New Members Following the November 2024 election, the Wisconsin Legislature will welcome 34 new members, 27 Democrats and seven Republicans. These new members will assume office on January 6, 2025. Senate In the 33-member Senate, there will be 4 new members, all Democrats: 8th Jodi Habush Sinykin (D) 14th Sarah Keyeski (D) 18th Kristin Alfheim […]
The Healthcare Dollar
Date Thu, Nov. 21, 2024 - 2:30pm By Hamilton
AHIP (formerly, America’s Health Insurance Plans) recently released their analysis on where America’s health care premium dollars go. The survey found that nearly two-thirds of every dollar Americans pay for health care premiums goes towards hospital and prescription drug costs. More specifically, 40 cents of every premium dollar paid goes to hospital costs – such […]
Wisconsin Election 2024: Election Results and Analysis
Date Wed, Nov. 6, 2024 - 9:47am By Hamilton
Wisconsin reaffirmed its status as a crucial battleground state, becoming the first in the “blue wall” to flip for Trump, virtually sealing his victory. Despite months of polls indicating a tight race, the final margin was just over 30,000 votes, with Trump leading Harris by less than 1% (49.7% to 48.8%).This is a larger margin […]
State Assembly Race Preview
Date Thu, Oct. 24, 2024 - 10:23am By Hamilton
The implementation of new maps will perhaps have the most immediate impact to the State Assembly where Republicans have maintained large comfortable majorities for the past decade. That cushion will not be the case for the next several cycles and instead we will likely see tightening of the margins and potentially a flip from GOP […]
Wisconsin Supreme Court Holds Oral Arguments on “400-Year” Partial Veto
Date Tue, Oct. 22, 2024 - 2:23pm By Hamilton
October 9, the Wisconsin Supreme Court held oral arguments in a case challenging Gov. Tony Evers’ partial veto that extended school revenue increases for 400 years. The lawsuit challenging the partial veto was brought by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC), the state’s largest business lobbying association. In the 2023-25 state budget bill, the legislature included […]
Wisconsin Supreme Court to Consider Legislative Review Over Administrative Rule-Making
Date Tue, Oct. 22, 2024 - 2:08pm By Hamilton
Last week, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued an unsigned order agreeing to take up another issue in a lawsuit filed by Democratic Governor Tony Evers in October 2023. Earlier this year, the court divided the case into three separate issues, all centered around the scope of the legislature’s authority. The recent order focuses on whether […]
Statewide Races Still Tight
Date Tue, Oct. 22, 2024 - 2:07pm By Hamilton
No surprise here – the two statewide races in Wisconsin continue to be extremely tight. Recent polling from the Marquette Law School shows close races in Wisconsin for both the U.S. Presidential and Senate contests. In the Senate race, incumbent Senator Tammy Baldwin (D) is neck-and-neck with Republican challenger Eric Hovde. Similarly, in the Presidential […]
State Ended Fiscal Year 2023-24 with $4.6 billion surplus
Date Tue, Oct. 22, 2024 - 2:07pm By Hamilton
The Department of Administration reported the state ended the 2023-24 fiscal year with $4.6 billion in the general fund, about $400 million more than expected, due in part to higher-than-anticipated revenues and deferred spending. The current fiscal year 2024-25 is also looking positive, with revenues up 4.3% compared to the previous year, driven by increases […]
EdVest May Now Be Used for Apprenticeship Costs
Date Mon, Oct. 21, 2024 - 4:08pm By Hamilton
Bipartisan legislation, authored by Reps. Binsfeld (R-Sheboygan) and Joers (D-Middleton) and Sens. Cabral-Guevara (R-Appleton) and Hesselbein (D-Middleton), updated Wisconsin law to newly allow for Wisconsin’s 529 college saving program, EdVest, to be used for additional expenses, including apprenticeships. 2023 Wisconsin Act 148 also increases the state income tax deduction for contributions to $5,000, indexed for […]
Legislative Study Committee on the Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Continues Work
Date Wed, Sep. 18, 2024 - 10:30am By Hamilton
The Legislative Council Study Committee on the Regulation of Artificial Intelligence continues to meet and learn more about the use of AI in a variety of industries. Chaired by Sen. Julian Bradley, the committee includes legislators and members of the public. The Committee has met three times since it began its work in July. Typically, […]