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 […]
2022 Legislative Preview
Date Tue, Dec. 21, 2021 - 7:50pm By Hamilton
In 2022, the Wisconsin Legislature is expected to continue committee work and floor votes for the first few months of the year and then adjourn at some point in the spring. Here are a few key bills we will be watching: Assembly Bill (AB) 296/Senate Bill (SB) 309: Defining “telehealth” and “free and charitable clinics” […]
Political Update: Assembly Democrats Choose New Leaders; DOA Secretary Brennan Leaving in January
Date Tue, Dec. 21, 2021 - 7:47pm By Hamilton
Democratic members of the Wisconsin Assembly selected new leaders at a caucus meeting on December 20. A majority of the caucus’ 38 members voted to elect Representatives Greta Neubauer (D-Racine) and Kalan Haywood (D-Milwaukee) as the Assembly’s new minority leader and assistant minority leader, respectively. Rep. Neubauer ran unopposed for the position, while Rep. Haywood […]
PFAS Update: DNR Will Ask NRB to Approve Three PFAS Rules in February
Date Tue, Dec. 21, 2021 - 1:08pm By Hamilton
In December and January, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting public hearing and comment periods for three rules regulating the allowable levels of certain PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and other compounds in surface water (NR 105), groundwater (NR 140), and drinking water (NR 809). DNR plans to present its final proposed […]
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 […]
Wisconsin High Court Adopts “Least Change” Approach to Redistricting
Date Tue, Dec. 21, 2021 - 1:02pm By Hamilton
On November 30, the Supreme Court of Wisconsin issued its first major ruling related to this cycle of redistricting in Wisconsin. The Republican-led Legislature passed its proposed congressional and state legislative maps along party lines in early November. Governor Tony Evers (D) vetoed those maps in mid-November and has called for the state to adopt […]
Governor Evers Vetoes Redistricting Bills, Setting Up Court Battles
Date Fri, Nov. 19, 2021 - 8:52am By Hamilton
On November 18, Governor Tony Evers (D) vetoed Senate Bills (SB) 621 and 622, meaning that Wisconsin’s political maps for the next ten years will likely be set by the Wisconsin Supreme Court or a panel of federal judges. The governor announced the action in a press release and sent a veto message to the […]
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 […]
Wisconsin Legislature to Vote on Redistricting Next Week
Date Fri, Nov. 5, 2021 - 9:02am By Hamilton
Next week, both houses of the Wisconsin Legislature are expected to meet and to take up Republican leaders’ proposals for legislative and congressional redistricting. The Senate is expected to be in session on Monday, November 8, while the Assembly is expected to meet the following Thursday, November 11. The Legislature’s current floor session ends on […]
Audit Bureau Releases 2020 Election Report
Date Fri, Nov. 5, 2021 - 7:49am By Hamilton
Last month, the Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) released its report on election policy in Wisconsin. LAB is a nonpartisan agency of the Wisconsin Legislature. In February, the Joint Legislative Audit Committee directed LAB to examine issues with election administration in Wisconsin in the context of the November 2020 general election. The report includes 18 recommendations […]