Republican Lawmakers Advanced A Bill To Abolish The Bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission And Shift Responsibility Over Elections To The Secretary Of State And The Legislature. [WPR, 12/5/23]
Assembly Republicans Approved A Set Of New Voting District Maps. [Cap Times, 1/24/24]
The Maps Were Vetoed By The Democratic Governor. [Associated Press, 1/30/24]
Republican Lawmakers Proposed A Constitutional Amendment That Would Curtail The Governor’s Veto Powers By Prohibiting The Usage Of A Veto To Increase Any Tax Or Fee. [Associated Press, 1/31/24]
Republican Lawmakers Proposed New Absentee Ballot Witness Requirements. [WPR, 2/5/24]
Gov. Evers Signed New Voting District Maps Into Law. [CapTimes, 2/20/24]
The Republican Controlled-Senate Failed To Pass A Bill That Would Have Allowed For Early Processing Of Absentee Ballots. [Journal Sentinel, 2/18/24]
Economy
Gov. Tony Evers On March 1 Vetoed A Nearly $800 Million Income Tax Cut Passed By State Legislative Republicans. [Associated Press, 3/1/24]
Education
Assembly Republicans Approved A Bill To Let Parents Opt Kids Out Of Certain Lessons Deemed Controversial. [WPR, 1/18/24]
Senate Republicans Advanced An Assembly-Approved Bill That Would Ban Race And Ethnicity Considerations In College Financial Aid Programs. [Cap Times, 1/31/24]
A Republican Proposed Bill Would Prevent Students From Moving Up To The Next Grade If They Miss More Than 30 Days Of School. [ABC 12, 2/1/24]
Assembly Republicans Passed A Constitutional Amendment To Restrict DEI Initiatives In State And Local Government Entities. [Jurist.org, 2/16/24]
Environment
Wisconsin Republicans Advanced A Proposed Constitutional Amendment That Would Take Power From The Governor To Allocate Funds Received From The Federal Government And Give It To The Legislature.[ABC 18 News, 2/5/24]
Democratic Legislation Would Ban Products With Added PFAs And Offer An Alternative Approach To Spending State PFAs Trust Fund. [WPR, 3/1/24]
Gun Safety
Republican Lawmakers Passed Legislation To Ban Credit Card Companies From Requiring A Merchant’s Code For Firearm Retailors. [Wisconsin Examiner, 1/19/24]
Senate Republican Lawmakers Sponsored Legislation To Create Exceptions To The Decades-Old Gun-Free School Zone Law. [WPR, 1/16/24]
Health Care
Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos Closed Out The Body’s Legislative Session Three Weeks Early Without Holding A Vote On Extending Postpartum Medicaid Coverage. [WCPT820 Radio, 2/27/24]
Labor
A Republican Bill Would Use AI To Reduce Wisconsin’s State Agency Workforce. [Daily Cardinal, 2/1/24]
Assembly Republicans Voted To Eliminate Work Permits For Younger Teens. [Wisconsin Examiner, 2/18/24]
LGBTQ+ Rights
Democratic Lawmakers Proposed Legislation To Repeal Anti-Marriage Equality Language From The State Constitution. [WPR.org, 12/13/23]
Republican Lawmakers Passed A Bill In The Assembly That Would Ban Trans Students From Playing Sports On Teams That Align With Their Gender Identity. [AB 377, 2023-2024 Regular Session, carried over 1/16/24]
Assembly Republicans Passed A “Parental Bill of Rights” That Would Ban Preferred Gender Pronouns Without Parental Consent. [Cap Times, 1/18/24]
Democratic Lawmakers Introduced The Equal Rights Amendment To Modify The Constitution To Guarantee Equal Rights On The Basis Of Sex, Gender Identity, Race, Color, And Sexual Orientation. [WEAU 13 News, 2/5/24]
Reproductive Rights
Republican Lawmakers Introduced Legislation To Ban Abortion At 14 Weeks. [WPR, 1/19/24]
Wisconsin Key Legislation – 2023
Climate
Republican Lawmakers Advanced Legislation To Protect Access To Gas-Powered Vehicles, Snow Blowers, And Lawnmowers. “The Wisconsin Senate gave final approval to bills Wednesday that would protect access to gas-powered vehicles, snow blowers, lawnmowers and other machines. The Republican-controlled Assembly passed the measures in April, with all Democrats objecting, and the Senate also passed them along party lines on Wednesday. […] The bills seek to outlaw measures similar to a California statute passed last year that requires all new cars, trucks and SUVs sold in the state run on electricity or hydrogen by 2035. Democrats have said they had no plans to pursue a gas-engine ban in Wisconsin and accused the bill sponsors of fear-mongering.” [ABC27 WKOW, 6/7/23]
Democracy
A Republican Sponsored Bill Would Remove Ineligible Voters From The Official Voter Registration List. [SB-26, 2023 Regular Session, 1/27/23]
Republican Lawmakers Introduced A Bill To Repeal A Law That Allows The Election Clerk To Remedy An Error Of Address On An Absentee Ballot. [SB-5, 2023 Regular Session, 1/27/23]
A Bill Sponsored By Republican Lawmakers Would Require Verifying Citizenship Of Individuals On The Official Voter Registration List.[SB-98, 2023 Regular Session, 3/1/23]
Democratic Lawmakers Introduced A Bill To Enter Into An Agreement Among The States To Elect The U.S. President By Means Of A National Popular Vote. [SB-144, 2023 Regular Session, 4/3/2023]
Republican Lawmakers Are Working To Pass Legislation That Would Tighten Election Laws, Including Requiring Military Voters To Present Photo ID. “Republicans are working to tighten election laws in Wisconsin. An Assembly committee will hear four bills on Tuesday (June 6th) that would alter some of Wisconsin’s election laws. One would require military voters to present a photo ID, while the other would assist local election officials in covering the costs associated with required special elections. It’s unclear which of the plans, if any, will be put into effect. Any legislation that Governor Evers believes will make voting in Wisconsin more difficult will be overridden, he has vowed.” [Seehafernews.com, 6/5/23]
Economy
Republican Lawmakers Moved To Ban Guaranteed Income Programs Across The State. “Republican lawmakers at the Wisconsin Capitol want to stop local governments from paying people just because. A plan at the Capitol, AB 146, would ban local governments across Wisconsin from using public dollars to pay for a guaranteed income program. […] A number of cities across Wisconsin, including Milwaukee and Wausuau, have talked about guaranteed income programs. But Madison is currently the only city in Wisconsin offering guaranteed payments to some families.”[The Center Square, 4/17/23]
Republican Lawmakers Introduced Eight Bills That Would Make It Easier To Remove People From Medicaid And Unemployment. “A week after Wisconsin voters favored an advisory referendum by a 3-to-1 margin that asked if people should be required to look for work in return for ‘welfare benefits,’ lawmakers held hearings on eight bills that the Republican authors said reflect that sentiment. Five of the measures would make changes to Wisconsin’s unemployment insurance system, most of them aiming to make it easier to take away jobless pay. One would make it easier for the state to kick people off Medicaid. Another bill would bar tax-funded guaranteed basic income programs in the state. Those don’t currently exist anywhere in Wisconsin, although Madison is testing a privately funded program paying $500 a month to people with incomes up to 200% of the federal poverty guideline.” [Wisconsin Examiner, 4/13/23]
A Slate Of Republican-Backed Bills Targeting Cuts To Enrollment In Public Health Insurance And Unemployment Insurance Passed In The Assembly. “Access to public health insurance and unemployment insurance in Wisconsin would be tightened under a slate of bills approved largely along party lines in the state Assembly on Tuesday. […] The bills passed on Tuesday included five Republicans say will restrict people from using unemployment insurance instead of working. Republicans also approved legislation to stop communities from using public dollars to fund guaranteed income programs; collect data on how state workforce development projects operate and disenroll people from BadgerCare, the state’s public health insurance program for low-income people. The bills were passed after hours of impassioned debate with Democrats, who argued that these changes to public programs would harm low-income people and the working poor by making it harder to access needed benefits.” [WPR, 4/26/23]
The Majority GOP Legislature Approved Bills Setting New Unemployment Benefit Requirements. “Wisconsin residents looking for work would face stricter requirements to qualify for unemployment benefits under a package of Republican-authored bills that received final approval in the Legislature on June 7. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers vetoed nearly identical legislation in his first term, and it’s likely he will do the same again for the five measures the Republican-controlled Senate passed along party lines. Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has said he hopes Evers changes his mind after voters in April approved a non-binding ballot question that said able-bodied adults should have to look for work to receive government assistance.” [Associated Press, 6/7/23]
Republican Lawmakers Introduced Legislation To Remove The Personal Property Tax. [SB-2, 2023 Regular Session, 1/27/23]
Republican Lawmakers Introduced Legislation To Establish A Flat Individual Income Tax Rate. [SB-1, 2023 Regular Session, 1/27/23]
Democratic Legislators Re-Introduced The Economic Justice Bill Of Rights. “Two years after its initial introduction into the state legislature, State Reps. Francesca Hong (D-Madison) and Kristina Shelton (D-Green Bay) reintroduced their Economic Justice Bill of Rights (LRB-1728), surrounded by supporting public officials and social justice organizations on the Assembly floor at the State Capitol (WisconsinEye recording). They have re-opened a door to reviving Wisconsin’s democracy by introducing this bill. […] The Economic Justice Bill of Rights calls for: 1. A job that provides dignity at work and pays a living wage. 2. Adequately funded public education and affordable, accessible child care. 3. A union, public or private, and collective bargaining. 4. Affordable, accessible, and comprehensive high-quality health care. 5. A clean, sustainable environment and healthy planet. 6. Decent, sustainable community infrastructures including safe, affordable housing, transportation, and broadband. 7. Equitable access to capital, investments, financial institutions, and retirement. 8. A fair, restorative, and equitable justice system. 9. Recreation and participation in community and civic life. 10. Life, self-determination, and freedom from oppressions Live free from fear of racial, religious, and gender oppression(s).” [Wisconsin Examiner, 3/11/23]
Republican Lawmakers Passed Legislation To Put An Advisory Referendum On The Spring Ballot On The Question Of Requiring Able-Bodied, Childless Adults To Look For Work In Order To Receive Taxpayer-Funded Welfare Benefits. [SJR 4, 2023 Regular Session, 1/13/23]
Republican Lawmakers Pass Plan To Cut Income Taxes By 15% On Average. “Income taxes would be cut across the board by $3.5 billion under a plan passed Thursday by Republicans who control the Wisconsin Legislature’s budget-writing committee, a proposal that Democrats assailed as being skewed to benefit the wealthy. Under the income tax cut, which is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2023, the average reduction would be 15% for all filers or $573, Republicans said. The state would still go from four to three brackets, with the lowest rate dropping to 3.5% and the highest rate being 6.5%.”[Associated Press, 6/22/23]
Education
A Bill Backed By Republican Lawmakers Would Require Certain Schools To Employ Armed School Resource Officers. [AB-69, 2023 Regular Session, 2/27/23]
The Bill Passed In The Assembly. [AB-69, 2023 Regular Session, 2/27/23]
Democratic Lawmakers Renewed Calls For Wisconsin To Provide Free School Meals To All Students. “Department of Public Instruction Superintendent Jill Underly and Democratic lawmakers renewed calls on Monday for Wisconsin to provide free school meals to all students, which they say would improve student wellbeing and academic outcomes, ease financial burdens for families and support Wisconsin’s local economies. Underly, state lawmakers and other stakeholders highlighted the proposal along with two other provisions included in Gov. Tony Evers’ two-year budget proposal meant to invest in school meals at a breakfast press conference — which featured fresh yogurt parfaits — in the Cottage Grove Elementary School cafeteria.” [Wisconsin Examiner, 3/7/23]
Republican Lawmakers Introduced Legislation To Ban Books Containing Obscene Materials In Schools And Allow Parents To Sue Librarians If They Violate This Law. “State Rep. Scott Allen, R-Waukesha, and Republican state Sen. Andre Jacque, R-DePere, are looking for support for their plans to ban material they deem obscene from school libraries, as well as allow parents to sue librarians if they break the law. ‘LRB-0522 prohibits schools from using the tax-payer funded common school fund to purchase obscene materials. LRB-0423 removes the exemption for school employees to be held liable for displaying obscene material,’ the two wrote on a note to possible co-sponsors in the state legislature.” [Victoria Advocate, 5/10/23]
Republican Lawmakers Voted To Cut The University of Wisconsin System’s Budget By $32 Million. “Republican lawmakers voted to cut the University of Wisconsin System’s budget by $32 million on Thursday despite a projected record-high $7 billion state budget surplus, leaving the university nearly half a billion dollars short of what it requested. The cut comes in reaction to Republican anger over diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, programs on the system’s 13 universities. Republican leaders have said the $32 million is what they estimated would be spent on those programs over the next two years.” [Associated Press, 6/22/23]
Gun Safety
GOP Legislators Proposed A Bill To Give Concealed Carry Permits To School Staff To Carry Firearms On School Grounds. “School employees could carry concealed firearms on school property under a GOP proposal rebuked by gun violence prevention advocates and Democrats. The bill would give local school boards authority to approve school staff with concealed carry permits to bring guns on school grounds. It would also waive application, renewal and background check fees for teachers to get a concealed carry permit. Republicans state Rep. Scott Allen of Waukesha and state Sen. Cory Tomcyzk of Mosinee unveiled the proposal in a co-memorandum Monday.” [Wisconsin Public Radio, 4/12/23]
Democratic Lawmakers Reintroduced A Package Of Gun Safety Bills That Would Expand Background Checks, Create A Sales Tax Exemption For The Purchase Of Gun Safes, And Enact A Red Flag Law. “Attorney General Josh Kaul and a coalition of Democratic state lawmakers reintroduced a package of gun safety legislation designed to address rising statewide homicide rates that follows a year of high-profile gun violence incidents in Milwaukee. […] One of the bills would expand background checks to a wider array of gun sales, closing current exceptions for guns purchased through private vendors, some online sales and gun shows. […]Another bill would create a sales tax exemption for the purchase of gun safes, trigger locks and barrel locks to promote home gun safety, while a third bill would enact ‘red-flag’ laws that allow law enforcement to temporarily remove guns from people in imminent danger of harming themselves or others.” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/13/23]
Labor
Two Republican Lawmakers Proposed Legislation That Would Make It Legal For Kids As Young As 14 To Serve Alcohol In Wisconsin. [Business Insider, 5/1/23]
LGBTQ+ Rights
Republican Lawmakers Introduced A Bill That Would No Longer Allow The State Licensing Board To Bar Therapists From Attempting To Change A Person’s Sexual Orientation Or Gender Identity Through What’s Known As “Conversion Therapy.” [AB-3/SB-4, 2023 Regular Session, 2/6/23]
Republican Lawmakers Voted To Block The Governor From Enacting A Ban On Conversion Therapy. “The Wisconsin Legislature took the final step needed on March 22 to stop Gov. Tony Evers’ administration from enacting a ban on the discredited practice known as conversion therapy. Republicans who control the state Senate voted over the objections of Democrats to effectively allow therapists and others to attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.” [PBS, 3/22/23]
Democratic Lawmakers Introduced A Bill Proclaiming March 31, 2023, as Wisconsin’s Transgender Day of Visibility. [SJR-15, 2023 Regular Session, 3/8/23]
GOP Lawmakers Said They Will Introduce Legislation To Ban Transgender Athletes From Competing In Girls Or Women’s Sports. “Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says Republicans will likely reintroduce legislation that would ban transgender athletes in Wisconsin from competing in girls or women’s sports. […] The public push would mirror other legislation in Republican-controlled statehouses nationwide. Last session, Assembly Republicans passed a proposed ban that would have included both public and private K-12 schools along with University of Wisconsin campuses and technical colleges. The bill didn’t make it out of the state Senate.” [WISN 12 News, 5/9/23]
Democratic Lawmakers Introduced Legislation To Remove The ‘Gay Panic’ Defense From Being Admitted In Criminal Trials. “On the Democratic side, a new bill this session would seek to eliminate so-called gay panic defenses from use in trials. Under the bill, criminal defendants could not make an “insanity plea” for their crimes, if they argue they did those crimes in a state of “panic” from finding out someone is gay or trans. The bill is currently waiting for a hearing to be scheduled.” [Channel3000.com, 5/31/23]
Republican Lawmakers Re-Introduced Legislation To Create A Three Category System For All School Sports. “Republican lawmakers have reintroduced a bill that would require student athletes to play on the team that aligns with their biological sex or join a separate co-ed team. ‘What this legislation seeks to do is make a place for everyone,’ Rep. Barbara Dittrich (R) said. Dittrich proposed the same bill, the ‘Save Women’s Sports Act,’ in 2021. It was shot down last session, but Dittrich and co-sponsor Sen. Dan Knodl reintroduced it on Wednesday.” [ABC 27 WKOW, 7/13/23]
Reproductive Rights
Democratic Lawmakers Introduced Legislation To Restore Abortion Access. “A new Democratic-backed bill aims to restore abortion access laws in Wisconsin to what they were just prior to last summer’s decision that overturned Roe vs. Wade, Gov. Tony Evers said during a Tuesday news conference unveiling the proposal. Introduced by two Madison lawmakers, the bill would strike down the 1849 abortion law that barred the procedure in all cases from the time of conception, except for when the life of the mother is at stake – as well as two references to the law elsewhere in the Wisconsin code. Because the abortion statutes passed since the Roe decision were not removed from the books, they would remain in effect.” [NBC 15, 3/21/23]
Republican Lawmakers Introduced A Bill To Prohibit Abortion When A Fetal Heartbeat Is Detected With Exceptions For Rape, Incest, And To Protect The Life And Vital Organs Of The Mother. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinal Online, 3/15/23]
Forty-six Democratic Lawmakers Introduced Legislation To Hold A Referendum On The Question Of Repealing Wisconsin’s 1849 Abortion Law And Restoring The Constitutional Rights Guarantees Under Roe V. Wade. [SJR 10, 2023 Regular Session, 2/3/23]
Republican Lawmakers Rejected A Legislative Effort To Put A Referendum On The Spring Ballot About The 1849 Abortion Ban. “Evers and Democratic lawmakers introduced their alternative to the welfare question just hours before the Senate convened, arguing that the Legislature should be focused on restoring abortion rights, which they predicted would have broad support, and citing polling data showing a majority of the state’s residents support legal abortions.” [Associated Press, 1/17/23]
Thirty-Two Republican Lawmakers Sponsored Legislation Providing Requirements For Children Born Alive Following Abortion Or Attempted Abortion And Providing A Penalty. [SB-61, 2023 Regular Session, 2/14/23]
