Tag: Wisconsin State Legislature
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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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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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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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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.
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GOP lawmakers want to include state police in law enforcement bill of rights
Wisconsin is one of many states to protect cops through a bill of rights, but it excludes state-employed police. Some lawmakers want to change that, while critics worry they are receiving special treatment.
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An Uber driver, a dairy farmer and a therapist walk into the Capitol: Many Wisconsin lawmakers have side gigs
It’s common for legislators, who make about $61,000 a year, to have a second job. The state Senate and Assembly each meet for only part of the year, allowing elected members to seek additional work.
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Dem legislators reintroduce bill to protect free speech rights from frivolous lawsuits
The “anti-SLAPP” bill would make it harder in Wisconsin to use costly lawsuits against people for exercising their free speech rights. A similar bill died in 2024 without any Republican support.
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From one circus to another: Professional clown serving in Wisconsin Legislature
Freshman state Rep. Karen DeSanto spent years traveling the world with the Ringling Brothers. Now she’s representing a rural Wisconsin district in the state Assembly. The two jobs are very different, she says.
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Wisconsin lawmakers seek to expand immunity protections for 911 dispatchers
A bipartisan bill in the state Legislature would provide legal immunity to 911 dispatchers who transfer calls to the suicide hotline. Critics say the bill is unnecessary and could impede justice for the injured.
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Bipartisan bill to aid recruiting at small police depts stalls after state budget snub
With the total number of law enforcement officers in Wisconsin sitting near record lows, the bill aims to ease staffing shortages with grants to help pay for the training of new hires. But it faces an uphill climb.
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Bolstered by more competitive districts, Dems traded votes for a few budget wins
A rarity in recent years, the state budget received significant support from legislative Democrats. In exchange, they got modest investments in the UW System, public schools and child care.
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EMS staffing in Wisconsin is at a ‘crisis point.’ That could be very bad for you.
Three bills working through the Legislature would help EMS agencies fund themselves, subsidize coursework and increase reimbursements for some 911 calls, experts say.