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In this update:
- Michael Best Strategies Events Recap
- Administration Updates
- Election Updates
- Legislative Updates
- Committee Schedule
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Michael Best Strategies Events Recap | |
JFC Co-Chair Sen. Howard Marklein provides budget outlook | |
Michael Best Strategies hosted Joint Finance Co-Chair Senator Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) at the Madison Office on Tuesday for a state of Wisconsin fiscal update and a 2025-2027 budget outlook. He explained the next steps in the budget process, reviewed the pending court cases and federal budget uncertainty that could affect the timing and composition of the upcoming state budget. | |
PSC Chairperson Summer Strand is featured guest at MBS | |
Michael Best Strategies hosted the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin Chairperson Summer Strand at the Madison Office on Wednesday as a part of our ‘Meet the Cabinet’ series. She highlighted the PSC’s key accomplishments from 2024, like approving 1,500 megawatts of new solar construction projects while becoming a national leader in the rollout of the Home Energy Rebates program. Looking towards the rest of the year, PSC will work to confirm Commissioners Kristy Nieto and Marcus Hawkins and continue the next phase of the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment program that aims to distribute $1 billion in federal funds to extend broadband to underserved households and businesses. Chairperson Strand assumed the role as PSC’s Chairperson in January 2024. | |
Evers proposes 2025-2027 budget | |
Governor Tony Evers delivered his Budget Address on Tuesday night to highlight his priorities for the 2025-2027 budget. The Joint Finance Committee can start taking action on the budget, but will hold off on most items until the Legislative Fiscal Bureau provides an update on their projections.
View our alert on the budget address.
View the Governor’s budget.
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Crawford releases new ads | |
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State Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford released three new ads this week. In one ad, she claims her opponent, Judge Brad Schimel, accepted a donation from a lawyer whose client then got a plea deal on child pornography charges. A man with children featured in the ad says, “It’s corruption to the extreme from extreme politician Brad Schimel, and I’d never vote for a guy like that.”
Watch the ad here.
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She also launched a 15-second ad calling Judge Schimel too extreme for women. The narrator says he wants to take Wisconsin “back to an abortion ban from 1849, back to a ban with no exceptions, not for rape or even health of the mother.”
Watch the ad here.
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The last TV ad features Police Officer Mike Walters claiming judges like Judge Crawford make “sure rapists, murderers and abusers were behind bars — so victims could get justice.” While judges like Judge Schimel gave plea deals to rapists and domestic abusers.
Watch the ad here.
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Conservative Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel launched an ad critical of Judge Susan Crawford for the sentences she gave to child sex predators. The narrator said a man faced 100 years in prison after sexually assaulting two girls ages 6 and 7 at a pool, but Judge Crawford gave him four years. “Putting pedophiles back on the street free to prowl our pools and prey on our kids. Criminals are praying Susan Crawford gets elected because she fights for them, not us,” the narrator says.
Watch the ad here.
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WMC Issues Mobilization Council
launches ad
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The WMC Issues Mobilization Council launched an ad this week on broadcast and cable TV. The ad calls liberal candidate Judge Susan Crawford “Catch and release Crawford,” and the narrator says she gave three years to a man who was facing 25 years for 10 counts of child pornography and “allowed a felon to escape prison after he brutally beat and strangled a woman.”
Watch the ad here.
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Building America’s Future releases ad | |
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The Elon Musk-backed Building America’s Future released an ad knocking critical of candidate Judge Susan Crawford for a sentence she imposed on a child molester. The narrator says the repeat child molester faced 100 years in prison, but Judge Crawford only gave him four. “Now he’s back on the street walking distance from a school, and Judge Crawford, she wants a promotion,” the narrator says. The ad will run on broadcast and cable TV.
Watch the ad here.
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Superintendent primary results | |
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A statewide spring primary election was held Tuesday for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Incumbent DPI Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly and Brittany Kinser were the top two vote-getters and will advance to the general election. The general election is April 1, 2025.
With more than 95% of precincts reporting,
- Dr. Jill Underly: 38%
- Brittany Kinser: 34.5%
- Jeff Wright: 27.5%
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Assembly holds floor session | |
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The Assembly was on the floor this week to vote on a package of education bills. The chamber approved, along party lines, AB 1 to restore the previous assessment standards that the Department of Public Instruction changed under state Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly. Republican lawmakers argued the changes masked poor student performance, while Democratic lawmakers said the bill was politically motivated and would not help improve student achievement. Public school teacher Rep. Angelina Cruz (D-Racine) said, “The disconnect between the reality of classroom teaching and this body and the understanding of assessments has never been more clear… This bill is not about improving education. This bill is about playing political games.” AB 1 would adjust state report card standards to levels set in 2019-20, align grades 3-8 with national standards from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, and reinstate high school testing standards to levels set in the 2021-22 school year.
The Assembly also voted:
- 53-45 on AB 2, requiring school boards to adopt policies to prohibit the use of wireless communication devices during instructional time.
- 51-46 on AB 3, incorporating cursive writing into the state model English language arts standards and requiring cursive writing in elementary grades.
- 52-46 on AB 4, required instruction in civics in the elementary and high school grades, high school graduation requirements, and private school educational program criteria.
- 54-43 on AB 5, requiring school boards to make textbooks, curricula, and instructional materials available for inspection by school district residents.
- 53-44 on AB 6, requiring a school board to spend at least 70 percent of its operating expenditures on direct classroom expenditures and annual pay increases for school administrators.
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February 24th - February 28th | |
Assembly Committee on Regulatory Licensing Reform
February 25, 2025, at 10:00am
Assembly Committee on Agriculture
February 25, 2025, at 1:00pm
Joint Committee on Employment Relations
February 26, 2025, at 10:00am
Joint Legislative Council
February 26, 2025, at 2:00pm
Assembly Committee on Housing and Real Estate
February 27, 2025, at 10:30am
Assembly Committee on Environment
February 27, 2025, at 11:00am
Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Veteran and Military Affairs
February 27, 2025, at 11:30am
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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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