Gwyn Guenther, President, The Wheeler Report

June 16, 2025

Budget Talks Stop - JFC Moves Forward

Senate and Assembly leadership had been meeting with the Governor trying to reach a compromise on the budget. After about a month of negotiations, the negotiations ended. The following statements were released:

• Gov. Evers. Responds to Republicans’ Decision to Back Out of Bipartisan Budget Negotiations (June 4th)
• Sens. LeMahieu, Marklein. Statement on Budget Negotiations (June 4th)
• Speaker Vos, Rep. Born. Assembly Republicans Statement on Budget Negotiations (June 4th)

Once negotiations ended, the Joint Finance Committee returned to the traditional budget process and began addressing various agencies. While Legislative Fiscal Bureau prepares papers for all the budget items, Joint Finance Committee members often write their own motions.

The following omnibus motions have been adopted to the budget so far:

Veterans Affairs

• Motion 45 - Omnibus Motion

Wisconsin Technical College System

• Motion 46 - Omnibus Motion

Public Instruction

• Motion 48 - Omnibus Motion

Shared Revenue and Tax Relief

• Motion 47 - Omnibus Motion (LFB Papers 700, 704, and 705)

General Fund Taxes

• Motion 44 - Omnibus Motion (LFB Papers 325 thru 346)

Circuit Courts

• Motion 33 - Omnibus Motion

Supreme Court

• Backpage - Adopted Item 3, Page 649

Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (in part)

• Motion 37 - Omnibus Motion (LFB Papers 155, 156, 180 thru 182)

Historical Society

• Motion 34 - Omnibus Motion

Insurance

• Motion 36 - Omnibus Motion

Workforce Development

• Motion 35 - Omnibus Motion

Revenue

• Motion 38 - Omnibus Motion (LFB Papers 650 thru 670)

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

• Paper 820 - Accept Modification

Educational Communications Board

• Backpage Adopted - Items 3 and 4, Page 172

Medical College of Wisconsin

• Paper 495 - Adopted Alternatives A3 and B2

Ethics Commission

• Motion 23 - Campaign Finance Information Website and IT Contractor Continuation

Legislature

• Motion 18 - Omnibus Motion

Financial Institutions

• Motion 20 - Omnibus Motion

Environmental Improvement Fund

• Paper 305 - Adopted Alternatives A1 and B1

Board of Commissioners of Public Lands

• Motion 26 - Omnibus Motion

Secretary of State

• Backpage Adopted - Item 9, Page 617

Employee Trust Funds

• Motion 15 - Omnibus Motion (LFB Paper 300)

Lieutenant Governor

• Backpage Adopted - Item 2, Page 421

State Treasurer

• Backpage Adopted - Item 3, Page 646

Fox River Navigational System Authority

• Adopted - Item 1, Page 206

Lower Wisconsin Riverway Board

• Backpage Adopted - Item 2, Page 422

Safety & Professional Services

• Motion 14 - Omnibus Motion

Labor and Industry Review Commission

• Motion 10 - Delete Vacant Positions

Other Motions

• Motion 4 - Omnibus Budget Motion
• Motion 5 - Substitute Amendments to the 2025-27 Budget Bill
• Motion 6 - Standard Budget Adjustments
• Paper 106 - Sum Sufficient Appropriation Estimates (Adopted)

Legislative leadership continues to say publicly they want to have the budget done by July 1st. The Joint Finance Committee will likely complete its action on the budget the week of June 23rd and have the budget in both houses of the Legislature the week of June 30th. 

Floor Session

Both the Senate and the Assembly will be in session taking up non-budget bills on Wednesday, the 18th. 

Important Updates from the League

⭐ Joint Finance Committee Meetings: The Legislature's budget-writing committee is set to meet twice this week on Tuesday and Thursday. While the notice for Thursday has not yet been released, the notice for Tuesday's Executive Session has been published. On Tuesday's calendar are a number of topics, including the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) where the committee will consider the PSC's request for additional water utility regulation staff and the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) where the committee will consider continuing the Pre-Disaster Flood Resilience Grant Program. Adopted actions from the Joint Finance Committee may be viewed on the committee's webpage under the hyperlink titled 2025-27 Adopted Budget Motions.

⭐ PSC Webinar on Lead Service Line Replacement: Next Tuesday, June 24th, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) will host a webinar from 1:00pm to 2:30pm titled Using Customer Rates for Customer-Side Lead Service Line Removal - a PSC Perspective. This webinar will discuss a PSC program, initiated by 2017 Wisconsin Act 137, to assist in the replacement of lead service lines and recommended accounting treatments under this program and work funded by the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program. Register for this webinar here.

⭐ Technical Assistance for Brownfields Program: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is accepting applications for their Perfect Pitch Competition where local governments named one of three finalists may receive up to $50,000 in free professional support for a brownfield redevelopment project. Apply by June 27th to have a chance to be part of this program. More information and the application may be found here.

⭐ MOE Forms Past Due; Report Deadline Approaching: As mentioned in previous Legislative Bulletins, those in charge of police, fire, and EMS in municipalities should have submitted their Maintenance of Effort (MOE) forms to municipal clerks by the June 15th deadline. This will allow municipal clerks to complete their full MOE report by the July 1st deadline to avoid the penalty of a 15% reduction in shared revenue payments. To learn more and find helpful links, visit the Legislative Bulletin from May 15th.

Email questions or comments to:

Toni Herkert, Government Affairs Director, therkert@lwm-info.org

Evan Miller, Government Affairs Specialist, emiller@lwm-info.org