|
At the close of every year, The Wheeler Report meets with state leaders for an End-of-Year interview. The following is a summary of those interviews.
Senate Democrat Leader Dianne Hesselbein
Legislative Priorities in 2025
- Senator Hesselbein (D-Middleton) highlighted three major legislative efforts led by Senate Democrats:
- Healthy Meals for Kids: Aimed to provide nutritious school meals, improve classroom behavior, and reduce stigma around poverty. The bill was blocked from a hearing by Republicans, despite its potential to save families around $1,800 annually on groceries.
- Prescription Drug Prices ("Less for RX"): Focused on making medications more affordable, responding to widespread concerns about families struggling to pay for prescriptions.
- Homestead Tax Credit: Intended to help residents stay in their homes by providing financial relief.
- Despite close numbers in the Senate, bipartisan cooperation was limited, and these bills did not advance due to lack of Republican support.
Looking Ahead: Study Committees and Rising Costs
- Hesselbein advocated for a "Rising Costs Committee" to address affordability issues in Wisconsin, especially as federal subsidies (like those from the Affordable Care Act) diminish.
- She emphasized the importance of state-level solutions to help families manage increasing expenses, particularly in light of national policy changes.
Bipartisanship and Legislative Process
- Hesselbein expressed optimism about future bipartisan efforts, especially with the Wisconsin State Senate being considered the "most flippable chamber" in the country.
- She stressed the need for open hearings on bills, regardless of party authorship, and a commitment to passing good ideas from both Democrats and Republicans.
- Study committees were highlighted as a key venue for bipartisan collaboration.
Senate Calendar and Procedural Challenges
- Hesselbein explained that Democrats often receive the Senate calendar late, with Republicans controlling the agenda. This delay affects the ability to prepare for floor debates and contributes to public misunderstanding about legislative processes.
Focus on K-12 Education Funding
- Funding for K-12 education remains a top priority for Democrats. Hesselbein discussed the need to explore different funding models, including special education reimbursement and per-pupil payments, and to learn from other states while tailoring solutions to Wisconsin’s needs.
Commitment to Transparency
- The interview concluded with a call for greater transparency in legislative decision-making, advocating for robust public and press engagement to ensure policy discussions are open and visible to Wisconsin residents.
Assembly Republican Speaker Robin Vos
Legislative Priorities
- Speaker Vos (R-Rochester) described 2025 as a year focused on “affordability,” emphasizing bipartisan achievements in the state budget and progress on government costs, housing, food, utilities, and health care.
- Major legislative actions included tax relief for seniors, elimination of taxes on electricity, and a housing package. Progress was also made on hospital assessments to address health care costs.
- Disappointments for 2025 included lack of progress on immigration reform and the outcome of the Supreme Court race, which reduced legislative power.
Looking Ahead
- For 2026, Vos outlined a busy legislative agenda: repealing taxes on tips and overtime, addressing rising utility costs, proposing a constitutional amendment on the “400-year veto,” and supporting savings accounts for newborns.
- He expressed interest in improving access to court interpreters, especially for less common languages, by advocating for remote translation services and video conferencing in trials.
- Long-term challenges for Wisconsin include the rising cost of government and demographic shifts, particularly declining birth rates. Vos stressed the need for smarter government, school consolidation, and cross-municipal service delivery.
Education
- On education, he advocated for transparency in course delivery (in-person vs. remote) and expanding remote learning opportunities, especially for specialty classes.
Changes
- Vos noted changes in the Capitol: reduced media coverage, less specialization among reporters, and increased partisanship since Act 10.
Artificial Intelligence
- On artificial intelligence, he supported balanced regulation to prevent harm (such as deep fakes), age verification for adult content, and a shared role for state and federal governments.
- He concluded with plans to address utility costs, property taxes, and newborn savings accounts, expressing hope for bipartisan cooperation despite ongoing political divisions.
Assembly Democrat Leader Greta Neubauer
Legislative Priorities and Affordability
- Rep. Neubauer (D-Racine) emphasized her caucus’s focus on affordability issues affecting Wisconsin residents, such as the cost of groceries, health care, child care, and housing. She highlighted ongoing efforts to address these concerns and the need for bipartisan cooperation, while stressing that more work remains to be done.
Unheard Bills and Health Care Challenges
- Several bills introduced by Democrats have not advanced, including proposals for healthy school meals, the Homestead Tax Credit, and a prescription drug affordability package. Neubauer expressed concern about rising health care costs, especially following the end of Affordable Care Act subsidies, and called for Republican support to address these issues.
State Response to Federal Policy Changes
- Neubauer discussed the difficulty for the state to fully compensate for lost federal health care subsidies, suggesting alternative ways to ease financial burdens for residents, such as addressing prescription drug costs and supporting housing and child care.
Education and Infrastructure
- She advocated for increased funding for public schools and criticized Republican proposals to consolidate districts and close schools. Neubauer also called for more investment in both physical infrastructure (roads, bridges) and essential services (EMS, fire, police), highlighting chronic underfunding by Republicans.
Study Committees and Process Transparency
- Neubauer requested greater minority party input and transparency in the selection of Legislative Council Study Committees, describing the current process as a “black box”.
“Fully Funding” K-12 Education
- She explained that “fully funding” means meeting constitutional obligations for equitable public education, increasing special education reimbursement rates, and reducing reliance on local property tax referendums. Neubauer criticized the diversion of funds to private schools and called for more state investment in public education.
School Funding Metrics and Challenges
- Neubauer advocated for “sum sufficient” funding for special education and clarified that the state should meet promised reimbursement rates, noting discrepancies between projected and actual needs. She also questioned the calculation of the state’s share of school funding and highlighted deficits caused by money leaving public schools for private institutions.
Data Centers and Environmental Oversight
- With new data centers, including a Microsoft facility in her district, Neubauer stressed the importance of ensuring these centers pay their fair share for energy and infrastructure, and advocated for environmental oversight and renewable energy goals. She expressed concern about the potential impact on local energy reliability and land use.
Campaign Season and Legislative Session
- Neubauer discussed the upcoming campaign season, the importance of new legislative maps, and the Democrats’ goal to win a majority. She criticized Republicans for focusing on tax cuts for the wealthy and failing to address affordability issues. Neubauer also called for more legislative debate and action on pressing issues like health care and child care.
Attorney General Josh Kaul
Public Safety as a Core Priority
- Attorney General Josh Kaul emphasizes that public safety remains his top priority. The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) investigates and prosecutes serious offenses across Wisconsin and has advocated for increased funding for crime victim services, securing $20 million for victim services and $4 million for child advocacy centers, though less than requested. The Office of School Safety saw a record number of tips, reflecting growing concerns and proactive measures in school safety.
Protecting Rights, Freedoms, and State Finances
- The DOJ has played a key role in protecting Wisconsinites’ rights, notably winning a state Supreme Court case that challenged the enforceability of a mid-1800s abortion law, thus taking steps toward protected access to abortion. The DOJ also fought federal attempts to withhold education funding, resulting in the restoration of tens of millions of dollars for Wisconsin schools. Consumer protection actions and defending the state in civil litigation are also highlighted as significant DOJ efforts.
Collaboration and Online Safety
- Kaul underscores the importance of partnerships with local, federal, and even international law enforcement, especially in combating online crimes such as sextortion. He notes the creation of a specific crime for sextortion in state law and stresses the need for prevention and awareness, particularly among young people, to stay safe online and seek help when needed.
DOJ’s Legal and Enforcement Role
- The DOJ represents the state in civil litigation, enforces environmental, consumer protection, and antitrust laws, and handles all felony criminal appeals. Kaul notes the office’s affirmative actions in addition to its defensive legal work.
Challenges in Crime Lab Funding
- Kaul expresses disappointment over the legislature’s reluctance to fund additional positions for crime labs, which impacts DNA analysis and other critical functions. He references past investments and upgrades in lab technology but stresses the need for legislative partnership and further investment to improve turnaround times and address the opioid crisis effectively.
Task Forces and Legislative Priorities
- The DOJ houses the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women/Relatives task force, which is working toward finalizing recommendations. Kaul also urges the legislature to address emergency detention processes, which affect both law enforcement and individuals in mental health crises, advocating for a continuum of care and system improvements.
Looking Ahead: 2026 and Beyond
- Kaul’s priorities for 2026 include continuing to combat the opioid epidemic, supporting overdose death investigations, and advocating for more funding for victim services. He highlights the DOJ’s role in multi-state litigation, including cases with significant financial stakes for Wisconsin, such as protecting AmeriCorps programs and other public services from federal actions.
Emphasis on Internet Safety
- The interview concludes with Kaul stressing the critical importance of online safety for all ages, drawing parallels to traditional safety advice and emphasizing the need for education and vigilance against scams and crimes targeting children and vulnerable populations.
2026 Floor Days
What is expected for the 2026 floor session:
Senate
- One day in January
- One day in February
- One day in March - Adjourn the 2025-2026 Session
Assembly
- Two weeks in January (likely 2x each week)
- Two weeks in February (likely 2x each week) - Adjourn the 2025-2026 Session
Governor's 2026 State of the State Address
Governor Evers has finalized the date for his final State of the State Address with legislative leadership. The address will take place in the Assembly Chamber of the Wisconsin State Capitol on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 7 pm.
|
