Legislature & Governor Highlight Importance of Apprenticeships to Wisconsin Workforce

Earlier this month, Gov. Scott Walker congratulated the four winners of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Wisconsin’s skills competition. Walker said the skilled work demonstrated by these winners is “helping build a better Wisconsin” and is vital to moving the Wisconsin economy forward. Walker highlighted ABC’s apprenticeship programs that help train a new generation […]

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PSC, Governor’s Office Staff Changes

Earlier this month, Gov. Scott Walker appointed his chief of staff, Rich Zipperer, as Public Service Commissioner. Zipperer fills a vacancy created when Walker appointed Ellen Nowak as Department of Administration secretary in February. Zipperer has worked as Walker’s chief of staff since 2015 and was previously elected to the Wisconsin state Senate and Assembly. […]

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Signed by Governor: Leading on Lead Act, Wisconsin Health Care Stability Plan, and Worker’s Compensation Fix

Signed by Governor: Leading on Lead Act, Wisconsin Health Care Stability Plan, and Worker’s Compensation Fix

In the last week, Gov. Scott Walker signed several major bills into law. On Wednesday, Feb. 21, in Milwaukee, the governor signed the Leading on Lead Act into law as Act 136. The Act allows water utilities to provide financial assistance to replace water laterals on private property containing lead. The law requires a municipal […]

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Governor’s AV Committee Meets to Discuss Insurance Issues

On Feb. 28, the Governor’s Steering Committee on Autonomous and Connected Vehicle Testing and Deployment convened for their fifth meeting. The Committee is charged with developing a report by June 30 to the governor regarding their findings and recommendations on autonomous vehicle (AV) policies in Wisconsin. The meeting began with a quick review of the […]

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DOA, PSC Staff Changes

Gov. Scott Walker announced this week that Department of Administration Secretary Scott Neitzel will leave his position on March 2 after serving almost two years at the department. Neitzel will be replaced by current Public Service Commission (PSC) Chairperson Ellen Nowak. Lon Roberts will temporarily replace Nowak as PSC Chairperson. Nowak has served on PSC […]

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Bills of Note: Welfare Special Session

The Senate Committee on Public Benefits, Licensing and State-Federal Relations and the Assembly Committee on Public Benefit Reform held a joint hearing on Jan. 31 on 10 bills as part of the Special Session on Welfare Reform called by Gov. Scott Walker earlier this month. The committees heard first from the bills’ authors, Assembly Speaker […]

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Gov. Walker Delivers 2018 State of the State Address

Gov. Walker Delivers 2018 State of the State Address

Gov. Scott Walker delivered his 2018 State of the State address in the Assembly chambers on Jan. 24. Walker’s eighth State of the State focused on “getting positive things done for the people of Wisconsin” and an “Ambitious Agenda” for 2018. Walker began his speech by highlighting successes of 2017, including Wisconsin’s record-low unemployment, increased […]

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2018 State of the State Address: Full Transcript

REMARKS OF GOVERNOR SCOTT WALKER – AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY 2018 STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS Governor Scott Walker Wednesday, January 24, 2018, 3:00 P.M. Wisconsin State Capitol Speaker Vos, Speaker Pro Tem August, President Roth, Majority Leader Fitzgerald, Minority Leader Shilling, Minority Leader Hintz, Supreme Court Justices, Constitutional Officers, tribal leaders, members of  the […]

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Gov. Walker Issues Executive Orders on Opioid Crisis

Gov. Scott Walker issued two executive orders on Jan. 19 based on a new report from the Task Force on Opioid Abuse. Executive Order 273 implements several agency actions based on recommendations from the Task Force’s co-chairs Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch and Rep. John Nygren (R-Marinette). The order directs the Department of Health Services (DHS) […]

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Governor’s Task Force on Opioid Abuse Meets, Reviews Pew Recommendations

Gov. Scott Walker’s Task Force on Opioid Abuse met at North Central Technical College in Wausau on Jan. 5. The meeting began with a recognition of the Department of Health Services’ (DHS) recent announcement of nearly $500,000 in grants to 63 community groups for opioid abuse prevention. The committee then heard from Drug Free Communities […]

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