Medicaid Projected to End Year with Surplus

On Dec. 30, 2016, the Department of Health Services released an update on the Medicaid budget for the current 2017 fiscal year. DHS reported to the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) that they project a $312.5 million balance in general purpose revenue (GPR) Medicaid dollars. The all-fund balance, including GPR, federal, program and segregated revenues, is […]

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Governor Calls for Special Session to Combat Opioid Abuse

On Thursday, Jan. 5, Governor Walker issued Executive Order 230, calling the Wisconsin State Legislature into special session to combat opioid abuse. In addition to calling for a special session, the governor directed his state agencies to take various administrative actions. The announcement came after the release of a report from the Governor’s Task Force […]

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Governor Walker’s 2017 State of the State Address

Gov. Scott Walker focused his seventh State of the State address Tuesday on “working and winning for Wisconsin.” Walker highlighted successes in the economy, education, healthcare since he took office in 2011, and laid out his plans for his upcoming budget and next two years as governor. Walker emphasized growing the Wisconsin workforce as a […]

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DOT Secretary Resigns

Gov. Scott Walker announced in late December that the Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Mark Gottlieb offered his resignation, which took effect Jan. 6. Walker named Department of Safety and Professional Services Secretary Dave Ross to take over the position. Gottlieb’s resignation came just before the start of a budget season in which transportation funding […]

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Agricultural and Manufacturing Groups to Fight Clean Wisconsin Suit

On Jan. 6, eight business associations asked a Dane County court for permission to intervene in litigation challenging Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) high capacity well permit program. Although the litigation is aimed at individual permit holders, if the relief requested by Clean Wisconsin is granted, the court decision could threaten the validity of hundreds […]

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Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Ziegler Will Run Unopposed

Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler will run unopposed in the April general election. No one stepped up to challenge Ziegler by the early January filing deadline, making her the first Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate in over 10 years to run unopposed. Ziegler’s unopposed run for her second term as Justice will preserve a 5-2 […]

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Get to Know a Freshman – Week 2

Thirteen new members were voted into the Wisconsin Legislature on Nov. 9. There will be two fresh faces in the Wisconsin Senate, Sens. Patrick Testin (R-Marinette) and Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac). Also, joining the Senate from the Assembly will be now Sens. Dave Craig (R- Big Bend) and LaTonya Johnson (D-Milwaukee). The State Assembly […]

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Leadership Positions Announced for State Senate Committees

Just before the end of 2016, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) announced leadership positions for the standing committees for the 2017-18 legislative session. The committees and their chairs largely remained the same. Fitzgerald shuffled a few chairs and committee names and added one new committee: Financial Services, Constitution and Federalism, chaired by Sen. David […]

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