Author
Wisconsin Legislature approves final version of Brewers stadium deal
Wisconsin lawmakers approved a controversial deal to spend about $500 million in public money on renovations and maintenance of American Family Field on Tuesday, despite objections from some lawmakers that the package has a lopsided impact on taxpayers. The Wisconsin Senate concurred in both Brewers bills — AB 438 and AB 439 — in a […]
Assembly advances elections-related constitutional amendment proposals and bills
The Wisconsin Assembly advanced a slate of election policy proposals, including two constitutional amendments that will go to voters in 2024 and several bipartisan bills, during a floor session on Thursday. “There are bills on the calendar today that we’re not going to agree on, but there are just as many that we do. I […]
Senate committees advance Brewers stadium deal with additional changes
Senators adopted changes to the Milwaukee Brewers stadium deal on Wednesday that would lower the state’s contribution, increase the team’s contribution and adopt a ticket surcharge on events including concerts. Two committees voted to advance the bills with the amendments on Wednesday, setting the deal up to go to the floor of the Senate for […]
Group continues to pressure Vos on WEC administrator impeachment resolution
A group is continuing to pressure Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) to bring a resolution to impeach Wisconsin Election Administrator Meagan Wolfe to a vote, despite Vos’ public statements that it’s unlikely the Assembly will take up the issue. The Wisconsin Elections Committee, Inc, a nonprofit group that has been running attack ads against Vos […]
Wisconsin Assembly passes higher education bills
The Wisconsin Assembly passed several bills on Tuesday that would affect Wisconsin’s higher education system by changing admissions requirements, implementing penalties for free speech violations and ending race-based programs and requirements. While Republicans said the bills would help address ongoing problems throughout the state’s education system, Democrats criticized Republicans for unfairly targeting diversity equity and […]
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, seeking to connect with UW-Madison students, interrupted by protesters
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin came to connect with University of Wisconsin-Madison student leaders on Friday as a part of Democrats’ weekend of “One Year to Win” events, a get-out-the-vote effort in the lead-up to the November 2024 elections. Wisconsin Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski and Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, […]
GOP bill targeting transgender people would require inmates be placed according to sex at birth
The Senate Judiciary and Public Safety committee considered a bill Thursday that would require inmates to be held in facilities that align with their sex at birth and that strip searches be completed by someone of the same sex using the same method of determination. The bill — SB 438/AB 447 — is the latest […]
Bill would allow for new mental health facilities in Wisconsin
Additional crisis urgent care and observation centers could soon be created in Wisconsin to help address a lack of treatment options for people experiencing a mental health crisis. A bill co-authored by Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) and Rep. Clint Moses (R-Menomonie) would authorize the state Department of Health Services to create a framework for […]
Democrats propose eliminating Wisconsin abortion restrictions, requiring all-options counseling
Democratic lawmakers and reproductive rights advocates are looking past eliminating an 1849 Wisconsin law, which until recently had effectively ended all abortion services in the state, to repealing most state statutes restricting abortion. At a press conference on Wednesday, Sen. Kelda Roys (D-Madison) and Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison) said the “Reproductive Freedom Act” would restore […]
Assembly committee considers election changes, including early absentee ballot processing
Assembly lawmakers heard testimony on a slate of bills that would address concerns about Wisconsin’s election system on Tuesday, including one that would allow processing of absentee ballots to begin a day early. Rep. Scott Krug (R-Nekoosa) told the Assembly Campaigns and Elections committee that AB 567, which would allow for “Monday processing” of absentee […]
Q&A with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison on stopping police violence
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison recalled tears splashing on the screen of his phone in 2020, as he watched the video of the murder of 46-year-old George Floyd by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. “When I first saw the video, I was stunned by it. I watched it. I watched it again, I watched […]
Republican bills penalize schools for free speech violations, end race-based aid
The Assembly’s higher education committee considered a bill Thursday that sets free speech policies at Wisconsin’s public universities and colleges and provides penalties for violating them. Another bill taken up by the committee would eliminate race-based higher education loan and grant programs. AB 553 lays out certain provisions that the authors said are meant to […]