Sign up for our new “Capitol Insights - Monday Morning Report.” The report will provide a look at the week ahead for committee schedules, new bills, and more! | | |
In this update:
- Legislative Updates
- Election Updates
- Upcoming Events
| | See below the Summary of the Governor’s Budget Recommendations for each agency. | | |
The Assembly and Senate were on the floor on Tuesday following the State of the Tribes address. St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin Chairman Thomas Fowler delivered the address and mentioned the uncertainties of the tribes under the Trump administration. He said, “I think it is important not to dwell on uncertainties. The truth is that we have navigated through some great administrations throughout history who worked hard to uphold treaties and responsibilities and sought to strengthen relationships with tribes. We also have experienced some administrations that did quite poorly at best, but we have always had and will continue to have experienced lawyers, advocates, organizations, councils, politicians, and allies working tirelessly within and alongside tribes to defend and propel tribal rights and sovereignty forward.” Chairman Fowler also called for the state to legalize medical marijuana, allocate more funding and resources to the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, and to raise water quality standards.
After the address, the Assembly and the Senate were on the floor. The Senate passed a bill along party lines to restore the Department of Public Instruction’s previous standards for state tests, sending it to Governor Tony Evers’ desk. While he previously criticized DPI’s changes to the standards, he indicated more recently that he will probably veto the bill because he believes DPI should be an independent agency.
The next floor period is April 15 to 25, 2025.
| | JFC Co-Chairs announce budget listening sessions | |
The Joint Finance Committee Co-Chairs Senator Howard Marklein (R) and Representative Mark Born (R) announced four state budget public hearings. In their press release, they said, “As Co-Chairs of the JFC, we invite you to provide comments and input. Your feedback is an essential part of the budget process.”
All the public hearings will begin at 10 a.m. and conclude at 5 p.m. Attendees will fill out a form upon arrival to be added to the queue to testify.
The public hearing schedule is:
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Conservative state Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel released two new ads. The first is a statewide ad featuring a domestic abuse survivor who says Judge Schimel is passionate about helping others. The survivor Teri Jendusa-Nicolai says, “I know Brad the person, and I know how passionate he is about helping people — women, sexual assault victims, children – he has made it his life’s mission to help families.”
Watch the ad here.
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The second TV ad highlights Judge Susan Crawford’s support to allow boys to compete in girls’ sports. The ad features a woman saying out-of-state special interests are trying to buy a Supreme Court seat for Judge Crawford because she “supports their radical agenda.” The woman lists allowing transitioning male teachers to use her girls’ bathrooms at school, boys competing with girls at sports, and giving puberty blocking drugs to children without their parents’ consent.
Watch the ad here.
| | Crawford launches new ads | | |
Liberal Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford launched five new ads this week. The first TV ad says she does not care about “left versus right, I care about right versus wrong.” She says, “I’ve protected seniors from identity theft and health care fraud, and our most basic freedoms from corporate and government overreach. If that all sounds pretty simple, well, common sense usually is.”
Watch the ad here.
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The second ad says Elon Musk is trying to buy a seat on the Supreme Court for conservative Judge Brad Schimel. The narrator says Judge Schimel let 6,000 rape kits sit untested for years and now Musk is trying to buy him a seat on the court because “he knows Schimel always helps his big campaign donors.”
Watch the ad here.
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In another ad, Judge Crawford says, “Protecting people started early for me,” talking about making sure her sister got to school and home safely. She says she has protected people her entire life, from “putting violent criminals behind bars as a prosecutor to keeping them there as a judge.”
Watch the ad here.
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She narrates another ad saying the right of women to make their own healthcare decisions will be gone if Judge Schimel wins. She says, “I trust women to make their own health care decisions.”
Watch the ad here.
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The last ad features four law enforcement officers. They say Judge Schimel lets criminals off easy by letting “domestic abusers walk with no jail time,” allowed thousands of rape kits to go untested, and gave a plea deal to a man caught with thousands of files of child pornography after his lawyer contributed to his campaign fund.
Watch the ad here.
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AFL-CIO releases two digital ads | | |
Wisconsin AFL-CIO released two digital ads featuring union members supporting state Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford. The ads will run on social media platforms, streaming TV, and other websites. The members in the first ad say Judge Crawford “will stand up for working people,” and “We need to have people of integrity on our courts.” In the second ad, they say “Our rights are on the line.”
Watch the first ad here.
Watch the second ad here.
| | Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund releases ad | | |
Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund released an ad targeting state Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel on abortion and gun safety. The ad will run on broadcast, streaming and digital platforms in the Madison market and cable across the state. The narrator says, “He wants to bring back the 1849 law that bans abortion with no exceptions for rape or incest. He let domestic abusers walk with no jail time. Schimel even opposes background checks that keep guns away from violent criminals and keep cops safe on our streets.”
Watch the ad here.
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VoteVets released a podcast ad saying the Supreme Court is “no place for a guy like Brad Schimel.” The ad is targeted for veteran and military Democratic and independent voters. The narrator says, “We all swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution. So, when I look at candidates for Supreme Court justice folks, I think who’s going to look out for our values, defend our freedoms? That’s sure not politician Brad Schimel.”
Listen to the ad here.
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Americans for Prosperity releases new
digital ad
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Americans for Prosperity-Wisconsin released a new digital ad to encourage voters to turn out for state Supreme Court conservative candidate Brad Schimel. The narrator says liberal candidate Susan Crawford is too progressive and extreme. Meanwhile, Judge Schimel follows the law and has “always put Wisconsin values first.” The narrator ends the spot, “If you don’t vote April 1, progressives will control our court. Vote Brad Schimel.”
Watch the ad here.
| | Fair Courts America releases ad | | |
Fair Courts America released an ad accusing liberal candidate Susan Crawford of being “loose with her facts.” The narrator says her opponent Judge Brad Schimel does not play politics. “Don’t believe the spin,” the narrator says. “Schimel fights to put criminals behind bars.”
Watch the ad here.
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The Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce released an ad on Judge Susan Crawford sentencing Curtis O’Brien to four years in prison for repeatedly raping a girl. The narrator says she let him out early after two years and allowed him to live across from an elementary school, “watching the playground from his front porch.”
Watch the ad here.
| | Building America’s Future releases TV ad | |
Elon Musk’s Building America’s Future launched an ad featuring a soundbite of a comment that Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford made in last week’s. In the debate, she said she didn’t regret the length of the sentence she handed down in the case being discussed because she was following Supreme Court precendent to apply the minimum amount of prison time you think is needed to protect the public. The narrator says she gave the attacker of a 7-year-old girl four years even though he faced 100 years and then the ad plays Judge Crawford saying, “I don’t regret that sentence.”
Watch the ad here.
| | DPI candidates participate in joint forum | | |
DPI State Superintendent candidates Dr. Jill Underly and Brittany Kinser participated in a joint forum this week. Ms. Kinser said incumbent Dr. Underly is at fault for Wisconsin’s education system failing kids, naming the racial achievement gaps and lack of reading proficiency. Dr. Underly said the picture Ms. Kinser painted is “misleading,” pointing to high graduation rates and Wisconsin schools' high national ranking. She said, “I’ve built partnerships across the state and in the Legislature. I also hold the necessary credentials, licensing and the expertise to do the work.”
Other topics included in the forum:
- Changes to student test standards
- Educator license requirements
- Funding
- Teacher shortage
- School choice
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The Republican Party of Wisconsin released a radio ad opposing state Superintendent incumbent Dr. Jill Underly. The ad is airing in the Milwaukee media market and is critical of Dr. Underly because only 12% of 4th graders in Milwaukee Public Schools are proficient in math. The people in the ad say Dr. Underly lowered the standards, but Brittany Kinser wants to “focus on the children in the classroom, not far left agenda items.”
Listen to the ad here.
| | A Better Wisconsin Together releases new ad | |
A Better Wisconsin Together released a TV ad targeting state Superintendent candidate Brittany Kinser claiming she “cut corners by using unlicensed teachers.” The narrator says “The school where Kinser was director even employed an unlicensed teacher with a gun conviction. The school was forced to admit their mistake after the teacher was charged with molesting a 5-year-old child. Brittany Kinser’s reckless policies put students in danger.” Ms. Kinser’s campaign manager said the claims in the ad are “grossly misconstrued and fabricated” and that she was no longer employed at the school at the time the person was hired.
Watch the ad here.
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March 28th at 8:30am - Capitol Chats with Senator Jesse James (virtual)
April 4th at 8:30am - Capitol Chats with Senator Dora Drake (virtual)
April 11th at 8:30am - Capitol Chats with Representative Rob Brooks (virtual)
April 18th at 8:30am - Capitol Chats with Representative Deb Andraca (virtual)
Please reach out to Lauren Lubenow (lauren.lubenow@michaelbest.com) to RSVP or for more information on 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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