The March ASPRO Advocate outlined provisions in the Governor's proposed State Budget and the typical timeline for State Budget passage. However, these are not typical times.

Since the beginning of 2025, there have been ongoing questions about the timing of the 2025–27 State Budget. Several pending Wisconsin Supreme Court cases could significantly impact the powers of both the Governor and the Legislature. Key cases include:

• 400-year Veto: A challenge to Gov. Tony Evers’ controversial 2023 partial veto that extended a school funding increase until the year 2425 by altering digits in the budget bill;
•  Literacy Trailer Bill: A dispute over Evers’ use of partial vetoes in literacy-related legislation, with Republicans arguing the vetoes were unconstitutional because the bill wasn’t a true appropriations bill, while Evers maintains they were within his legal authority;
• JCRAR Oversight: A case contesting the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules’ role in the administrative rulemaking process.

These decisions could come in the next few weeks - or not until fall.

Adding to the uncertainty this year is the federal funding cuts to further complicate the picture. But there is one certainty that impacts major State Budget decisions that will be on time - the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) will release its projected state tax collections through mid-2027 on or around May 15th. Until then, the JFC typically does not take action on “big ticket” budget items like the UW budget or the Capital budget.

Given the potential implications and impacts of these items, Republican leaders and the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) Co-Chairs have stated they may delay work on key components of the 2025–27 budget, meaning the State Budget may not be enacted before June 30^th. It’s important to remember that, unlike the federal government, Wisconsin does not shut down if a new budget isn’t enacted by June 30. Instead, the previous year’s appropriations carry over into the new fiscal year beginning July 1.

However, the budget show must go on as the uncertainty swirls around it. The LFB did release its State Budget analysis in mid-March.  And JFC has two more upcoming public hearings on the State Budget - April 28^th in Hayward and April 29^th in Wausau. 

While ASPRO’s leaders and lobbyists are meeting with members of the JFC and Republican leadership in support of the proposed increases in funding for the UW System, including the pay plan, the Committee needs to hear from you too! Please send your written comments to the JFC members at budget.comments@legis.wisconsin.gov or at this website.