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What’s really behind a controversial tuition tax break bill
A proposed state tax break on tuition that apprentices pay is heading to Gov. Tony Evers’ desk. The legislation — SB-125 — passed both houses of the Legislature on near-party line votes. With almost uniform opposition from Democratic lawmakers as well as from labor unions, a veto seems likely. The bill has been advanced by […]
New reports: COVID-19 active, but easing slightly in Wisconsin
Reflecting the hope that the August-October COVID-19 surge may be easing, Dane County’s health director announced Monday that she expects to end the county’s mask mandate by the end of the month. Janel Heinrich, director of Public Health Madison & Dane County, said the county’s current mask order will be renewed Friday, Nov. 5, with a […]
Bell takes fight for new look at son’s death to DOJ, governor
The Kenosha man who has been crusading for a new investigation of his son’s death at the hands of police 17 years ago has launched a new complaint, this one directed at Attorney General Josh Kaul and the Wisconsin Department of Justice. Michael M. Bell’s complaint, delivered Friday morning to an aide for Gov. Tony Evers, […]
Union challenges postal service over moving Oshkosh truck building to South Carolina
The union that represents employees of a Wisconsin truck builder is invoking federal environmental regulations as it pressures the U.S. Postal Service — and indirectly the company — to assemble new postal vehicles in Wisconsin instead of South Carolina. A lawyer representing the United Auto Workers has submitted a comment on the draft environmental impact […]
Report: EMS operations across the state struggle with costs, personnel
Wisconsin’s emergency medical services agencies are battling a shrinking pool of potential employees and volunteers as they face growing fiscal strains, a report released Wednesday finds. The Wisconsin Policy Forum, which issued the report, suggests that local EMS departments may need to consolidate in order to address the challenges they face. It also concludes state […]
GOP lawmakers send abortion restrictions to Evers for expected veto
Assembly Republicans passed five bills restricting abortion rights Wednesday, setting the stage for what Democrats said were certain vetoes when they reach their next stop: the desk of Gov. Tony Evers. Democratic lawmakers voted against all five measures. At a pre-session meeting with reporters, Assembly Democrats dismissed the package of bills as a calculated ploy […]
‘We are already in a situation where the virus is endemic’
Following the announcement from the federal government that, in addition to booster shots for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, booster shots will be available for recipients of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, Dr. Ryan Westergaard, chief medical officer in the Department of Health Services (DHS) Bureau of Communicable Diseases and Stephanie Schauer, Ph.D., immunization […]
Assembly passes seven housing bills, puts homeless camps on pause
After a divided committee vote a week ago, the Wisconsin Assembly passed seven bills Tuesday that Republicans had proposed to address Wisconsin’s affordable housing shortage. Six of the bills passed on voice votes with little or no audible dissent. A seventh passed with only Republican support. There was no debate on any of them. All […]
Apprentice tuition tax break gets cold shoulder from construction unions
Legislation that passed the state Senate on Monday and will be up for a vote Tuesday in the Assembly would give apprentices a tax break on required classes. But construction industry unions oppose the bill, because for their apprentices, tuition is already paid. SB-125 and its Assembly companion, AB-115, would allow apprentices to deduct tuition […]
Monthly job growth flat in September, but well ahead of a year ago
Wisconsin manufacturing jobs grew in September along with financial and real estate jobs and jobs in the hospitality industry, the state’s labor department reported Thursday. But offsetting those gains were losses in education services, other segments of the service industry and in state and local government. The result was that the state saw no net […]
Senate votes to extend work hours for some teens under 16
Certain small employers could schedule younger teens to work later hours under legislation that passed a divided state Senate on a voice vote Wednesday. The legislation would only apply to workers who are not covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) — including those with annual revenues of less than $500,000 and those […]
State’s meat processors will vie for grants to grow, modernize
A new state grant program will spend up to $200,000 a year to help meat processors, their capacity severely strained by the COVID-19 pandemic, expand and modernize their facilities. On Tuesday, the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee took the formal step of authorizing the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) to spend the […]