On July 22, Gov. Evers announced a directive for state agencies to identify $250 million in additional savings for the current fiscal year (FY 20-21). This is the second round of cuts by the administration to manage state expenditures, as state revenues are down due to pandemic. In April, the governor ordered a five percent […]
Governor Evers Directs State Agencies to Identify More Savings
Date Thu, Jul. 23, 2020 - 10:37am By Hamilton
Commercial Docket Pilot Project Expands
Date Mon, Jul. 20, 2020 - 11:35am By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Supreme Court recently ordered the extension and expansion of the state’s Commercial Docket Pilot Project. The order extends the length of the pilot for two additional years and expands the project to District 10, District 2 and Dane County. These regions, in addition to existing regions District 8 and Waukesha County, will now […]
Kathleen Papa v. DHS (Act 21 Explicit Authority Requirement)
Date Mon, Jul. 20, 2020 - 11:32am By Hamilton
In Papa v. DHS (2020 WI 66), the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that DHS’s practice of recouping wages from Medicaid providers for minor documentation errors fell outside the boundaries of its explicit statutory authority. Facts In Wis. Stat. § 49.45(3)(f)1.-2, the Wisconsin Legislature authorizes the Department of Health Services (DHS) to audit in-home Medicaid providers […]
WEDC Report on COVID-19 Impact
Date Fri, Jul. 17, 2020 - 10:09am By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) on June 30 submitted to the Legislature a report on the economic impact of COVID-19 and recovery priorities. The Legislature mandated WEDC submit the report in 2019 Act 185, the state’s COVID-19 legislation enacted in April. Act 185 required WEDC to submit a plan “for providing support to the […]
WSBU v. Brennan & Bartlett v. Evers (Gubernatorial Vetoes)
Date Fri, Jul. 17, 2020 - 9:10am By Hamilton
Released on the same day, WSBU v. Brennan (2020 WI 69) and Bartlett v. Evers (2020 WI 68) both involve challenges to gubernatorial vetoes. The court dismissed WSBU v. Brennan but declared 3 of the 4 challenged vetoes in Bartlett v. Evers unconstitutional. Under the Wisconsin Constitution (Article V, Section 10), governors can partially veto […]
SEIU Local 1 v. Vos (Separation of Powers)
Date Fri, Jul. 17, 2020 - 9:05am By Hamilton
In SEIU Local 1 v. Vos (2020 WI 67) the Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld provisions from 2017 Wis. Act 369 and 2017 Wis. Act 370 (including legislative involvement in litigation, legislative review of proposed changes to security in the capitol, temporary suspension of administrative rules, and the codification of the non-deference doctrine from Tetra Tech […]
PFAS Update: Drinking Water Rules Advisory Group, Agency Council Meet
Date Fri, Jul. 17, 2020 - 9:01am By Hamilton
Drinking Water Rules Advisory Meeting Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is in early stages of promulgating rules that would regulate PFOA and PFOS in drinking water, surface water, and ground water. The state Department of Health Services (DHS) has recommended a combined groundwater standard of 20 ppt and a preventive action limit of 2 […]
Latest AG Actions: AG Kaul Opposes Trump Administration Education Proposals, Infrastructure Permitting Deregulation
Date Thu, Jul. 16, 2020 - 4:26pm By Hamilton
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul recently joined multistate coalitions opposing moves by President Trump’s administration amid COVID-19. On June 29, Kaul joined a coalition of 15 state attorneys general in a letter opposing President Trump’s executive order on expediting infrastructure investments during COVID-19. Trump issued Executive Order 13927 on June 4, instructing federal agencies to […]
COVID-19 Liability Update
Date Thu, Jul. 16, 2020 - 11:39am By Hamilton
Wisconsin Civil Justice Council and its partners continue to push for liability protections for Wisconsin businesses as they reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (See this column from WCJC President and National Federation for Independent Business Wisconsin State Director Bill G. Smith, which was featured on the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform blog and MacIver […]
LFB Releases Updated General Fund Tax Collections, UI Information
Date Thu, Jul. 16, 2020 - 11:36am By Hamilton
On July 9, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) released updated numbers on Wisconsin’s general fund and the state’s unemployment insurance system. General Fund Collections Due to the coronavirus pandemic, tax collections for June 2020 were $370 million below collections in June 2020. The drop in collections reflects a continued decline over the past three months. […]