Hamilton Political Tidbits – February 3, 2022

The Wisconsin Senate met on the morning of January 25 for a floor session to vote on bills and resolutions, while the Assembly met that afternoon to take a series of votes. The Senate passed 55 bills and 11 resolutions, while the Assembly passed 52 bills and four resolutions.

The Wisconsin Assembly met on January 20 for a floor session to vote on bills and resolutions. Notably, the Assembly voted 95-0 to pass Senate Bill 309, which would incorporate the definitions of “telehealth” and other related terms from the Medical Assistance program into the statutory chapters that pertain to occupational licensing.

Wisconsin’s latest budget projections brought good news, with the state now projected to end the 2021-23 fiscal biennium with a $3.8 billion surplus. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau attributes most of the increased surplus to a $2.5 billion increase in expected sales, income, and corporate tax collections and a nearly $340 million drop in appropriations.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources plans to present its final proposed regulations for three rulemakings to the Natural Resources Board at the board’s February meeting. DNR will present rules regulating the allowable levels of certain PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and other compounds in surface water, groundwater, and drinking water.