to regain a majority they haven’t functionally held since they lost it in 2010*. […]
Suit Challenging Wisconsin “Minimum Markup Law” Filed
Date Thu, Sep. 1, 2016 - 10:20am By Hamilton
On Tuesday, August 23, 2016, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) filed a lawsuit in Vilas County Circuit Court on behalf of plaintiffs Krist Oil and Robert Lotto challenging the constitutionality and legality of s. 100.30 of the Wisconsin statutes, Wisconsin’s Minimum Markup Law. Krist Oil is an independent, family-owned Michigan corporation having […]
Marquette Law Poll: Clinton, Feingold Leads Tighten
Date Thu, Sep. 1, 2016 - 10:16am By Hamilton
The latest Marquette University (MU) Law School Poll was released on August 31, 2016. The results showed Hillary Clinton’s lead narrowing slightly over Donald Trump for the first time in months. Similarly, Russ Feingold’s constant lead over Ron Johnson has also started to shrink and Gov. Scott Walker sees an improvement in approval ratings. Presidential […]
State Agencies Will Submit 2017-19 Budget Requests on September 15
Date Wed, Aug. 31, 2016 - 1:12pm By Hamilton
Kicking off the new budget season, state agencies in Wisconsin will submit their 2017-19 biennial budget requests to the governor next month. Agencies requests are due to the governor’s Department of Administration budget office and to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) on September 15, 2016. In his July 25 budget letter to agency heads, Governor […]
Telemedicine Rule Moving through Medical Examining Board
Date Wed, Aug. 31, 2016 - 1:05pm By Hamilton
In the fall of 2015 the Medical Examining Board (MEB) submitted an order to create Med Chapter 24 related to telemedicine. According to the scope statement, the objective of the proposed rule is to provide greater clarity for physicians with regards to the practice of telemedicine in Wisconsin. Currently, there is no reference to the […]
State Releases Self-Insurance RFP
Date Wed, Aug. 31, 2016 - 12:51pm By Hamilton
In July, the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF) released a request for proposal (RFP) for the administration of a self-insurance health plan for state employees. Responses to the RFP are due back by September 19. ETF recently extended the deadline by a week and a half. The Group Insurance Board (GIB), which sets […]
New DHS Secretary Begins Job
Date Wed, Aug. 31, 2016 - 12:50pm By Hamilton
On August 22, Linda Seemeyer started her new role as Secretary of Department of Health Services. Earlier in August, Governor Walker appointed Seemeyer to lead the agency because of her experience in health and human services at the county level and her career in management. Secretary Seemeyer’s past experience includes serving as the Director of […]
2016 Wisconsin Primary Results
Date Wed, Aug. 10, 2016 - 1:37pm By Hamilton
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