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In this update:
- Legislative Updates
- Administration Updates
- Election Updates
- Committee Schedule
- Upcoming Events
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Education package reaction | |
The Assembly Education Committee held a hearing on Thursday for a package of five bills recently introduced by Republicans. The package includes:
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AB 1: Reverses DPI’s decision on scores of assessments and requires that pupil assessment cut scores, score ranges, and pupil performance categories are aligned with NAEP standards.
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AB 3: Requires DPI to incorporate cursive writing into academic standards for English language arts.
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AB 4: Requires school boards, independent charter schools, and private schools to include additional civics instruction in their curricula.
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AB 5: Requires a school board to comply with a district resident’s request to review curriculum or instructional materials within 14 days.
State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly responded to the package and was critical of GOP lawmakers for “advancing bills that undermine the expertise of Wisconsin’s educators and local control over schools.” The Department of Public Instruction testified in opposition to AB-1, AB-3, and AB-5 and registered for information only on AB-4, stating that “Civics education is essential for preparing students to be informed and engaged citizens.”
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GOP lawmakers introduce immigration legislation | |
Republican lawmakers introduced a bill this week that would require local sheriffs to request proof of citizenship from those in custody who are arrested for a felony. Under the bill, if the individual is found to have entered the country illegally, the sheriff’s department is required to notify federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The bill’s authors Rep. Jim Piwowarczyk (R-Hubertus), Assembly Majority Leader Tyler August (R-Walworth), and Sen. Julian Bradley (R-New Berlin), told the media at a press conference that the bill is intended to “keep communities safe.” Sen. Bradley also stated during the press conference that if some sheriffs in Wisconsin do not comply with federal law, that under this bill there will be a penalty. The bill would cut 15% of state aid for counties whose sheriff’s fail to comply with ICE policy.
In a separate press release, Rep. Piwowarczyk said “Gov. Evers just a couple weeks ago declared 2025 the year of the kid, so we’re asking Gov. Evers to protect our kids. I’m a former law enforcement officer, I’ve got three kids that are now out on the road. It terrifies me to know that my kids are out there with these criminal immigrants.” However, a spokesperson for Governor Evers said that the governor will not sign the bill, and told Wispolitics.com that “Republican lawmakers are trying to micromanage local law enforcement decisions... that’s a non-starter.” Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein (D- Middleton) called the bill an “unserious proposal,” and stated “Reducing shared revenue payments AND new funding for law enforcement officers at a time when President Trump continues to sow chaos and jeopardize federal funding for needed programs and services in Wisconsin is irresponsible.”
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Evers announces plan to address PFAS in next budget | |
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Gov. Tony Evers announced he would invest $145 million in his upcoming 2025-27 Executive Budget to address PFAS contamination. Included in the proposal are several measures meant to improve water quality statewide such as helping private well owners sample and test their private wells, and establishing a new grant program to assist municipal drinking water systems with PFAS testing and elimination. Meanwhile, the governor promised to “protect innocent landowners like farmers who unknowingly spread biosolids containing PFAS on their land from having to foot the bill for the clean up.”
The latest proposal from Gov. Evers follows his veto of a GOP-backed bill last year that would have provided $125 million in grants to combat pollution from PFAS. At the time, Gov. Evers said he vetoed the bill because it would have limited the DNR’s ability to hold PFAS polluters accountable. However, the lead sponsor of last year’s PFAS legislation, Senator Eric Wimberger (R-Green Bay) said the “innocent landowner” language in the bill was meant to protect individuals who detect “forever chemicals” on their property from having to pay for the clean up if the contamination was not their responsibility. In a statement responding to Gov. Evers’ recent proposal to address PFAS, Sen. Wimberger said “It seems Governor Evers has come around to my position and supports my bill that he vetoed last year. His proposals today are an admission of what I’ve been saying for years: we can’t just write the DNR a check for $125 million to fight this problem. We need a strong legal framework to fight PFAS contamination, including language protecting innocent landowners from being treated like polluters.”
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Evers announces $80M agriculture budget package | |
Gov. Tony Evers announced that his upcoming 2025-27 Executive Budget would include an $80 million investment to support Wisconsin farmers, producers, and processors. “Wisconsin’s agricultural industries are not only vital to our state’s economic success, they are part of our DNA as Wisconsinites and our culture and heritage,” said Gov. Evers. “We’re going to keep working to support this vital industry and the farm families who make it all possible.” The governor noted in the press release that his proposed investments would be made in areas including:
Supporting Farmers and Farm Operations Statewide
- $15 million to relaunch a program that was created in 2009 to help farm owners and local communities keep farmland for agricultural use;
- $3.7 million to reimburse corn farmers up to 50% of the total cost of purchasing seed treatment that disourages fowl from eating their seed;
- $1.5 million to create a new pilot program grant aimed at supporting on-farm projects that improve resilience and efficiency of farm operations.
Strengthening the Supply Chain and Addressing Food Insecurity
- $30 million for an initiative that was created by Gov. Evers during the pandemic to assist food banks with keeping their shelves stocked, specifically with food from local farmers and producers;
- $1.6 million to support a grant program that works to strengthen Wisconsin’s meat supply chain by supporting meat processors in the state.
Promoting Producer-Led Conservation Efforts
- $12.7 million in additional funding for county conservation staffing experts to reduce pollution and flooding, as well as administer the Farmland Preservation program;
- $10 million for a program to help fund county and landowner soil and water conservation efforts;
- $1.6 million to a grant program to support farmers planting cover crops that improve soil fertility and moisture holding capacity and limit nutrient runoff.
Click here to see the full list of proposed investments.
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Underly releases first digital ad | |
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State superintendent Dr. Jill Underly launched her first digital ad in her re-election campaign. The ad is running on TV and social media platforms across the state. In the ad, Dr. Underly highlights her accomplishments as state superintendent, saying Wisconsin’s “graduation rate is the highest in state history, and our schools are ranked 6th in the nation.” She also touts helping pass a bipartisan literacy law and raising the standards for math and science.
Watch the ad here.
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Crawford files complaint against Schimel’s new ad | |
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Conservative Supreme Court candidate Judge Brad Schimel released a new TV ad that claims his liberal opponent Judge Susan Crawford mishandled an appeal, causing a rapist to go free. The ad says she “didn’t bother filing the appeal in time, letting the rapist walk free.”
After the ad was released, Judge Crawford’s campaign filed a complaint accusing Judge Schimel of altering an image of her in the ad, asking if artificial intelligence was used. His campaign said they altered the image, but did not use AI. A new state law requires the campaign to disclose if AI was used to generate audio or video in ads. The complaint claims the alteration used AI and presses the Ethics Commission to advise the Schimel campaign that each airing of the ad will represent a separate violation of the law subject to a $1,000 forfeiture.
Watch the ad here.
The original image.
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Crawford launches two ads | |
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Liberal Supreme Court candidate Judge Susan Crawford released two new TV ads. One ad features Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett, retired Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney, and retired UW-Madison Police Chief Sue Riesling saying conservative candidate Judge Brad Schimel allowed thousands of rape test kits to go untested “for years” while “rapists walked free” during his time as attorney general.
Watch the ad here.
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The other ad claims Judge Schimel tested only nine rape kits out of 6,000 over two years, allowing rapists to walk free while victims waited for justice. The narrator closes the ad, “Brad Schimel is just too extreme.”
Watch the ad here.
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Americans for Prosperity releases new ad | |
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Americans for Propserity released a new ad on streaming services supporting conservative Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel claiming he’ll “follow the rule of law, not a partisan agenda.” The narrator of the ad says Wisconsin has the “power to restore balance to our state Supreme Court” by supporting Schimel.
Watch the ad here.
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February 10th - February 14th | |
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February 14th at 8:30AM - Capitol Chats - Meet & Greet with Senator Kelda Roys (virtual)
February 14th at 12:00PM - Meet the DPI Candidate - Meet & Greet with Jeff Wright (virtual)
February 18th at 11:30AM - State of Wisconsin Fiscal Update and 2025-2027 Budget Outlook with JFC Co-Chair Sen. Howard Marklein (virtual and in-person options available)
Register for the event here.
February 19th at 11:30AM - Meet the Cabinet: Public Service Commission Chair Summer Strand (virtual and in-person options available)
Register for the event here.
RSVP to Lauren Lubenow at lauren.lubenow@michaelbest.com if you'd like to attend any of these events
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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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