Walker Administration Shuffles Staff

The Department of Administration (DOA) announced on Sept. 20 that Waylon Hurlburt will be the new state budget director. Hurlburt will replace Michael Heifetz, who is transitioning to the Department of Health Services (DHS) as state Medicaid director. Hurlburt and Heifetz will begin their new positions Oct. 3. Hurlburt joins DOA from the governor’s office. […]

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State Agencies Will Submit 2017-19 Budget Requests on September 15

Kicking off the new budget season, state agencies in Wisconsin will submit their 2017-19 biennial budget requests to the governor next month. Agencies requests are due to the governor’s Department of Administration budget office and to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) on September 15, 2016. In his July 25 budget letter to agency heads, Governor […]

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New DHS Secretary Begins Job

On August 22, Linda Seemeyer started her new role as Secretary of Department of Health Services. Earlier in August, Governor Walker appointed Seemeyer to lead the agency because of her experience in health and human services at the county level and her career in management.  Secretary Seemeyer’s past experience includes serving as the Director of […]

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New MU Law Poll: National Parties Divided

A recent Marquette University (MU) Law School poll found a drop in Governor Walker’s approval rating in Wisconsin and big divides in the major national political parties. Presidential Politics In the presidential election, the poll found that 78 percent of Republicans and 84 percent of Democrats are certain they will vote in November. At the […]

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Applicant Field for Supreme Court Vacancy Narrowed

Gov. Scott Walker narrowed the field of Supreme Court applicants from 11 to five after the first round of interviews took place on June 13. The five finalists include: Appeals Court judges Mark Gundrum and Thomas Hruz, Jefferson County Judge Randy Koschnick, Marinette County Judge James Morrison, and attorney Daniel Kelly. Milwaukee area attorney Daniel […]

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State Defers Debt Payment

At the beginning of May, the Department of Administration (DOA) announced their decision to defer the payment of $101 million commercial paper principal. Under the 2015-17 biennial budget, the state was expected to retire $131.7 million in commercial paper on May 1, 2016. With this delay of the $101 million payment, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau […]

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Court of Appeals Puts a Hold on Dane County Right to Work Decision

On May 24, a state court of appeals reversed Dane County Circuit Judge William Faust’s ruling not to grant a stay of his controversial decision that the state’s new right-to-work law was unconstitutional. The appeals court decision allows the right-to-work law to be in effect and enforceable pending appeal of Faust’s underlying decision. Wisconsin became […]

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11 Applicants Vie for Open Wisconsin Supreme Court Seat

Eleven applications have been submitted to Gov. Scott Walker to replace Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Prosser, who announced his retirement in early May. The seat opens on July 31 after Prosser’s resignation takes effect. The applicant selected by Walker will hold the seat until it opens for an April 2020 election. Many consider this to […]

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Mandatory CPR Training Bill Signed into Law

In one of the final bill signings this legislative session, Gov. Scott Walker signed AB 545 into law as 2015 Wisconsin Act 390. The legislation requires mandatory cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training be taught in every health class offered to pupils in grades seven through 12. The requirement will be effective starting with the 2017-18 school […]

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Governor Vetoes Two Bills

The review period for the governor to sign or veto legislation has now ended. While Gov. Scott Walker signed most bills, he also issued his first full vetoes. Senate Bill 360 and Senate Bill 87 were vetoed and returned to the Senate. SB 360, which was introduced by Sen. Jerry Petrowski (R-Marathon) and Sen. Luther […]

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