Last week, Gov. Scott Walker sent letters to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Janesville) regarding the Health Insurance Tax (HIT) and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The first letter, dated Dec. 1, asked the leaders to “support legislation that would suspend the Affordable Care Act’s Health Insurance […]
Signed by Governor: Criminal Justice, Mining
Date Thu, Dec. 14, 2017 - 9:55am By Hamilton
Gov. Scott Walker signed several bills into law over the past two weeks, traveling across the state to highlight bills that reform the criminal justice system and open the state to nonferrous mining. On Dec. 9, Walker signed eight bills (Acts 124-131), including bills that create criminal penalties for patronizing prostitutes, a bill prohibiting adults […]
Gov. Walker Announces Staff Changes
Date Wed, Dec. 13, 2017 - 11:26am By Hamilton
Gov. Scott Walker announced several staff changes in his administration last week. Heather Smith, formerly deputy chief of staff for budget, legislative, and intergovernmental affairs, will move to Medicaid director and administrator of division of Medicaid services, replacing Michael Heifetz, who resigned this week. Jack Jablonski, formerly deputy chief of staff for communications, will become […]
Gov. Walker Signs Bills Addressing Homelessness in Wisconsin
Date Fri, Dec. 1, 2017 - 9:28am By Hamilton
For the past year, Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna), Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) have spearheaded an effort to help address the issue of homelessness in Wisconsin. On Monday, the governor signed two bills that arose from those efforts. AB 234 creates an Interagency Council on Homelessness. This council […]
Signed By Governor: Contaminated Well Remediation, Homelessness Bills, Constitutional Convention, Wetland Mitigation
Date Fri, Dec. 1, 2017 - 9:04am By Hamilton
Gov. Scott Walker signed 55 bills into law this week at the Wisconsin state capitol. The bills will be some of the last signed in 2017, as the legislature held its final floor sessions of the year in early November. The bills included: Monday, Nov. 27 Act 69, allowing local governments to remediate contaminated private […]
Governor’s Autonomous Vehicle Committee November Meeting
Date Fri, Dec. 1, 2017 - 8:49am By Hamilton
The Governor’s Steering Committee on Autonomous and Connected Vehicle Testing and Deployment met at the Capitol on Nov. 15. Steven Cyra from HNTB presented on the federal Department of Transportation (USDOT) connected vehicle pilot in Tampa, Florida. The Tampa project, he said, used a mixture of USDOT funding and revenue from Tampa area tolls to […]
Walker to Sign Foxconn Contract
Date Fri, Nov. 10, 2017 - 9:33am By Hamilton
Gov. Scott Walker and Foxconn CEO Terry Gou are scheduled today to sign the contract to bring the Taiwanese tech manufacturer to Wisconsin. Joined by U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Janesville), the two will sign the document at SC Johnson in Racine. The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) board approved the agency’s work on the […]
Walker Names Sen. Harsdorf as New Ag Secretary
Date Fri, Nov. 10, 2017 - 9:28am By Hamilton
Gov. Scott Walker announced this morning his appointment of state Sen. Sheila Harsdorf (R-River Falls) as Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Harsdorf will be the first female DATCP secretary. Harsdorf’s appointment, which begins on Monday, opens up the 10th Senate District seat. Harsdorf has held the seat since 2000 […]
Walker Announces Re-Election Campaign
Date Fri, Nov. 10, 2017 - 8:57am By Hamilton
Gov. Scott Walker announced his candidacy for another term as governor of Wisconsin on Sunday, Nov. 5 at a rally in Waukesha. According to his campaign announcement speech, he intends to run on the momentum of the University of Wisconsin tuition freeze, ending the state property tax, boosting employment rates, and the signing of the […]
Gov. Walker’s Steering Committee on Driverless Cars Meets
Date Fri, Oct. 27, 2017 - 9:31am By Hamilton
In May 2017, Gov. Scott Walker issued an executive order creating a committee on driverless cars. The governor’s Steering Committee on Autonomous and Connected Vehicle Testing and Deployment convened for the second time on Oct. 18 to discuss Wisconsin’s current statutes surrounding driverless cars and examples from other states. After introductions of committee members, the […]