Category: Politics
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Wisconsin legislators still giving selves ‘bizarre’ loophole in public records law
Democrats in the minority have repeatedly tried to close it, but the Republican majority has ignored their attempts. A new bill introduced this week that would do that is likely DOA.
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GOP bill aiming to protect free speech rights from frivolous lawsuits advances
As the Wisconsin State Legislature is scheduled to close for campaign season, the Assembly passed a Republican bill targeting lawsuits that try to stifle free speech. The Senate must now act for it to become law.
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Bipartisan push for legislator-to-lobbyist cool-off period fails again, may return
A bill that would require retiring legislators wait a year before they can work as lobbyists died again. Its sponsors plan to introduce it again next year.
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Wisconsin bill would automatically register eligible citizens to vote at DMV
The bill, which has little chance of passage this year, may preview strategy from Democrats should they take full control of state government in the fall elections.
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Top donors to Chris Taylor, the Left’s candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Court
With support from across the country, state Appeals Court Judge Chris Taylor of Madison is outraising her opponent from the political Right nearly 10-1, spooking conservatives who hope to hold the seat.
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Top donors to Maria Lazar, the Right’s candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Court
The Court of Appeals Judge Maria Lazar has struggled to raise funds since she announced her candidacy for the state’s high court in October, and is being outraised by her opponent nearly ten to one.
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GOP lawmaker leads bipartisan push to supercharge nuclear power in Wisconsin
A bill in the state Legislature aims to bolster nuclear power in Wisconsin. State Rep. Shae Sortwell, a Republican from Two Rivers, wants the state to become an energy “powerhouse.”
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Amtrak might open a station in Madison, but not until the 2030s. Why the delay?
The railroad company got a lot of federal funding for the station in 2021. But even with rail lines already in place, it could take more than a decade before passenger trains come to Wisconsin’s capital.
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MAGA brawler Van Orden moderating (slightly) as he faces tough reelection
Normally synchronized with the president, Rep. Derrick Van Orden has moved to the center on a couple of major issues. Is he worried about his chances in Wisconsin’s most competitive district?
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Aggressive stock-trading Wisconsin rep puts at least $1M into safer T-bills
U.S. Rep. Tony Wied, a wealthy businessman elected to Congress in 2024, recently took action to protect against a stock market downturn by purchasing between $1 million and $5 million in U.S. Treasury bills.
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The rock ‘n’ roll congressman priest from Green Bay who was benched by the pope
St. Norbert College political science professor Father Robert Cornell hobnobbed with famous musicians, then befriended – and frustrated – powerful politicians from both sides of the aisle in Washington.
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Amid rising home prices, Richland Center residents decry building housing on park
A group of residents says city officials have ignored them in moving forward to build duplexes on a green space in town. Meanwhile, home prices in the little city have increased 76% since 2017.
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Pass the butter: State legislators want to tighten Wisconsin’s margarine laws
A bipartisan group of state lawmakers is pushing to strengthen limits on margarine. The effort is a reminder of a centuries-old squabble between the butter substitute and the state’s ensconced dairy industry.
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Wisconsin joins 35 other states to ban phones in classrooms starting next year
Despite his concerns, Gov. Tony Evers signed a bipartisan bill requiring public schools to limit the use of cell phones in classrooms.
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‘Huge step forward’ – Wisconsin gov signs bills bolstering EMS workforce, funding
Experts say the new laws will strengthen emergency response across the state by funding more educational costs and increasing the payment EMS services get for treating but not transporting patients.
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Waushara County Sheriff must repay $22k plus interest in K9 stipends, board votes
An investigation from The Badger Project found that Sheriff Walter Zuehlke had continued taking a monthly stipend for years after quitting trainings for his law enforcement dog Argo.
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Bill to increase penalty for impersonating cops advances in Wisconsin Legislature
A bipartisan bill seeks to change the crime of impersonating a police officer from a misdemeanor to a felony. The move comes after several instances in Wisconsin and the killing of a lawmaker in Minnesota.
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Banned statewide, bill allowing traffic cameras in Milwaukee creeps forward
A bipartisan bill in the Wisconsin State Legislature would let the city install traffic cameras to ticket speeders and red light runners. Milwaukee’s top brass has begged lawmakers for the exception.