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In this update:
- Legislative Updates
- Budget Updates
- Committee Schedule
- Upcoming Events
| | Senate and Assembly floor recap | The Assembly and Senate both were in session on Tuesday, and both chambers held press conferences before the floor period. During the Assembly Republicans news conference, Speaker Robin Vos (R) highlighted the workforce shortage across careers in the state, referencing a number of unemployment bills that were on the floor. Rep. Brent Jacboson (R) said the goal of AB 164 is to help people transition to new jobs to get them back into the workforce. The bill, as well as the other unemployment bills, passed 53-42 along party lines. | | |
The Senate approved SB 23 during their floor session to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage for new mothers to twelve months after the baby is born. The bipartisan bill passed 32-1 with Sen. Chris Kapenga’s (R) vote against it. Senate President Mary Felzkowski (R) said ahead of the floor period the expansion would save the state money in the long run. “If we can do small things like this with a high return on investment to start to slow that down, it makes sense for this state,” she said. “It makes sense for our taxpayers, and that’s not even considering the moral and ethical reason we’re doing this.” Last session, Speaker Vos opposes the bill, saying, “I’ve never supported an expansion of welfare.” Sen. Felzkowski promised they will “get there in the Assembly” this session. The bill has 21 co-sponsors in the Senate and 66 in the Assembly.
Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein (D) spoke about the bill prior to taking it up on the floor. She shared similar sentiments as Sen. Felzkowski, saying she is hopeful that this bill will be passed in the state Assembly this year. Sen. Hesselbein said families cannot wait longer for this care, and “Wisconsin can do better.”
| | Evers and GOP leadership negotiating tax cut | | |
Governor Tony Evers (D) told reporters that he is open to discussing a tax cut with Republican leadership but said it would have to be included in the budget, not a separate bill. GOP leaders already have said they would like the tax cut passed and signed prior to the budget. He said, “We just can’t do things one way and then, you know, just do taxes and then do spending, we have to look at it together. That’s the way it’s done every time that I’ve been governor, and I think just about every time. So a separate bill is not something I would support.”
Gov. Evers said last month’s meeting on tax cuts with Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R) and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R) was productive, and the staffers of each have met at least once. Speaker Vos would like to further negotiate with the governor but said it was a good discussion. He said, “The goal, again, is to try to find something that can actually get across the finish line. I think the governor realizes that we’re not going to spend any more money unless we have the ability to reduce taxes and help folks get by with inflation.”
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Born and Marklein on 'Newsmakers' | | |
The Joint Finance Committee Co-Chairs Rep. Mark Born (R) and Sen. Howard Marklein (R) appeared on WisconsinEye’s ‘Newsmakers’ to discuss the 2025-2027 budget. WisconsinEye tracked the topics in the first two budget hearings, finding healthcare and education to be top priorities for constituents. The co-chairs are anticipating more discussion on natural resources and tourism with the two core issues in their hearings next week in Hayward and Wausau. The uncertainty of federal funding could create a challenge in crafting the budget to address Wisconsinites’ priorities. Rep. Born said, “I think there’s always uncertainty about federal funding. They are always changing the rules. They are making new programs or modifying programs depending on who’s in power or who has an idea as a secretary.” He said it’s on “steroids” right now with the new administration trying to make an impact, but he thinks it is important not to overreact and ensure balance in the budget.
They also discussed:
- Wisconsin’s surplus
- Medicaid budget
- Separate budget bills
- Tax cuts
- 400-year veto decision
- UW-System
- Corrections
Watch the interview here.
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Vos interviewed on Jay Weber Show | | |
Speaker Robin Vos (R) participated in a radio interview this week where he discussed the upcoming state budget. Speaker Vos said because Governor Tony Evers (D) vetoed the majority of the tax cuts Republicans passed last session, the state has a large surplus of one-time money. He said the priority of Republicans is to return that money to Wisconsinites, not grow the size of government. “The preference of Assembly Republicans is to help people who are on a fixed income, and that would be doing something on retirement income, making it exempt more like Tennessee, or Texas, or Florida,” Speaker Vos said. Meanwhile, in the Senate, he said Republicans are focused on reducing income taxes.
If the governor does not agree to a tax cut package, Speaker Vos indicated Republicans would not be willing to spend the surplus dollars and instead “the money will just sit in the treasury, we are not going to spend it.” As to the timing of the tax cuts, Speaker Vos said while his preference would be to have a deal signed prior to the budget being passed, he said having a tax package included in the broader budget is “not preferred, but it’s acceptable.” Regarding the suggestion that Republicans should not pass a budget at all because of Gov. Evers’ 400-year veto last budget, Speaker Vos said that was a possibility if the governor and legislature cannot compromise, but would not be ideal. That’s because the Speaker is concerned not passing a budget would leave the door open to the governor spending surplus dollars using his executive authority or if Democrats flip control of the legislature. “If we don’t pass a budget or don’t negotiate, all of that money sits in Madison, and god forbid, one of the two chambers flips next time around, well all that money’s going to go towards increasing the size of government.”
Other topics discussed:
- 400-year veto decision
- K-12 funding
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The following meetings have been noticed as of 11:30 am Friday. Committee and Agency meeting notices are frequently updated and can be found here (for the Legislature) and here (for the Administration).
Monday, April 28
Public Hearing at 10:00am in Hayward
Tuesday, April 29
Public Hearing at 10:00am in Wausau
Public Hearing at 10:00am
Informational Hearing at 2:00pm
Wednesday, April 30
Public Hearing at 1:15pm
Thursday, May 1
- No meetings currently scheduled
Friday, May 2
- No meetings currently scheduled
| | June 24th at 11:30am - Meet the Cabinet with DOT Secretary Kristina Boardman | | |
If you would like any additional information about the above topic, or if you would like to find time to discuss the above matter in more detail, please do not hesitate to contact your Michael Best Strategies contact.
Have a great day,
Wisconsin GR Team
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One South Pickney Street, Suite 700
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 608-257-3501
Fax: 608-283-2275
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