The Wisconsin Legislature appears poised to finish its business by March 10, the last regular session day on its 2021-22 calendar. With that, many bills are moving quickly through the legislative process. Here, we review some notable items. Hearings this week on lawsuit lending reform A bill (AB 858/SB 842) to reform lawsuit lending in […]
Legislative Update: Lawsuit Lending; Building Trades; GOP Workforce Package
Date Wed, Feb. 16, 2022 - 6:07pm By Hamilton
Legislative Update: Remaining Floor Dates; State of the State Address
Date Thu, Jan. 13, 2022 - 11:26pm By Hamilton
Remaining Session Dates Each house of the Wisconsin Legislature is expected to meet once or twice monthly in January, February, and March, and then adjourn for the remainder of the year. Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) has confirmed that the Senate plans to finish its work by March 10, the final day of the […]
Legislative Update: Governor Acts on 34 Bills in December
Date Tue, Dec. 21, 2021 - 1:07pm By Hamilton
In December, Gov. Tony Evers (D) has taken action on 34 bills, signing 27 of them into law and vetoing seven others. The bills were presented to the governor automatically on December 2. During a two-year legislative session in Wisconsin, bills that have passed both houses of the Legislature are periodically sent to the governor […]
With Legal Challenges Pending, OSHA Suspends Vaccine Rule
Date Fri, Nov. 19, 2021 - 8:49am By Hamilton
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 […]
President Biden Signs Infrastructure Bill Including Billions for Wisconsin
Date Thu, Nov. 18, 2021 - 5:54pm By Hamilton
On November 15, President Joe Biden (D) signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill in early November by a vote of 228-206, with most Democratic members supporting the bill and most Republican members opposed. The Senate had passed the bill in August on a 69-30 […]
Legislative Update: Floor Votes and Executive Actions from November and October
Date Thu, Nov. 18, 2021 - 5:50pm By Hamilton
November While redistricting has been the most contested legislative issue over the last few months (click here for our most recent coverage), the Wisconsin Legislature and governor have also been working on other priorities. The Senate and Assembly each met once during November to vote on redistricting proposals and other matters. Notably, both houses in […]
DWD and DOA Clarify Jurisdiction Over Worker’s Compensation Cases
Date Thu, Nov. 18, 2021 - 5:46pm By Hamilton
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 […]
Biden Administration Releases Employer Vaccine Rules
Date Thu, Nov. 4, 2021 - 6:49pm By Hamilton
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 […]
About 400 Afghan Refugees Will Be Resettled Across Six Wisconsin Cities
Date Fri, Oct. 22, 2021 - 8:35am By Hamilton
In August, as the United States Armed Forces completed their withdrawal from Afghanistan, about 13,000 evacuated Afghan residents were sent to Fort McCoy near Tomah and Sparta in Wisconsin. In total, 55,000 to 65,000 people evacuated from Afghanistan are in the U.S. or waiting to come here from military bases abroad. They are being resettled […]
Manitowoc Manufacturer Wins Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin Contest
Date Fri, Oct. 22, 2021 - 8:29am By Hamilton
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), the state’s chamber of commerce and largest business trade association, has announced the 2021 winner of its sixth annual Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin competition. The results of the contest were announced on October 14 during WMC’s annual Business Day conference. This year, the winning product was the 140 Ton […]