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 […]
Key Issues as 2023-24 Session Nears Conclusion: Budget Surplus, Redistricting, Abortion
Date Wed, Jan. 31, 2024 - 12:39pm By Hamilton
PSCW Leadership Changes: Valcq Leaving, Strand Confirmed, Huebner Rejected, Nieto Appointed
Date Wed, Jan. 31, 2024 - 11:52am By Hamilton
Several leadership changes have occurred at the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW), the state’s utility regulator. Chairperson Rebecca Valcq announced she is resigning from the commission effective this Friday, February 2 (news coverage here and here). In the same announcement, Gov. Tony Evers (D) announced that he had selected current Commissioner Summer Strand to […]
Assembly Floor Session: January 25, 2024
Date Wed, Jan. 31, 2024 - 11:49am By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Assembly met January 25, passed 31 bills, and adopted four resolutions. See the floor calendar here. Also this month, both houses met January 16 and the Assembly met January 18. January will be one of the last regular floor periods of the 2023-24 legislative session. The Assembly is expected to meet several times […]
Assembly Floor Session: January 18, 2024
Date Wed, Jan. 31, 2024 - 11:44am By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Assembly met January 18 and passed 18 bills. See the floor calendar here. Also this month, both houses met January 16 and the Assembly met January 25. January will be one of the last regular floor periods of the 2023-24 legislative session. The Assembly is expected to meet several times in February and […]
Senate and Assembly Floor Sessions: January 16, 2024
Date Wed, Jan. 31, 2024 - 11:40am By Hamilton
Both houses of the Wisconsin Legislature met January 16 to vote on bills, resolutions, and executive appointments. Also this month, the Assembly met January 18 and 25. This was the first floor day of the new year, and January will be one of the last regular floor periods of the 2023-24 legislative session. The Assembly […]
Gov. Evers Discusses Workforce, Healthcare, PFAS in Sixth State of the State Address
Date Wed, Jan. 24, 2024 - 11:07am By Hamilton
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) delivered his sixth annual State of the State address on January 23 before a joint session of the Wisconsin Legislature. The address was delivered in the Assembly Chambers of the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison. The governor’s office has released the prepared remarks and a video recording of the speech. […]
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 […]
Governor Signs Brewers Stadium Package and 45 Other Bills, Vetoes Six
Date Wed, Jan. 3, 2024 - 12:30pm By Hamilton
Since his last bill-signing announcement in mid-November, Gov. Evers (D) has acted on 53 bills, signing 47 into law and vetoing six others. Per the legislative session calendar, these bills were automatically forwarded to Gov. Evers on November 30. In total, 86 new laws have been enacted so far this session. Both houses of the […]
PFAS Update: DNR Pauses PFAS Groundwater Rulemaking
Date Wed, Jan. 3, 2024 - 12:13pm By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently announced a pause of its rulemaking to establish groundwater standards for several PFAS compounds. This is due to the requirements of Wisconsin’s REINS Act, a 2017 law that requires legislative authorization of any administrative rule with a compliance and implementation cost totaling at least $10 million over a two-year period. […]
Republicans Introduce Revised EV Charging Legislation; Senate Hearing Held
Date Wed, Jan. 3, 2024 - 12:09pm By Hamilton
A group of Republican legislators have introduced revised legislation to allow businesses to operate an electric vehicle (EV) charging facility without being regulated as a public utility (AB 846/SB 791) and to create an electric vehicle infrastructure grant program to help pay for new charging stations (AB 847/SB 792). The lead authors of the bills […]