The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has appointed Amanda Dreyer as the state’s Medicaid director. She began her new role on February 22. Dreyer previously served in senior Medicaid leadership roles within the department, including as deputy Medicaid director. She succeeds Bill Hanna, who recently stepped down. As Medicaid director, Dreyer will oversee Wisconsin’s Medicaid […]
Assembly Floor Session 2-19-26
Date Mon, Feb. 23, 2026 - 9:27am By Hamilton
It was expected to be the final night of the Assembly’s legislative session; however, the body did not complete its work and reconvened on Friday, February 20, for one last day. Still, Thursday’s floor session featured several significant moments — including a rare bipartisan celebration of the passage of legislation extending Medicaid coverage for postpartum […]
Governor Evers Delivers Final State of the State
Date Mon, Feb. 23, 2026 - 9:19am By Hamilton
On Tuesday February 17, Governor Evers gave his final State of the State speech to a joint meeting of the Senate and Assembly and declared 2026 the “Year of the Neighbor.” He called for action to modernize Wisconsin’s aging prison system, increase state support for the FoodShare program to avoid federal penalties, and reach agreement […]
Assembly Floor Session 2-18-26
Date Thu, Feb. 19, 2026 - 8:00pm By Hamilton
Wednesday’s floor day in the Assembly was scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m., but action did not start until nearly 11:00 p.m. following an extended partisan caucus. Prior to the floor session, Assembly Democrats held a press conference demanding votes on two bills: SB 23, which extends Medicaid coverage for postpartum women, and SB 264, […]
Assembly Floor Session 2-17-26
Date Thu, Feb. 19, 2026 - 7:56pm By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Assembly began what is expected to be its final week of the 2025–26 legislative session on Tuesday, February 17, advancing several key measures. Lawmakers approved legislation increasing local government competitive bidding thresholds, creating a $120 million tax credit for a biofuel project, and adopting the federal employer child care tax credit at the […]
Senate Floor Session 2-18-26
Date Thu, Feb. 19, 2026 - 7:50pm By Hamilton
The Senate met for its only remaining floor day in February and is expected to reconvene the week of March 17. Perhaps the most notable action of the day did not occur on the floor. After placing the highly anticipated reauthorization of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program on the calendar, Senate Republicans pulled the bill, citing […]
Speaker Vos Announces His Retirement
Date Thu, Feb. 19, 2026 - 7:40pm By Hamilton
Robin Vos announced he will not seek reelection, bringing to a close his record-setting tenure as Wisconsin’s longest-serving Assembly speaker. He said a heart attack in November helped confirm his decision to step away after more than two decades in office. First elected in 2004 and speaker since 2013, Vos played a key role in […]
Assembly Floor Session 2-12-26
Date Fri, Feb. 13, 2026 - 11:45am By Hamilton
On February 12, the Assembly convened to consider a range of bills affecting policies within the state’s university system, including high-profile issues such as campus free speech, admissions policies, and faculty governance appointments. Most of these measures are divided along party lines. However, the chamber also approved several bills by voice vote, including legislation aimed at […]
Senate Floor Session 2-11-26
Date Fri, Feb. 13, 2026 - 9:48am By Hamilton
While the Assembly plans to use nearly all of its available February floor days, the Senate plans to convene for only two days this month. The first of those sessions occurred on February 11, when the upper chamber met to pass a series of administrative rules along party lines and took up several controversial transgender […]
Assembly Floor Session 2-10-26
Date Fri, Feb. 13, 2026 - 9:47am By Hamilton
The Assembly kicked off its February floor days on February 10 by taking up bipartisan legislation to update the statutes governing the Opportunity Attraction & Promotion program, as well as a series of remedial bills to clean up various state agency statutes. The headlining bill of the day was the WisconsinEye plan, a rare bipartisan […]