Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) has announced the chairs, vice chairs, and members of the four 2025 Speaker’s Task Forces. Each task force has a Republican chair and a Democratic vice chair and will begin work this fall by consulting experts and stakeholders before recommending legislation in the spring. Government Efficiency and Modernization: Focuses on […]
Dems Circulate Legislation to Reauthorize the Stewardship Program
Date Thu, Aug. 28, 2025 - 9:57am By Hamilton
This week, Democratic lawmakers announced their version of bill to extend the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program (KNSP) for six years at $72 million annually. Their plan would also create a 17-member oversight board to review large projects, with safeguards to keep projects moving if the board does not act on time. The lead authors, Sen. Jodi […]
Administrative Rule making proposal
Date Fri, Jun. 6, 2025 - 9:36am By Hamilton
Wisconsin Republican lawmakers are introducing a bill package to review every statewide administrative rule and impose new limits on the rulemaking process. The four GOP sponsored bills aim to exert more control over the administrative process and to limit the authority of state agencies and the governor. AB277/SB289 would require agencies to make cuts to […]
Rep. Kurtz and Sen. Testin Circulate Stewardship Proposal
Date Fri, Jun. 6, 2025 - 9:34am By Hamilton
Rep. Tony Kurtz (R – Wonewoc) and Sen. Patrick Testin (R – Stevens Point) are circulating legislation to reauthorize the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program through 2030 at $28.25 million per year—lower than the current funding and far below Governor Evers’ proposed $100 million annually. Their plan would also cap most individual land purchases at $1 million, […]
Hospital Price Transparency Legislation Unveiled
Date Fri, Jun. 6, 2025 - 9:30am By Hamilton
Sens. Bradley (R-New Berlin) and Felzkowski (R-Irma) and Rep. Wittke (R-Caledonia) are circulating legislation to require hospitals to publicly share with consumers actual pricing information. The legislation is being supported by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce and Wisconsin business leaders. The bill would allow Wisconsin consumers who purchase healthcare services to know exactly how much it […]
APRN Modernization Act Released
Date Fri, May. 9, 2025 - 10:26am By Hamilton
On Tuesday, Senators Testin, Cabral Guevera, and Roys were joined by Assembly Representatives Kurtz and Subeck to release this session’s APRN modernization bill. As stated in the cosponsorship memo, “the APRN Modernization Act will bring Wisconsin in line with the National Consensus Model of Advanced Nurse Licensure. It will provide clarity to the scope of […]
Natural Resources Board Restarts Rulemaking for PFAS Groundwater Standards
Date Fri, Apr. 18, 2025 - 8:57am By Hamilton
On April 9, The Natural Resources Board approved starting a new rulemaking effort to establish groundwater standards for six PFAS compounds, following an earlier attempt initiated in fall 2022 to regulate four PFAS at levels as low as 4 parts per trillion (ppt). The previous proposal stalled because its estimated implementation and compliance costs exceeded […]
Audit and Public Hearing on DEI Initiatives at UW System
Date Thu, Apr. 17, 2025 - 3:10pm By Hamilton
Last Friday, the Legislative Audit Bureau delivered an audit to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee which reviewed certain diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) activities at the University of Wisconsin system and select state agencies. The audit was requested by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee last May and found that certain Wisconsin state agencies and the […]
Wisconsin Supreme Court Upholds “400-Year” Veto
Date Thu, Apr. 17, 2025 - 3:06pm By Hamilton
Friday, April 18, the Wisconsin Supreme Court in a 4-3 decision upheld Gov. Tony Evers’ 2023 partial veto that extended annual school funding increases until the year 2425 by striking numerals and punctuation in the budget bill. The GOP-controlled legislature had passed a two-year increase in schools aids. Gov. Evers used his partial veto authority to, […]
Gov. Evers 2025-27 Executive Budget Highlights
Date Wed, Feb. 19, 2025 - 3:56pm By Hamilton
Gov. Evers gave his fourth biennial budget address on February 18, unveiling his 2025-27 executive budget. He proposes an operating budget of $ $118.9 billion over the next two fiscal years, adding a net 880.94 FTE positions. For comparison, the final 2023-25 state budget spent $97.4 billion with a net reduction of 175.51 FTE (GPR) […]