Ethics Commission Updates Eye on Lobbying Website

The Wisconsin Ethics Commission recently completed an overhaul of its Eye on Lobbying website, a repository of information about lobbying activities in Wisconsin. Licensed lobbyists and registered lobbying interests must use the website to report information about their expenditures and other efforts to influence state legislation and administrative rulemaking. Members of the public can access […]

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Judge Rules DNR Should Have Promulgated a List of Hazardous Substances

On April 12, Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Michael Bohren ruled in favor of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) in a lawsuit involving two environmental cleanup programs managed by the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR). WMC, the state’s chamber of commerce and largest business lobby, filed the lawsuit last year along with dry cleaning […]

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DNR Board Approves, Modifies, Rejects PFAS Rules

The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) recently voted on three proposed rules affecting PFAS. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) developed three proposals to regulate the allowable levels of certain PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and other compounds in surface water (NR 105), groundwater (NR 140), and drinking water (NR 809). DNR presented the rules […]

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State Budget Update: GAAP Balance; Withholding Tables; Lottery Credit

State Records Large Positive GAAP Balance According to a press release from Gov. Tony Evers (D), Wisconsin’s General Fund recorded its largest positive balance ever, as calculated under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), at the end of the 2020-21 fiscal year. The state ended the most recent fiscal year with a balance of $1.18 billion. […]

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PFAS Update: DNR Will Ask NRB to Approve Three PFAS Rules in February

In December and January, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting public hearing and comment periods for three rules regulating the allowable levels of certain PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and other compounds in surface water (NR 105), groundwater (NR 140), and drinking water (NR 809). DNR plans to present its final proposed […]

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With Legal Challenges Pending, OSHA Suspends Vaccine Rule

Earlier this month, the federal government released the details of two administrative rules affecting an estimated 100 million workers or more, about two-thirds of the United States’ active labor force. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is requiring all employers with 100 or more employees to ensure that their employees are either vaccinated against COVID-19 or […]

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DWD and DOA Clarify Jurisdiction Over Worker’s Compensation Cases

The Wisconsin Departments of Administration (DOA) and Workforce Development (DWD) have reached an agreement on the handling of contested worker’s compensation hearings in Wisconsin. The worker’s compensation program provides an exclusive remedy for claims involving workplace injuries, ensuring that injured workers are compensated while also protecting employers from excessive litigation costs. On November 9, the […]

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Audit Bureau Releases 2020 Election Report

Last month, the Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) released its report on election policy in Wisconsin. LAB is a nonpartisan agency of the Wisconsin Legislature. In February, the Joint Legislative Audit Committee directed LAB to examine issues with election administration in Wisconsin in the context of the November 2020 general election. The report includes 18 recommendations […]

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Biden Administration Releases Employer Vaccine Rules

The federal government has released the details of two administrative rules affecting more than 100 million workers in the United States, about two-thirds of the country’s active labor force. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is requiring all employers with 100 or more employees to ensure that their employees are either vaccinated against COVID-19 […]

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Environmental Policy: State Developing Equity Tool; UW Hosts Climate Forum

Evers Administration Developing Environmental and Health Equity Map On October 7, Governor Tony Evers (D) announced that his administration is “developing a comprehensive environmental and public health mapping system known as the Wisconsin Environmental Equity Tool [WEET] which will analyze and visualize data online so users can pinpoint Wisconsin’s most impacted communities, identify the environmental […]

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