Protesters gather in downtown Milwaukee to voice opposition to the actions of federal immigration agents. (Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner)
Hundreds of people marched up State St. Friday from the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus to the Wisconsin State Capitol to protest federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota and across the country.
The anti-ICE protest was part of a day of action across the country organized in reaction to the recent killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal agents in Minneapolis, and the ongoing federal crackdown in Minnesota. Friday’s national shutdown — a day of no school, no work and no shopping — was called for by student groups and immigrant rights advocates in Minnesota.
Protesters outside the Wisconsin State Capitol. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)
“What do we want? ICE out. When do we want it? Now,” protesters bundled in coats, scarves, gloves and hats chanted as they marched in the 13-degree weather.
“This month, I watched our neighbors in Minneapolis fight ICE on days colder than this one with love and solidarity,” Halsey Hazzard, a co-chair of Madison Area Democratic Socialists of America and a UW-Madison library employee, told the crowd gathered on the steps of the Capitol. Hazzard said the Trump administration “fears” people “coming together, reaching out to one another and learning that love is stronger than fear.”
Dozens of businesses in Wisconsin’s capital city showed solidarity by closing up shop or donating proceeds to advocacy groups in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
People carried signs expressing their opposition to the actions federal immigration agents have taken in Minnesota and elsewhere, including detaining children. “Children aren’t criminals. Trump is,” one sign declared.
People carried signs expressing their opposition to the actions federal immigration agents have taken in Minnesota and elsewhere, including detaining children. “Children aren’t criminals. Trump is,” one sign declared. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)
Recently, the Trump administration came under fire for its detainment in Minnesota of 5-year-old Liam Ramos and Vice President J.D. Vance defended the action. Ramos remains in a detention facility in Texas.
“No fear! No hate! No ICE in our state!” the Madison marchers chanted.
“Immigrants Make America Great,” another sign stated.
One sign called out the only Republican in the open race for governor of Wisconsin, stating “Tom Tiffany Likes ICE.” Tiffany, the congressman who represents the Northwoods, said in the wake of the shooting of Pretti, who was an ICU nurse from Green Bay, that he would work with local, state and federal law enforcement to “remove criminal illegal aliens.” He urged Minnesota leaders to do the same.
(Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)
“Cooperation is how you avoid tragic consequences. Deporting illegal aliens is how you make America safer. And waiting for the facts is how you avoid escalating the situation,” Tiffany said.
Pretti’s death prompted protests across the country, including in Green Bay, last weekend.
Once the group made it to the Capitol, a number of speakers criticized the Trump administration and called for the elimination of ICE.
“Today, we are standing together to demand defund ICE,” Hazzard said.
“Defund ICE,” protesters echoed.
“Not another dollar for ICE to terrorize our communities. We must strip ICE of its funding for both enforcement and detention. Abolish ICE. End the occupation of Minneapolis and all other cities,” Hazzard said.
(Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)
A big crowd descends on Milwaukee’s Cathedral Park
Hundreds of people raised their voices in Milwaukee on Friday in opposition to a federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota. Trudging through a fresh coat of snow, protesters streamed into Cathedral Square Park by the dozens. Activists from various local groups charged the crowd with a short round of speeches before taking to the streets for a march.
Protesters gather in downtown Milwaukee to voice opposition to the actions of federal immigration agents. (Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner)
Chanting “move ICE, get out the way;” “no ICE, no KKK, no Fascist USA,” and the names of Renee Good and Alex Pretti — two Minneapolis residents who were killed in separate incidents involving federal agents — the marchers filled the streets of downtown. The crowd of people of all ages from young children to older seniors, passed the Federal Building of Milwaukee and City Hall before returning to the park.
Protesters gather in downtown Milwaukee to voice opposition to the actions of federal immigration agents. (Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner)
No violence, conflicts, or destruction occurred. A single drone was seen hovering over the march, and police presence was minimal.
Madison small businesses and residents, protesting a federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota, are planning to show solidarity Friday by shutting down or donating proceeds to immigration and other advocacy organizations. On Friday, Jan. 9, people gathered outside the Wisconsin State Capitol to protest and mourn over the killing of Renee Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis. (Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner)
Madison small businesses and residents, protesting a federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota, are showing solidarity Friday by shutting down or donating proceeds to immigration and other advocacy organizations, with marches and rallies planned during the day.
The businesses are following a call for a “nationwide shutdown” — a day of no school, no work and no shopping. According to the Guardian, the call for the shutdown came from several student groups at the University of Minnesota.
“The people of the Twin Cities have shown the way for the whole country — to stop ICE’s reign of terror, we need to SHUT IT DOWN,” states a website about the effort.
Madison businesses shutting down
An array of small businesses in Wisconsin’s capital have announced plans to support the day of action.
There is also a student walkout planned for 2 p.m. by UW-Madison students who plan to meet at Library Mall on campus and march to the state Capitol at 2:45 p.m. A rally is planned at 3 p.m. at the Capitol. Another march is also planned in Milwaukee at 2 p.m. at Cathedral Square Park.
Lake City Books, located on N. Hamilton St. in downtown Madison, will be staying open to serve as a warming place for people protesting at the Capitol, according to the business’s Instagram account. The local bookstore plans to have free hand warmers and sign-making materials available.
The book store will kick off its February fundraiser with proceeds from its “Books Against Tyranny” display donated to the Minnesota ACLU chapter to “support those whose First Amendment rights have been violated.”
“We stand with MN. We support free speech and all peaceful protest. Please be kind to each other and continue to support small local businesses,” the book store said.
Bloom Bake Shop plans to close its two locations in Madison at 2 p.m. so its team members can attend the rally downtown. The local bakery said it will also be selling sugar cookies dedicated to Minnesota, and the profits from the cookies will go to the Immigrant Rapid Response Fund.
“At Bloom, we’ve been clear about where we stand: with Minnesota, and with all those living in fear or suffering during this American crisis. We stand with people peacefully exercising their rights, and with those working to protect the freedoms our communities depend on,” the bakery said in an Instagram post. “Life feels bitter right now. Our intention is to offer something sweet, along with sincere hope, during these very challenging times. We must resist. We must stay strong. Together.”
Madison Sourdough said it plans to donate 10% of its proceeds on Friday to Voces de la Frontera, though it plans to close its kitchen early at 1:30 p.m., so its staff can attend the march and rally protesting unconstitutional and immoral tactics in Minnesota and across the country.
Casetta Kitchen said it plans to donate 20% of its Friday sales to Community Aid Network Minnesota.
Forward Craft and Coffee on Atwood Avenue in Madison said it will be donating $1 of every drink it sells to the Minnesota Rapid Response Fund.
Other Madison businesses with plans to close or donate proceeds include:
A Room of One’s Own
Ailimentari
Ahan
Boulders Climbing Gym
Lola’s
Mansion Hill Inn
Origin Breads
Robin Room Bar
SevvenCycle
Teasider
The Bubbling Tea Pot
Wisconsin Democratic lawmakers also express solidarity
State Rep. Francesca (D-Madison) said in a video that the shutdown is “a way to show the world that we grow power. We fight back as a collective and stand together.” She encouraged small businesses to join the shutdown effort in whatever way they can.
On Thursday, a group of Wisconsin state lawmakers — all Democrats — took part in a solidarity event in support of Minnesota. Some traveled to Minneapolis to be in solidarity in person, including state Sens. Melissa Ratcliff (D-Cottage Grove) and Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) as well as state Reps. Ryan Clancy (D-Milwaukee), Christian Phelps (D-Eau Claire), Maureen McCarville (D-DeForest).
Others joined from a Zoom call including state Reps. Deb Andraca (D-Whitefish Bay), Christine Sinicki (D-Milwaukee), Robyn Vining (D-Wauwatosa), Brienne Brown (D-Whitewater) and Darrin Madison (D-Milwaukee), who spoke on the call.
“We also continue to grieve and remember the loss of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Their lives mattered. Their families alongside every single family impacted by the actions of ICE deserve truth, justice and full accountability, and we stand with them in that demand. Right now, our communities are being tested,” Madison said.
Madison said that “our communities are being tested” by an agency that “too often treats our neighbors like targets instead of human beings.”
“Here in Wisconsin, we, too, are pushing back,” Madison said. “Faith leaders, workers and neighbors are building rapid response networks and community defense efforts to protect families when the system refuses to. We stand in solidarity with Minnesota and communities who are saying ‘We will not be divided. We will not be intimidated and we will not stop organizing until every family can live without fear because we must keep families together.’”
“Far too often, [African-American] contributions are confined to lessons about slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, or even limited to Martin Luther King's ‘I Have a Dream’ speech,” Sen. Dora Drake said. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)
As the Trump administration pulls down displays on Black history, Wisconsin state Sen. Dora Drake (D-Milwaukee) and Rep. Shelia Stubbs (D-Madison) are renewing their push for Wisconsin to bolster education on African-American history in schools.
Their bill would require the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to work with a handful of organizations, including the African American/Jewish Friendship Group, Inc., the Wisconsin Black Historical Society, America’s Black Holocaust Museum in Milwaukee and the University of Wisconsin system, to develop a model curriculum on African-American history for each grade from kindergarten through high school. The bill would have Black history instruction incorporated into model academic standards for social studies.
“African Americans have lived in Wisconsin for over 300 years — long before we officially became a state. Our ancestors, our heritage and our culture have shaped the development of our state and our nation in so many ways,” Stubbs said. “Unfortunately, the history lessons that are being taught to our children and the course of their education do not always reflect the fact.”
Stubbs said the bill would help students be better informed, develop empathy and an appreciation for Black perspectives and experiences.
“By actively working with community partners, who have extensive background and study and teach in African-American history, we’ll ensure that the information being shared with students is thorough, it’s accurate and is culturally sensitive,” Stubbs said.
Wisconsin already has a state statute that requires that school boards provide students with “an understanding of human relations, particularly with regard to American Indians, Black Americans, Hispanics, Hmong Americans, and Asian Americans,” and that law was recently changed by the state Legislature to include instruction about the state’s Hmong and Asian American communities.
But the lawmakers argue the state needs to go further.
“While there is language in the statutes to promote the understanding of human relations with regards to marginalized groups, we lack stronger language, specifically requiring the development of rigorous, developmentally appropriate curriculum with regard to the African-American history,” Stubbs said.
Former state Rep. LaKeshia Myers (D-Milwaukee) and former Sen. Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee) first introduced the proposal in 2021 following an uptick of racially insensitive incidents at schools.
The bill would require public school boards, independent charter schools and private schools to include instruction on African American history. DPI would need to hire three education consultants to assist schools with updating curriculum. The bill includes an appropriation of $384,000 for this purpose.
The bill would also prohibit DPI from granting a teaching license if someone hasn’t received instruction in African-American history.
Drake said that schools focusing on limited pieces of Black history overlook the “breadth and the depth” of Black history and allow for “misconceptions, misinterpretations and inaccurate history and historical lessons.”
“Far too often, [African-American] contributions are confined to lessons about slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, or even limited to Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech,” Drake said.
The civil right leader’s speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. has been a point of discussion recently among Wisconsin lawmakers, including Drake, as his speech has been used to justify a constitutional amendment proposal to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in Wisconsin local and state government.
Drake noted that the introduction of the bill comes as the National Park Service and federal agencies under leadership of President Donald Trump have been removing Black historical figures and events from their websites and museums. She specifically noted the removal of an exhibit titled “Freedom and Slavery in the Making of a New Nation” that memorialized nine people enslaved by George Washington at the presidential mansion by the National Park Service at the direction of Trump earlier this month.
“Their stories were removed,” Drake said. “This instance is far too similar to the millions of African-Americans’ stories that have been lost and forgotten.”
Drake said the bill would ensure that erasure doesn’t happen in Wisconsin by incorporating Black history into the state’s K-12 curriculum. She said students would learn about pivotal moments and figures including those who fought in the American Revolution, led rebellions against slavery, including Nat Turner, built thriving communities during the Reconstruction Era including Black Wall Street, and championed civil rights.
Sen. Dora Drake and Rep. Shelia Stubbs stand with member of the African American/Jewish Friendship Group, a nonprofit group that was started by Merle and Gerald Sternberg in 1990 to improve race relations in Dane County. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)
William Greer, the retired CEO of Journey Mental Health Center, Inc., a historical fiction writer and a member of the African American/Jewish Friendship Group, said he received little education on Black history in high school and as a student at UW-Madison, where he went to school with the goal of becoming an English teacher.
“I came away from those experiences with only your rudimentary knowledge of the contribution of African-Americans,” Greer said. “This left me with an impression of self-doubt.”
Greer said he later educated himself on Black writers, including James Baldwin, Toni Morrison and Zora Neale Hurston. It changed the trajectory of his life.
“I discovered that the fortitude and resilience of Black people did not begin or end in America. This discovery struck the shackles from my mind, and I was finally able to dream with purpose,” Greer said. “In today’s climate the stakes are too high to leave this critical learning to chance… America is the only country in the world that routinely has the word ‘dream’ attached to its name. People from all over the world come here in pursuit of the American Dream. Freedom, opportunity and diversity are the underpinnings of that dream and if you remove any one of these pillars, the dream will crumble.”
The African American/Jewish Friendship Group is a nonprofit group that was started by Merle and Gerald Sternberg in 1990 to improve race relations in Dane County.
The bill was announced just days before the start of Black History Month, though Merle Sternberg said education on Black history needs to go beyond February. She said teaching American history without including African-American history “would be like teaching math without addition or subtraction.”
“African-American history is U.S history and that traditional way of highlighting a few key figures and events during Black History Month is no longer sufficient,” Sternberg said. “Now more than ever, we need to give voice to Black history, not silence it.”
The bill would need to advance in the state Senate and Assembly, which are controlled by Republicans, to become law.
“This is something that should be supported by everyone,” Drake told reporters. “So it’ll be sent out for a cosponsorship and we’ll continue to have conversations to see if they can get it in the public hearing.”
Rep. Andrew Hysell said Wisconsin’s state level officials need to act when the federal government is “failing” people. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)
Wisconsin’s freshman Democratic lawmakers are calling for the state’s constitution to be amended to include an explicit protection for Wisconsinites’ fundamental right to privacy.
“For months, we have seen agents of the federal government run roughshod over the law and the Constitution. Doing so is harming and even killing Americans,” Rep. Andrew Hysell (D-Sun Prairie) said at a press conference. “Not surprisingly, people here in Wisconsin are very afraid. If members of ICE can kill with impunity, how can anyone feel safe? This should not be happening in the United States.”
The recent shooting of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse from Green Bay, by federal Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis has prompted an array of reactions from Wisconsin politicians including Gov. Tony Evers, who joined a lawsuit challenging the presence of federal immigration agents in the Twin Cities, and candidates for governor, including U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who said that “cooperation is how you avoid tragic consequences.”
Hysell said Wisconsin’s state level officials need to act when the federal government is “failing” people.
“When federal agents operate outside the limits set by the United States Constitution, state constitutions become the last meaningful line of defense for individual liberty,” Hysell said.
Hysell said that elevating an individual right to privacy in Wisconsin would place clear constitutional limits on government intrusion, including administrative warrants issued by enforcement agencies rather than judges, civil detentions that function as criminal restraints without criminal process, pretextual entry into homes and the collection or use of personal data and location information without individualized judicial review.
Hysell said a constitutional amendment would act as a stronger protection than a change in state law.
“A fundamental right flips the script in court. Instead of you having to plead to the judge that the government has done something wrong, the government has to justify how it had the power to do it in the first place,” Hysell said. “Wisconsin has a statutory right to privacy that provides some protection, but it’s not enough. Elevating the right to privacy to a constitutional level here in Wisconsin gives us protection from governmental overreach and abuse, exactly the kind of things we’ve seen in Minneapolis.”
Hysell said the bill has the support of all 23 first-term Democratic representatives.
“It’s actually quite simple,” Sen. Melissa Ratcliff (D-Cottage Grove) said. “It affirms Wisconsinites constitutional right to privacy. It’s very simple in language, and it’s a fundamental promise that deeply personal decisions belong to individuals and families — not politicians or the government.”
Constitutional amendments in Wisconsin have to pass two consecutive sessions of the state Legislature and receive approval from a majority of voters to become law.
Wisconsin voters have decided on 10 constitutional amendment questions in the last five years. There are likely to be three on deck, including one to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, on the ballot in November alongside Wisconsin’s open race for governor, Congressional races and state legislative races.
“Wisconsin constitutional amendments used to mean something, but now they have become weaponized by the Republican majority and used as a way to circumvent the governor’s desk all while debasing our state constitution,” Ratcliff said. “Today’s proposed Wisconsin constitutional right to privacy amendment is not political theater or abstract language. It’s about ensuring that government power has clear limits, that individuals are protected from unreasonable intrusion and that all of our core liberties are upheld.”
Hysell said there are 11 other states, including Montana and Alaska, that have privacy rights covered in their state constitutions.
The proposal will face a difficult path in the Republican-led Legislature.
Hysell said in response to a question about getting Republicans on board that “this really should be a nonpartisan issue because it’s about protecting all Americans.”
President Donald Trump endorsed Michael Alfonso, the son-in-law of Department of Transportation Sec. Sean Duffy, in the Republican primary for Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District Tuesday evening. (Alfonso headshot courtesy of campaign)
President Donald Trump endorsed Michael Alfonso, the son-in-law of Department of Transportation Sec. Sean Duffy, in the Republican primary for Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District Tuesday evening.
The race for the seat, which represents a large swath of the state’s northwest area, is open as current Rep. Tom Tiffany is running in the open race for governor. Trump has endorsed Tiffany in that race.
“It is my Great Honor to endorse MAGA Warrior Michael Alfonso, a young ‘STAR’ who is running to represent the incredible people of Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District,” Trump said in a post. “As your next Congressman, Michael will work tirelessly to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Champion our Amazing Farmers and Ranchers, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Advance American Energy DOMINANCE, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Support our Military/Veterans, Safeguard our Elections, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment.”
Alfonso, who is 25 and married to Duffy’s daughter Evita Duffy-Alfonso, announced his campaign for the seat in Oct. 2025, saying that “Northern Wisconsin needs to continue to have a representative who will truly put our families, communities, and America first.” He has worked as a producer for the The Dan Bongino podcast.
“I was born and raised with the traditional Wisconsin values of faith, community, and hard work – and now I’m ready to give back to the area that gave so much to me. I’ve watched as the American Dream has continued to slip away from the people who so deserve it,” Alfonso said. “I’ve seen the effects of higher taxes and the increased cost of living on our families and our farms, and the erosion of our constitutional rights.”
The seat was held by Duffy from 2010 until 2019 when he abruptly resigned to focus on his family especially as his ninth child was diagnosed with severe health complications.
Politico reports that Duffy’s campaigning on behalf of his son-in-law, including pushing Trump hard for an endorsement, had become a point of frustration in the White House.
“I show up for the American people and for my family, and I’ll never apologize for that. My son-in-law will make a great congressman, and I know he is honored to have President Trump’s complete and total endorsement,” Duffy said.
Trump’s endorsement has held significant sway in past elections in Wisconsin. Freshman U.S. Rep. Tony Wied, a businessman, entered the race for Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District in 2024 with Trump’s endorsement and went on to win a three-way primary that year.
Alfonso said it is his “greatest honor” to accept the endorsement.
“He is truly the greatest president of all time, and I pledge to be a steadfast MAGA warrior for the people of Wisconsin’s 7th District,” Alfonso said.
There are two other Republicans running for the open seat, which leans Republican, including Paul Wassgren, a businessman, and Jessi Ebben, a Stanley resident with a background in public relations and health care. Businessman Chris Armstrong and former state lawmaker and environmental advocate Fred Clark are running in the Democratic primary for the seat.
The Wisconsin College Republicans and Turning Point Action have endorsed Alfonso as well.
According to his campaign website, Alfonso has said that was “deeply inspired by the courage of Charlie Kirk, who risked his life to speak the truth on American campuses,” as a college student at UW-Madison. The website adds, “in the wake of Charlie’s assassination, Michael is ready to take on the challenge and honor of representing the hardworking people of Wisconsin’s 7th District.”
“He is an America First Gen-Z conservative who truly gets our generation, and will champion real conservative values as a congressman,” the Wisconsin College Republicans said in a statement.
Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann speaks at the first candidate forum of the campaign cycle. He said “affordability” is the greatest threat and expressed concerns about young people and retirees leaving the state to live elsewhere. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)
Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann announced Wednesday afternoon that he is ending his campaign for governor. The announcement comes after President Donald Trump endorsed Schoemann’s rival, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany Tuesday.
Schoemann, who launched his campaign about nine months ago, congratulated Tiffany on the endorsement.
“I wish Tom great success in November,” Schoemann said in a statement. “If we focus on the people of Wisconsin rather than fighting with one another, we can make Wisconsin the place to be, not just be from.”
Tiffany, who has represented Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District since 2020, has been considered the frontrunner in the GOP primary race since he entered in September 2025. In recent campaign finance reports, Tiffany outraised Schoemann by nearly $1.5 million.
Schoemann’s exit from the race clears the way for Tiffany to go on to be the Republican nominee in the general election in November. His is the second dropout from the GOP primary. Businessman Bill Berrien dropped out last year shortly after Tiffany joined the race.
Trump announced his endorsement of Tiffany in a Truth Social post on Tuesday evening, saying he has “always been at my side.” Tiffany told WISN-12 that he learned about the endorsement at a dinner and spoke to Schoemann on Wednesday.
“I think the primary is probably behind us,” Tiffany said.
Tiffany said in a statement that he appreciates Schoemann’s words.
“We are both committed to making Wisconsin the place to be,” Tiffany said. “As governor, I will ensure seniors, young families, and the next generation can afford to stay here by lowering property taxes and utility rates, cutting red tape to reduce housing costs and delivering honest government and strong schools for every Wisconsinite.”
The primary is scheduled for Aug 11. The Democratic primary field remains crowded and includes Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, Milwaukee Co. Executive David Crowley, state Sen. Kelda Roys, state Rep. Francesca Hong, former Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. CEO Missy Hughes, former Department of Administration Sec. Joel Brennan.
The winner of the Democratic primary will likely face Tiffany on Nov. 3.
The endorsement gives another boost to Tiffany’s primary campaign, though he was already considered the frontrunner. Tiffany at a press conference in October 2025. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)
President Donald Trump endorsed U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany for Wisconsin governor Tuesday evening, saying that the 7th Congressional District representative has “always been at my side.”
The endorsement gives another boost to Tiffany’s primary campaign, though he was already considered the frontrunner over Washington Co. Executive Josh Schoemann, who was the first candidate to join the open race.
“A very successful Businessman, Family Farmer, and State Legislator, prior to becoming a distinguished United States Congressman, Tom is a Proven Leader who has dedicated his life to serving his Community,” Trump said in his Truth Social post.
Trump said in his Truth Social post endorsing Tiffany that Wisconsin is a “very special place to me in that we had a BIG Presidential Election Win just over one year ago” and noted he had previously endorsed Tiffany in his campaign for Congress. Trump won Wisconsin over former Vice President Kamala Harris by a little over 29,000 votes in 2024. It was the second time a Republican had carried the state since 1984; the first time was Trump’s 2016 win in Wisconsin.
“As your next Governor, Tom will continue to work tirelessly to Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Champion American Energy DOMINANCE, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Ensure LAW AND ORDER, Strengthen our Brave Military/Veterans, Advance Election Integrity, Advocate for the Working Men and Women of Wisconsin, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment. He will fight to advance Common Sense Values, and put WISCONSIN, AND AMERICA, FIRST,” Trump said.
Tiffany, who has represented Wisconsin’s 7th CD since 2020, said he was honored to earn Trump’s endorsement.
“Just one year into his second term, wages are rising, gas prices are down, our economy is growing, and our border is secure,” Tiffany said in a statement.
“For seven years, Democrat leadership has pushed our state in the wrong direction. As governor, I will make Wisconsin great again by lowering utility rates and property taxes, cutting burdensome red tape, rooting out waste and fraud, and restoring common-sense leadership to Madison.”
Earlier this week at a press conference, Tiffany highlighted his plan to eliminate the 400-year veto issued by Evers which extended a two-year increase in school districts’ authority to raise school revenues for the next four centuries. He also said he would freeze property taxes should he become governor. Tiffany’s announcement was overshadowed by remarks he made about the recent shooting of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse from Green Bay, by federal Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis.
Tiffany said at the press conference that he hadn’t seen the video of the Pretti shooting. He followed up the next day with a social media post saying he would work with local, state and federal law enforcement to “remove criminal illegal aliens” and that Minnesota leaders should do the same.
“Cooperation is how you avoid tragic consequences. Deporting illegal aliens is how you make America safer. And waiting for the facts is how you avoid escalating the situation,” Tiffany said.
Bystander footage of the Pretti shooting shows him being pinned down by federal agents before being shot in the back and does not support Trump administration claims that he tried to assault or impede the agents.
The Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Devin Remiker issued a statement that tied Tiffany to a number of the actions taken under the Trump administration.
“We agree with Donald Trump — Tom Tiffany has been by his side for all of it: ICE murdering Americans in the streets, the Big Ugly Bill, ending funding for the Affordable Care Act, invading Greenland, and raising everyday costs. Donald Trump just made Tom Tiffany the general election nominee, and we will stop him from bringing his chaotic and dangerous agenda in November,” Remiker said.
Tiffany has often aligned himself with the Trump administration throughout his time in office including as one of two Wisconsin members of Congress who voted against certifying the 2020 presidential election results in two states. Prior to his time in Congress, Tiffany served in the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate.
Trump has previously been involved in primaries in Wisconsin and carried significant influence.
During the 2022 Republican governor’s primary, Trump endorsed businessman Tim Michels over former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, who at the time was considered the frontrunner in the race. Michels went on to win that primary with 47% of the vote. Michels lost in the general election to Gov. Tony Evers by 3.5 percentage points.
In 2024, Trump endorsed businessman U.S. Rep. Tony Wied, who won in a three-way primary that year and now represents Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District.
The Schoemann campaign has not responded to a request for comment from the Wisconsin Examiner.
The winner of the Aug. 11 Republican primary will face the winner of the Democratic primary on Nov. 3 this year. Several Democratic primary candidates issued reactions to Trump’s endorsement of Tiffany.
Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez said that “Wisconsinites know what ‘Trump–Tiffany leadership’ actually looks like. Higher health care costs. Cuts to Medicaid. Families squeezed by rent, groceries, and utility bills. Chaos and fear instead of safety. Those are their priorities. And we’re all paying the price.”
Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes said Trump endorsed Tiffany because “he’s been a rubber stamp for his agenda in Washington, giving tax cuts to the wealthiest while making life harder for families and farmers here at home.”
“It’s time to reject Trump’s chaos and Tiffany’s Washington Way and get things done the Wisconsin Way. That’s what I’ll do as Governor,” Barnes said.
Former Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. CEO Missy Hughes said that “Wisconsin needs a leader, not a sidekick.”
Milwaukee Co. Exec. David Crowley sarcastically congratulated Tiffany, saying he “would be a great addition to Trump’s Board of Peace.” He posted an edited photo of Trump with notorious fictional villains Voldemort, Darth Vader and the Joker as well as President of Russia Vladimir Putin.
Other candidates in the Democratic primary include state Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison), state Sen. Kelda Roys (D-Madison) and former Department of Administration Sec. Joel Brennan.
Rep. Elijah Behnke (R-Town of Chase) said that the Trump accounts are “designed to help families build long-term financial security” and allow children to “grow alongside the American economy.” (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)
Assembly Republicans proposed Tuesday that Wisconsin match federal policy by putting $1,000 of state funds into savings accounts for newborn babies in Wisconsin during President Donald Trump’s term.
The federal tax and spending bill signed into law by Trump in July 2025 included a provision that will allow for parents in the U.S. to create “Trump accounts,” which would be an IRA account, for their children. Under the provision, the federal government will provide $1,000 into the account for babies born between Jan. 1, 2025 through the end of 2028 and who are U.S. citizens with a valid Social Security number.
Rep. Elijah Behnke (R-Town of Chase) said that the accounts are “designed to help families build long-term financial security” and allow children to “grow alongside the American economy.” The money in the accounts will be invested in low-cost index funds tied to the U.S stock market, and the accounts will be managed by a private company.
Behnke said “starting early makes a powerful difference” for children who will have the funds set aside, which could be used for down payment on a house, higher education or starting a business in the future.
“We’re concerned that they’ll never be able to buy a home. Maybe this gives them a chance down the road,” Behnke said.
The bill will provide a state match of $1,000 to the accounts for babies born in Wisconsin.
Parents must opt in and open the accounts for the funds to be set aside and then invested. Children, parents, family members, friends and employers will also be able to contribute up to $5,000 per year per child to the account with funds unable to be accessed until recipients turn 18.
The investment account plan is not the only Trump administration policy that Wisconsin Republicans have sought to replicate at the state level this session. Others include exempting tips and overtime pay from the state income tax.
Behnke said lawmakers would tap the state’s budget surplus for the initiative. According to the bill draft, the state would set aside $60 million in annual funding for the 2025-27 budget cycle for this purpose.
“We have a surplus, thankfully, and it’s over a $1 billion, and obviously we’re discussing some property tax relief, but 60,000 kids [are] estimated to be born in Wisconsin each year, so that would be about $60 million put into account for the next couple years,” Behnke said.
Recent projections from the Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimate that the state’s budget surplus at the end of June 2027 will be $2.37 billion, which is about $1.5 billion above the projected balance when the current state budget was enacted last year. Evers has called for lawmakers to use over $1 billion from the surplus to address rising property taxes throughout the state. Republican lawmakers have signaled some willingness to work on the issue, including Behnke who said that “we’d all be taxed out of our homes if we don’t do something to fix it.”
Behnke said he did not know where the state Senate and Gov. Tony Evers stand on his proposal. Their support will be necessary for the policy to become a reality.
“I’ve asked one elected Democrat and he said he would get back to me,” Behnke said. “[Evers has] been very focused on kids’ education, and since we can use this fund for higher education, I mean, I think some of it would be attractive for him to sign.”
Behnke is also the lead Assembly author on a bipartisan bill that would give children born or adopted in Wisconsin $25 in a state-managed 529 account to help kickstart their educational savings. The bill has bipartisan support and recently received a public hearing in the state Senate last week.
Democratic lawmaker urges caution
One of the Democratic coauthors on that bill, Rep. Alex Joers (D-Waunakee), told the Wisconsin Examiner he recommends caution in pursuing a state match to the “Trump accounts.” He said he thought the effort was a “flashy” one meant to “grab headlines.”
“It’s a little bit risky to be putting our state funds towards a federal program that isn’t technically set up yet,” Joers said. “We’re basically having to make a dedicated state funding decision based on a federal program that hasn’t begun yet, so that’s to me a little bit fiscally concerning.”
The Trump administration has said that the accounts are supposed to become available on July 4, 2026.
Joers noted that the state has to “balance its ledger,” unlike the federal government, and Wisconsin policymakers are discussing using the budget surplus for property tax relief, boosting aid to schools, funding for child care and other priorities.
Joers said the “WisKids” bill is designed to be sustainable year after year, meanwhile the “Trump accounts” bill would expire after 2028.
Wisconsin has had a 529 account program for the last 25 years that is primarily managed through Edvest. According to the bill coauthors, there are over 400,000 accounts and assets totaling $8.6 billion under management.
Parents would need to claim the $25 before their child turns 10, under the legislation. The funds in the account could be used for college, technical education, credential programs or apprenticeships. Withdrawals from a 529 account are tax-free for qualified expenses including tuition, room and board.
“The reality is that most Wisconsin families still aren’t saving early for their child’s education, and many aren’t saving at all,” Behnke said in written testimony about the proposal. “WisKids is designed to change that… We know this approach works. Oklahoma saw a dramatic increase in family-owned 529 accounts after launching a similar program. A small investment at birth encouraged parents to keep saving and gave them a different way of thinking about their child’s future.”
Joers said that calculations show the $25 would potentially grow to be about $100, but the purpose of the bill is to act as a “tap on the shoulder” for parents and guardians to get them interested in starting an Edvest account.
The “WisKids” bill would not need additional state general purpose revenue, but would instead tap into existing funds held by the state Department of Financial Institutions (DFI).
According to a fiscal estimate by the agency, the legislation would use an existing college savings program trust fund, which is funded by administrative fees established by the college savings program board and imposed on college savings program accounts. The state stopped collecting fees on 529 accounts in 2005, but the funds have remained growing in the account and are ready to be used, Joers said.
Under the legislation, the minimum balance of the trust fund that must be maintained to meet the reasonably anticipated needs of the college savings program would have to be calculated and if the trust fund balance falls below that amount, the DFI would stop making deposits until the trust fund balance is sufficient.
“It’s in line with what their program was established for, but they can’t just do that. They need legislation to be able to do that,” Joers said.
Joers noted that Edvest accounts can be rolled over into a retirement account should the funds not be used for educational purposes.
Promoting the Trump accounts proposal, Behnke said that parents could supplement the account in a way that would be “life-changing.”
“Just with mom and dad, skipping one quick meal, or one small luxury a month — lets their kids become a millionaire,” Behnke said.
“That’s a bipartisan consensus that we want our kids born in Wisconsin to be best set up for the future,” Joers said. But, he cautioned, it’s important to do it in a way that’s “sustainable, and not just going along with the headlines of the day.”
U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany who is running for governor, said he had not seen the video of the shooting at a Monday press conference, more than 48 hours after the shooting occurred and as video of the shooting has circulated on social media and in major news outlets. Tiffany at his campaign launch in September 2025. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)
Wisconsin politicians are responding to the shooting of Alex Pretti, the ICU nurse from Green Bay who was killed Saturday by U.S. Border Patrol agents. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, the frontrunner in the Republican gubernatorial primary, said Monday he hadn’t seen widely circulated video of the shooting.
Pretti’s death prompted protests across the country including in Green Bay, his hometown. Gov. Tony Evers joined a lawsuit challenging the presence of federal immigration agents in the Twin Cities. Other Wisconsin politicians issued a variety of statements reacting to the shooting.
U.S. Rep. Tony Wied, whose district includes Green Bay, called the shooting in Minneapolis a “tragedy” in a statement Monday. Pretti was a graduate of Green Bay’s Preble High School.
“While we await a thorough investigation, I encourage my colleagues to tone down their rhetoric, which has put both law enforcement officers and the public at risk,” Wied said. “We can disagree on the issue but we must do so in a constructive and peaceful manner. Assaulting and impeding federal law enforcement is illegal and a recipe for disaster. As a country, we need to lower the temperature and allow law enforcement to do their jobs.”
Video of the moments leading up to the shooting, which shows Pretti being pinned down by a group of immigration agents before being shot in the back, does not support Trump administration claims that he tried to assault or impede the agents.
Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who is running for governor, said he had not seen the video of the shooting at a Monday press conference, more than 48 hours after the shooting occurred and as video of the shooting has circulated on social media and in major news outlets. Tiffany also called for “full investigation” of the shooting by the state and federal government.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Tiffany also said people have the right to carry legally registered concealed guns but should consider potential consequences. Pretti was a licensed gun owner, who according to a CNN analysis of bystander video had his gun removed from him before officers shot him.
“The problem is not the Second Amendment. If I saw a quote accurately this morning… it sounds like (Pretti’s) father had some discussion with him recently, saying, ‘Be careful when you go to something like this, make sure that you don’t get caught up in the chaos,” he said. “And unfortunately, he did.”
Democrats, including some who are running for governor, criticized Tiffany.
Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Devin Remiker called Tiffany’s claim not to have seen the video “a pathetic excuse from a pathetic man.”
“Tom Tiffany is, at best, a clueless coward and at worst a liar. Either way, he’s unfit to serve as governor of Wisconsin,” Remiker said.
“You haven’t watched the video yet? Let me sum it up for you,” former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes said in a social media post. “Trump’s ICE needlessly killed a US citizen without justification.”
Other Democratic candidates had a variety of responses including calling for immigration agents to vacate Minnesota and calling for the elimination of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. . ICE is responsible for enforcing immigration laws in the United States’s interior, while Border Patrol is supposed to do so near the country’s border, though according to USA Today, the two agencies have become increasingly hard to tell apart under the Trump administration.
State Sen. Kelda Roys (D-Madison) called for the abolishment of ICE after the shooting.
“ICE under Trump is incompatible with a free society. The Trump regime is making every single one of us less safe and less free. They are destroying public safety. They refuse to respect our constitution, our law, or our rights,” Roys said in a statement. “The organized, violent actions of ICE have left us with no other choice but to disarm, dismantle, and prosecute ICE.”
State Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison), who joined protests according to social media posts, said “Wisconsin stands with everyone resisting ICE in Minnesota” and called ICE an “enforcer of fascism that must be abolished and those responsible for the executions prosecuted.” Last week at a candidate forum with all of the Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls Hong said that “abolishing ICE is a meaningful policy.”
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said that the country needs to “stop pretending that large-scale immigration enforcement operations” in the Midwest are about public safety.
“People — regardless of immigration status or how federal authorities choose to define them — are in danger when ICE operates this way in our neighborhoods,” Crowley said. “At the same time, I echo Gov. Walz and Minnesota officials in urging people not to respond to violence with violence.”
Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, who previously had proposed banning ICE from certain sites in Wisconsin, said that “a government that puts its own citizens in harm’s way has failed its most basic responsibility. And I will never look away when the government gets this wrong. We have a choice about who we are and what we stand for: safety without cruelty, accountability without fear, and dignity for every human being.”
Missy Hughes, the former Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation CEO, said that “the lawless and deadly ICE invasion of Minneapolis is unAmerican — and Donald Trump is responsible for it.”
Joel Brennan, the former Department of Administration secretary, said he “recoiled in horror” watching the video of the recent fatal shooting and mourns for Pretti. He called for the “occupation” to end in American cities.
U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden has repeatedly claimed that the protests against ICE in Minneapolis are equivalent to an “insurrection.” He said on Monday in a Facebook post that he does not “celebrate the death of any American citizen” and the “deaths are tragic, and they never should have happened.”
But Van Orden blamed Democrats for “fueling hostility toward federal law enforcement.”
“When elected leaders and their allies normalize interference with officers doing their jobs, the outcome is entirely predictable and tragic,” Van Orden said.
Van Orden went on to compare Democratic leaders who have demanded that ICE and Border Patrol agents leave Minneapolis to Civil War Confederates.
“History has seen this before. In 1861, Confederates in the South demanded that federal troops abandon Fort Sumter. They framed it as de-escalation and local control. In reality, it was a rejection of federal authority and the rule of law. What began as political rhetoric and demands to remove federal presence quickly turned into open conflict, with deadly consequences for the nation,” Van Orden said. “As with any officer-involved shooting, this incident is under investigation. I fully support that process and will be closely following its findings. My support for federal law enforcement, and the rule of law they uphold, remains unwavering.”
CNN reported Monday that Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino, who has been at the center of the Trump administration immigration enforcement across the country, is leaving Minneapolis and DHS has suspended his access to his social media accounts. Trump is sending border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to take charge of immigration enforcement operations there.
Rebecca Cooke, who is challenging Van Orden in 2026, said in a social media post that Pretti’s killing represents “a federal agency out of control. ICE needs to vacate Minnesota and leave our neighbors alone. This is not a policy disagreement, this is a moral imperative.”
During debate on the floor, Rep. Dean Kaufert (R-Neenah) said that the GOP Knowles-Nelson bill isn’t perfect but is a compromise that will allow the program to continue into the future. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner).
A pared-back proposal that will continue the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship program, but without allowing for new land acquisition, passed the Assembly on Thursday, eliciting critical reactions from Democrats who said it won’t uphold the legacy of the program.
The Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson Stewardship Program was initially created during the 1989-1990 legislative session and signed into law by former Gov. Tommy Thompson. With the goal of preserving wildlife habitat and expanding outdoor recreation opportunities throughout the state, the program has authorized state borrowing and spending for state land acquisition and for grants to local governments and nonprofit conservation organizations. It has traditionally received bipartisan support in Wisconsin as it has been reauthorized several times over the years.
Two GOP bills, coauthored by Rep. Tony Kurtz (R-Wonewoc) and Sen. Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point), passed the Assembly in a 53-44 vote along party lines. The bills would extend the program for an additional two years, but in a limited form.
Under the amended proposal, the Knowles-Nelson program would be reauthorized until 2028, but the money set aside would mostly be for maintaining land that has already been purchased under the program.
The program’s land acquisition provisions have been essentially stripped in the legislation.
A previous version of the GOP bill would have authorized the program until fiscal year 2029–30. Gov. Tony Evers in his 2025-27 state budget proposal had called for investing over $1 billion and reauthorizing the program for another 10 years. Republicans rejected the proposal.
Rep. Shae Sortwell (R-Two Rivers) blamed the Wisconsin Supreme Court for the state of the proposal.
Wisconsin lawmakers for years exercised control over what Knowles-Nelson projects received funding through the state’s powerful Joint Finance Committee. Members of the committee could anonymously object to a project and have it upheld for an indeterminate amount of time.
The program and the power of the committee became the focus of a fight over the balance of power between the governor and lawmakers, with the state Supreme Court ruling in 2025 that the Joint Finance Committee did not have the authority to hold up spending through anonymous objections.
Sortwell said that the DNR should not be able to buy land without oversight from lawmakers.
“I don’t support their ideas to turn our authority of the Legislature over to unelected people,” Sortwell said. “We can build this up and do more things with it but let’s make sure we don’t lose what we have today. We can maintain the program. We can go ahead and make sure that we can keep the lands that we already have in good condition and continue moving forward.”
Under the amended version of AB 315, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) would only be able to obligate $1 million for land acquisition — a cut from $16 million. The $1 million could only be used for the Ice Age Trail. The bill would also allow for DNR to obligate $9.25 million for property development and local assistance — a cut from $14.25 million. The program would also limit the amount that could be obligated for recreational boating aids to $3 million.
The amended version of AB 612 reduces the amount that can be obligated each year to $13.25 million. It also includes $7.75 million for DNR property development and grants, $4 million for local assistance grants and $3 million for grants for wildlife habitat restoration. There would also be $250,000 set aside each year to be used for DNR land acquisitions, but acquisitions would be limited to parcels land that are 5 acres or less and meant to improve access to hunting, fishing, or trapping opportunities or is contiguous to state-owned land.
The bill would also require that large projects get approval from the full Legislature and limit grant or in-kind contributions for a project to 30%.
The DNR, under the bill, would also need to conduct a survey study of all of the land that has been acquired under the stewardship program including an inventory of all land acquired with money, proposed project boundaries and land acquisition priorities for the next two to five years, and proposed changes. The survey would need to be submitted to the Legislature in two years.
Recipients of a grant would also need to submit a report to the DNR on how the money was spent, and it would need to be publicly published.
The program is set to expire on June 30, 2026, without a reauthorization from the Legislature and Gov. Tony Evers.
Ahead of the vote on Thursday, Team Knowles-Nelson, a coalition of Wisconsin environmental conservation organizations, fishing and hunting advocates, trail builders, bicycle enthusiasts and others, said in a letter urging lawmakers to vote against the bills on the Assembly floor that they don’t propose a “workable path forward.”
“These bills include virtually no funding for land acquisition. Land trusts and local governments would have no dedicated ability to acquire land for either purpose — a fundamental departure from the program’s core mission,” Charles Carlin, the director of strategic initiatives at the nonprofit land trust organization Gathering Waters, said on behalf of the coalition. “While the bills provide habitat management grants to nonprofit conservation organizations, they impose an impractical framework. The grants are limited to habitat work on lands already owned by the state or local governments, excluding nonprofit-owned lands. This restriction undermines the collaborative conservation model that has made Knowles-Nelson successful for over three decades.”
During debate on the two bills, Democratic lawmakers said the bills were inadequate and would not preserve the intent of the program.
Rep. Vinnie Miresse (D-Stevens Point) declared that “every time Republicans amend the Knowles-Nelson proposal, it seems to get worse.”
“Without land acquisition, Republicans have neutered this program and rendered it Knowles-Nelson in name only,” Miresse said. He added that lawmakers’ attitude of treating people with different opinions as a “threat” is how legislation that “ignores history, disregards broad public support and turns a shared legacy into just another talking point” gets a vote.
“They chose the extremes, and that choice will cost the state a program that Wisconsinites overwhelmingly support,” Miresse said.
Rep. Angelito Tenorio (D-West Allis) said the bill is not a compromise, but is instead “table scraps.”
Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde (D-Milwaukee) talked about being a “birder” — someone who watches and observes birds as a hobby.
“We had the option to do a cost to continue… and it was rejected, and that disheartens me because when I go to places like Horicon Marsh when the birds are coming in, are migrating in, and I get to see goldfinches — there’s nothing like watching a chimney swift swoop down and try to get some food, or when you’re out and just walking around and navigating a red-winged blackbird swoops down tries to peck you in the head because it thinks that you are a crane trying to steal its eggs,” Moore Omokunde said. “We need to provide these opportunities for so many people in the state of Wisconsin to enjoy this.”
Republican lawmakers argued that the proposal was better than the Knowles-Nelson program ceasing to exist.
Rep. Dean Kaufert (R-Neenah) said that the bill isn’t perfect but is a compromise that will allow the program to continue into the future. He added that it would “help preserve some of our beautiful natural areas” for future generations to enjoy.
“Sometimes we get caught up in partisan politics, but let’s not make this about partisan politics. This bill deserves strong, bipartisan support,” Kaufert said.
“I would rather take half a cookie today, rather than no cookie today to make sure that we can continue the program,” Sortwell said. “You gotta vote yes today because if you vote no, you’re saying, you know, what? I’m not willing to compromise. It’s not good enough for me, and I’m going to vote no, because I’m going to be like a little kid and take my ball and go home.”
Evers told lawmakers in a letter earlier this month that he was “hopeful” they would be able to move forward on a reauthorization proposal for the Knowles-Nelson program.
“I would be glad to sign any reauthorization proposal that appropriately supports both land acquisition and property management of Wisconsin’s valuable natural resources and public lands to secure the future of this program that is so fundamental to Wisconsin’s proud and cherished tradition of conservation,” Evers said.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer announced the agreement on WisconsinEye during a joint press conference on Thursday. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) and Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer (D-Racine) announced a tentative agreement on providing state funding to WisconsinEye, the nonprofit that provides livestream coverage of state government.
Vos and Neubauer announced the agreement during a joint press conference on Thursday. According to Neubauer, the agreement will include an endowment, funded with the $10 million that lawmakers first set aside for WisconsinEye in 2023, as well as requirements that WisconsinEye fundraise to cover some operational costs.
“The interest will go to WisconsinEye each year so that they can fund the majority of their Capitol operations,” Neubauer said. “This is a really good start. It’s very important for the public to have access, and so we’re optimistic that we’re going to reach a bipartisan solution here soon.”
Vos said legislators also want to sign a short-term contract with WisconsinEye so the organization can broadcast the February floor period.
“We’ll hopefully turn that into a longer term contract where we provide them limited funding,” Vos said. “I think it’s a win-win for all.”
As of Thursday, the Assembly will have met four times on the floor without livestreamed or archived coverage of the sessions. The Senate has met once with a livestream facilitated by the Legislative Technology Services Bureau.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has announced plans to livestream its upcoming oral arguments on the Wisconsin Court System’s website.
“The idea of having one network and one operation for the courts and another for the Legislature, another for the executive branch, certainly is going to cost more than any amount we would give WisconsinEye,” Vos said. “They’ve already done a pretty good job. We’re going to make sure that they’re financially stable, and hopefully they continue doing the work that they’ve already done.”
Vos said that under the tentative agreement, $10 million in state funds would go into a trust fund and the interest accrued from it would be given to a “revamped” board of directors. He said it would be “still transparent and private.”
The $10 million in state funds was initially set aside in the state budget for the organization to use to build a permanent endowment, but it came with a requirement that WisconsinEye raise equivalent matching funds. The organization hasn’t raised enough money to access the funds. In the weeks since shutting down, WisconsinEye launched a GoFundMe that has raised nearly $50,000 from more than 260 donations.
Neubauer said that the interest from the trust fund is not expected to cover the organization’s nearly $1 million annual budget, so there is an expectation that it would raise a few hundred thousand dollars each year.
“They have said they are able to do [that] and are optimistic,” Neubauer said.
Neubauer said there will also be a few other provisions related to additional transparency in the organization’s operations and reporting to the Legislature.
The agreement would also need support from the state Senate. Vos said there was a good discussion on Thursday morning, that Assembly leaders “probably are more in sync” than their counterparts in the other house of the Legislature.
“I think they’re still working through some of the details of how they’d like to work, and that’s why we don’t have a finalized agreement,” Vos said. “We wanted to get the bill out there, start the idea. If they have a different concept, we’ll certainly go through to finalize it, but I think at least based on my discussions this morning, I feel like all four of us are in a similar place. I think our caucuses, we’d like to have some kind of access, it’s just what’s the best vehicle to do it.”
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) told reporters on Wednesday that his caucus believes “that giving the public access to see what we’re doing is important, but… just blindly giving money to an organization that’s asking us for money, but not giving us any answers, is certainly not the solution at this time.” Lawmakers had sent questions to WisconsinEye requesting information on its operations and didn’t receive answers until about 12 days after the deadline.
“We obviously believe that giving the public access to see what we're doing is important, but… just blindly giving money to an organization that's asking us for money, but not giving us any answers, is certainly not the solution at this time,” LeMahieu said. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)
The Wisconsin Senate passed three constitutional amendment proposals Wednesday, including one to eliminate DEI, one to limit the executive partial veto power and another to prohibit closures of places of worship during emergencies.
With WisconsinEye, the state government video streaming service, still offline, the first floor session of the year for the Senate was livestreamed with the help of the Legislative Technology Services Bureau.
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) told reporters ahead of the session that after WisconsinEye halted its coverage on Dec. 15, the co-chairs of the Legislative Joint Audit Committee sent a letter with questions to the nonprofit organization. The letter had a Jan. 9 deadline to reply, but the organization did not provide responses until Jan. 21.
“We obviously believe that giving the public access to see what we’re doing is important, but… just blindly giving money to an organization that’s asking us for money, but not giving us any answers, is certainly not the solution at this time,” LeMahieu said.
LeMahieu said he had not yet reviewed the answers WisconsinEye sent on Wednesday morning. He said the livestream was not a way to explore replacing WisconsinEye.
The state Legislature set aside $10 million in 2023 to help the organization build an endowment. But that grant came with a requirement that WisconsinEye to raise enough money to match the funds in order to access the state dollars. As it ran out of funds, WisconsinEye asked the state to make money available for its operating expenses without the match requirement.
LeMahieu noted that the organization had three years to raise funds and request money from the Joint Finance Committee.
“We just want to figure out, really, what’s going on. It’s not proof that we don’t need WisconsinEye…,” LeMahieu said. “The point of today is just so that the general public can see us in action today.”
During the floor session, the Senate also took up bills on tax exemptions and education.
Constitutional amendments on DEI, partial veto and places of worship
The Senate passed three constitutional amendment proposals, each of which is on its second consideration, during its Thursday floor session. Constitutional amendment proposals in Wisconsin must pass two consecutive sessions of the Legislature before they go to the voters for final approval.
Republicans have relied on constitutional amendment proposals in recent years to bypass Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. According to a Ballotopedia review, Wisconsin voters decided on 258 ballot measures between the state’s founding in 1846 and April 2025. About 71% — or 185 — measures were approved and 28% — or 73 — were defeated.
In the last five years, Wisconsin voters will have decided on 10 constitutional amendment questions — a divergence from some points in state history when Wisconsin has gone years without a constitutional amendment going before voters.
If approved by voters, AJR 102 would amend the state constitution to “prohibit governmental entities in the state from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education, public contracting, or public administration.”
Democratic lawmakers said the amendment would take the state backwards. They suggested amending the proposal to enshrine equality and same-sex marriage protections. Those proposals were voted down.
State Sen. Dora Drake (D-Milwaukee), who chairs the Legislative Black Caucus and has been working to call attention to the proposal over the last few weeks, likened the amendment to lawmakers rolling back Reconstruction efforts after the Civil War. She said the abandonment of Reconstruction efforts to bring justice to those who were enslaved, are the reason why the U.S. lived with Jim Crow laws for so long.
“Lawmakers made a decision to not protect [Americans],” Drake said. “Anything that was built was destroyed. It took nearly 80 years for our country to rectify that mistake with the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act and landmark Supreme Court decisions to undo that harm.”
Drake said the amendment would cause harm and eliminate measures that keep Wisconsinites safe.
“Republicans will send us back to the pre-Civil Rights era, possibly further,” Drake said.
Sen. Steve Nass (R-Whitewater) said the proposal is “long overdue” and would give Wisconsin voters the final say on “discrimination at all levels of government.” He said that programs including the Supplier Diversity Program, which was established in the 1980s and certifies minority-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned and woman-owned businesses to provide better opportunities for them to do business with the state of Wisconsin, and scholarships and loans within the state’s higher education system that consider race amount to discrimination.
“Past discrimination, however wrong, cannot be corrected with more discrimination,” Nass said, adding that merit, character and ability should be the only things considered when it comes to programs.
The Senate also voted on voice vote to pass SB 652, which would amend several programs offered in the University of Wisconsin system to focus on “disadvantaged” students as opposed to considering race. Some of those programs include the minority teacher loan program and minority undergraduate grants.
Bill coauthor Sen. Eric Wimberger (R-Oconto) said the proposal will make it so people are able to receive help based on their specific life experiences, rather than having their life experiences presumed.
“We’ll finally make eligibility based on need,” Wimberger said.
Drake emphasized that several of the programs, including the Minority Teacher Loan Program that was signed into law by Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson, were bipartisan efforts at the time they were created. She said lawmakers were forgetting history and abandoning the previous work that was done to address the barriers that students face. She said that the only thing that has changed is the election of President Donald Trump, who has targeted DEI initiatives, and launched a “war against Black and brown people.”
“Shifting the policy solely to disadvantaged students without acknowledging racial, ethnic disparities risks eroding the progress made to address educational inequities,” Drake said. “That doesn’t solve anything, it covers up the issue.”
Curtailing partial veto powers
SJR 116, if approved by voters, would prohibit the governor from using the state’s partial veto power to create or increase a tax or fee. It passed the Senate 18-15 along party lines and still needs to pass the Assembly before it would be set to go to voters.
The proposal was introduced in reaction to Gov. Tony Evers’ partial veto that he exercised on the state budget in 2023 that extended annual school revenue limits for 400 years.
Sen. Melissa Ratcliff (D-Cottage Grove) spoke against the proposal, saying that the partial veto power is one of the only checks that can “correct harmful or irresponsible provisions that come from the Legislature” and will “weaken one of the few checks that protects the public.”
AJR 10 would prohibit the state from ordering the closure of places of worship during a state of emergency. The Senate concurred in the bill in a 17-15 vote, meaning it will officially go to voters in November.
The proposal was introduced in response to actions taken during a state of emergency declared by Evers during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was no debate on the floor about the measure.
Tax exemptions
The Senate concurred in AB 38, which would mirror federal policy to exempt tips from state income taxes, in a 21-12 vote. Sen. Sarah Keyeski (D-Lodi), Sen. Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska) and Jamie Wall (D-Green Bay) joined Republicans in favor of the bill. The Assembly passed the bill last week, so it will now head to Evers for consideration.
The bill would allow tipped employees to deduct up to $25,000 in tips annually from their federal taxable income. Those earning more than $150,000 would not be eligible for the deduction.
The Democratic lawmakers who opposed the bill said it didn’t do enough to ensure that employees make a stable wage. Tipped employees in Wisconsin can currently make a minimum wage of $2.33.
Sen. Kelda Roys (D-Madison) said that raising the minimum wage would ensure that a person’s wage doesn’t rely on “the mood that somebody is in” or “somebody’s willingness to be sexually harassed.”
“We should not put working people through that,” Roys said.
“You don’t get everything you want in life,” Jacque said. “I think this is something that is going to make life a little bit easier for those who work in the service industry.”
“We don’t make the employers pay these people fairly,” Sen. LaTonya Johnson (D-Milwaukee) said. “These are the same people who have to rely on child care subsidies, who have to rely on Medicaid.”
Pfaff said in a statement that he voted for the bill because “hard working people continue to feel the pressure of rising costs every time they go to the grocery store, pay their rent and utility bills, and receive their new health insurance premium.”
SB 69, which will allow teachers who spend money on classroom expenses to claim a subtraction on their state income taxes of up to $300, passed unanimously.
Three education bills pass
The Senate voted 18-15 to concur in AB 602, a bill that instructs Evers to opt into the federal school choice tax credit program. It now goes to Evers.
A provision in the federal law signed by President Trump will provide a dollar-for-dollar tax credit of up to $1,700 to people who donate to a qualifying “scholarship granting program” to support certain educational expenses including tuition and board at private schools, tutoring and books, but governors must decide whether to opt in and have until Jan. 1, 2027 to do so.
Sen. Mary Felzkowski (R-Tomahawk) said during a press conference that the program would help provide additional funding to students without using state dollars. She emphasized that if the state doesn’t opt in, then Wisconsinites could still benefit from the credit by donating to programs in participating states, but those dollars would not go to Wisconsin students.
“We want to see those dollars stay in Wisconsin,” Felzkowski said.
Evers has previously said he wouldn’t opt the state into the program. He could veto the Republican bill instructing him to do so when it arrives at his desk.
Sex ed legislation
SB 371 passed 18-15 along party lines. It would add requirements for school districts that provide human growth and development programs to show high definition video of the development of the brain, heart, sex organs and other organs, a rendering of the fertilization process and fetal development and a presentation on each trimester of pregnancy and the physical and emotional health of the mother. It now goes to the Assembly for consideration.
Roys, the Madison Democrat, criticized the bill as being part of a “nationwide effort by some of the most extreme anti-abortion… to try to indoctrinate young children.” She noted that some of Wisconsin’s prominent anti-abortion organizations support the bill including the Wisconsin Catholic Conference, Pro-Life Wisconsin and Wisconsin Right to Life.
Felzkowski, the GOP author of the bill, said young people deserve to know “what happens to them, what happens to their body, what happens to a fetus… What are you afraid of? Why would a child having knowledge scare you?”
The Senate concurred in AB 457 18-15 and will now go to Evers for consideration. The bill would require Wisconsin school districts to submit their financial reports to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) on time before they can ask voters for funding through a referendum. It was introduced in reaction to Milwaukee Public Schools approving a large referendum and a subsequent financial reporting scandal in 2024.
the Senate Committee on Organization approved a livestream that will be facilitated by the Legislative Technology Services Bureau. The Wisconsin Senate votes on the state budget in July. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)
With WisconsinEye, the state government video streaming service, still offline, the state Senate is planning to livestream its floor session Wednesday when it votes on constitutional amendment proposals as well as bills related to income tax breaks and education.
According to a Friday memo from the office of Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg), the Senate Committee on Organization approved a livestream that will be facilitated by the Legislative Technology Services Bureau.
The memo states the goal of the stream is to enhance transparency and public availability, and that any use or distribution of the livestream is prohibited. Wednesday will be the first time since WisconsinEye went offline that the full Senate will meet to vote on legislation.
The absence of WisconsinEye, which halted coverage in December due to financial difficulties, means that for the first time since 2007 no organization is livestreaming and archiving meetings in the Legislature. Since Tuesday morning, WisconsinEye has raised more than $40,000 towards the $250,000 goal of its GoFundMe campaign to cover three months of operating expenses.
After WisconsinEye ceased coverage, Republicans began enforcing rules banning members of the public from recording committee proceedings. Democrats have criticized that move, saying the Legislature needs to be more transparent. One Republican committee chair told the Examiner that the enforcement of recording rules was in part due to concerns over the use of recordings for political purposes.
The state Assembly has met three times this year, including Tuesday, without sessions being livestreamed. It also has another floor session scheduled for Thursday.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said during a press conference that the presence of journalists at the floor session is why the Assembly is not doing something similar to the Senate in the absence of WisconsinEye. He said he didn’t see the need to try to recreate the service.
“People are reporting on [the floor session]. We are still trying to figure out if there’s a way for us to get WisconsinEye — we’ve had good meetings,” Vos said, adding that he has met with Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton) and Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer (D-Racine) on the issue. “I think, in the end, we’ll find some kind of an answer.”
“This bill is not coming from left field… This is something we've been talking about," Rep. Shannon Zimmerman said about his data center regulation bill. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)
The Assembly passed a Republican bill Tuesday to implement state regulations on data centers being built in Wisconsin. Democratic lawmakers said the measure wouldn’t effectively hold companies accountable, hold down electric rates for Wisconsinites or protect the environment.
Data center development is booming in Wisconsin. Microsoft this week proposed adding 15 data centers to a project in Mount Pleasant. Some projects in development has triggered pushback from area residents. According to datacentermap.com, there are at least 40 data centers currently in the state and more in development. Local governments, including in Madison, where the city council became the first in the state to pass a one-year moratorium on approvals for data center projects, are considering their roles in regulating or pushing forward projects.
AB 840, coauthored by Rep. Shannon Zimmerman (R-River Falls) and Sen. Romaine Quinn (R-Birchwood), establishing regulations of data centers, passed 53-44. Rep. Joy Goeben (R-Hobart) joined Democrats voting against the bill, while Rep. Steve Doyle and Jodi Emerson (D-Eau Claire) voted with Republicans in favor of the bill.
“This bill balances the strategic and economic benefits of AI and data centers to the state while balancing concerns that ratepayers may have over energy, and that some may have over environmental implications,” Zimmerman said at a press conference ahead of the floor session.
Democratic lawmakers were critical of the bill, saying it doesn’t go far enough to protect Wisconsinites.
“We need to take action to regulate data centers, but we need to get it right. Unfortunately, the GOP bill that we’re voting on today will not do what it promises,” Minority Leader Greta Neubauer (D-Racine) told reporters ahead of the floor session, adding that the bill process was “rushed.” The GOP bill was introduced on Jan. 9, and received a public hearing on Jan. 14.
“It will not hold corporations accountable in the way that we should, and it doesn’t protect our communities entirely from the higher energy costs that are being discussed,” Neubauer said. She asserted that Republican lawmakers “don’t actually want to regulate data centers or large corporations.”
Zimmerman said the bill is responsive to concerns from constituents.
“Hands down the concerns are concern over ratepayer protection, concern over water, concern over land, and protection of those sort of things,” Zimmerman said. “This bill is not coming from left field… This is something we’ve been talking about.”
Whether the bill becomes law is up in the air. It must pass the Senate and be signed by Gov. Tony Evers, who has expressed some skepticism about it.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Evers’ spokesperson Britt Cudaback said on Jan. 14 that “the one thing environmentalists, labor, utilities, and data center companies can all agree on right now is how bad Republican lawmakers’ data center bill is.”
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said he didn’t know why Evers “would ever consider vetoing this bill, especially considering the fact that it is really based on what the citizens have said.”
“I don’t think being on the side of not wanting data center regulation is anywhere near the middle, so we have been very thoughtful in what we put forward,” Vos said.
The Republican bill includes a number of requirements including having the Public Service Commission (PSC) ensure that no costs related to construction of electric infrastructure for data centers are allocated to other customers and requiring that any renewable energy facilities that are primarily serving a data center must be located within the data center site. Democratic lawmakers said the requirement would stifle the development of renewable energy in Wisconsin and expansion of the state’s energy portfolio.
“Their limits on renewable energy would come at a significant cost to consumers and are clearly a continuation of the GOP’s ongoing allegiance with the fossil fuel industry,” Neubauer said.
“Their limits on renewable energy would come at a significant cost to consumers and are clearly a continuation of the GOP’s ongoing allegiance with the fossil fuel industry,” Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer (D-Racine) said. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner).
Zimmerman said, however, that requiring renewable sources on site would ensure that a local community is benefiting from jobs that are created.
Under the bill, water used for cooling purposes in a data center is required to be contained in a “closed-loop cooling system,” or “or any other system that uses an amount of water equal to or less than the amount that a closed-loop cooling system would use.” A closed-loop cooling system uses a fixed amount of water to keep data centers cool.
An amendment to the bill states that the requirements will only apply to large data centers that begin operating or undergo construction after the bill takes effect.
Data center operators also will be required to submit annual reports to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on the total amount of water used in a year. An amendment to the bill also says that data center developers should as much as possible encourage hiring of Wisconsin residents.
“This bill is not a reaction to any of those data centers acting in various ways. This is just smart legislation to make sure we have the rules of the road going forward,” Zimmerman said.
The bill also says no one can operate a large data center unless they file a bond in an amount sufficient to cover the estimated cost of fulfilling any required reclamation with the DNR.
An amendment to the bill also clarifies that if the permit granted for the construction of a large data center expires before the center is finished, then the owner must notify the DNR and local government. It requires that if it isn’t finished by the date then the owner must work to restore the land as much as possible.
Zimmerman said the provision gives flexibility to local governments for recourse in the case a project is abandoned.
According to the Wisconsin Lobbying website, the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation and the Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin Inc. registered in favor of the bill. There are several more groups registered against the bill, including Wisconsin Conservation Voters and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Construction Electrician Local Unions.
Democratic lawmakers, led by Rep. Angela Stroud (D-Ashland) and Sen. Jodi Habush Sinykin (D-Whitefish Bay), have proposed their own legislation to regulate data centers. That bill, AB 722, would place data centers in their own class of “very large customers” to ensure that everyday ratepayers don’t bear the costs of data centers’ energy demands. It would also take steps to regulate data centers and encourage renewable energy use. Lawmakers introduced the bill as an amendment during the floor session, but Republican lawmakers voted it down.
Stroud said the GOP bill is a “concept of an idea.”
“There’s nothing in the bill that the PSC could actually implement to do the job it says it’s going to do,” Stroud said.
Stroud said her proposal, while “not perfect,” would “get us as close as possible to the central goal of protecting the public by controlling costs, creating transparency and making sure that we’re keeping as much value in our communities as possible.”
Under the Democratic bill, data center companies would be required to pay an annual fee to the Department of Administration (DOA); revenue which would go towards renewable energy programs. It would also have companies submit quarterly reports to the PSC on the amount of energy being used by data centers as well as information on the source of the energy. Water utilities would also need to publicly report when a single customer will account for more than 25% of the total water usage in the district.
The bill would require that companies pay workers at construction sites the prevailing wage rate or if the employee is a union member, then the rate in the worker’s collective bargaining agreement — whichever rate is higher. It also says that to qualify for sales tax exemptions available to data centers under current law, companies would need to meet labor requirements and source 70% of their energy from renewable sources.
Vos said that the Democratic bill will “have very little impact on the average person unless you’re a union activist or someone who wants renewable energy everywhere.”
Wisconsin Republicans are pushing to eliminate diversity initiatives throughout the state with a constitutional amendment that will likely go to voters this fall and through a government efficiency effort that seeks to cut DEI training and programs. | Illustration by stellalevi/Getty Images Creative
Republican efforts to target diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs throughout Wisconsin are advancing this week with a constitutional amendment likely to appear on ballots this fall following a Wednesday Senate vote.
For the last several years, Republican lawmakers have sought to limit DEI in Wisconsin including by introducing bills that were vetoed by Gov. Tony Evers, holding hostage pay raises for the University of Wisconsin system employees during negotiations to limit DEI, and now, placing a constitutional amendment before voters. The efforts come as the Trump administration has also targeted DEI in the federal government and throughout the country.
“It’s just a larger attack that we’re seeing in this country against anything that uplifts our most marginalized communities…,” Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus Sen. Dora Drake (D-Milwaukee) told the Wisconsin Examiner in an interview. “This started even before, you know, President Trump was elected. There’s just been a pushback with these programs and it’s because we’re starting to see some progress.”
The Wisconsin State Senate will vote this week on a constitutional amendment that would prohibit local governments from “discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to” anyone based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. The proposal was first introduced and passed by the Republican-led Legislature in 2024. It is one of three constitutional amendment proposals that voters may have the final say on in November.
Drake has been seeking to increase awareness of the anti-DEI constitutional amendment over the last week.
Constitutional amendment proposals must pass two consecutive sessions of the state Legislature before they are placed on ballots. In recent years, Republicans have, with mixed results, relied on constitutional amendment proposals to bypass Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.
If AJR 102 passes on Wednesday, voters will see the following question on their ballots in November: “Shall section 27 of article I of the constitution be created to prohibit governmental entities in the state from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education, public contracting, or public administration?”
Authors of the amendment, including Rep. Dave Murphy (R-Hortonville), have said the proposal will restore “merit, fairness and equality to government practices from the state Capitol, all the way down to our school boards and everything in between.” It passed the Assembly last week.
Drake counters that Republican lawmakers are misleading Wisconsinites.
Sen. Dora Drake | Photo courtesy Dora Drake for State Senate
“Legislative Republicans had the opportunity to expand economic and educational opportunities for all Wisconsinites. They’re the ones that have power, and yet they chose not to,” Drake said. “They are now trying to pin the reason why people are struggling on Black and brown people, women and other minority Wisconsinites for their failures by misleading people with what this ballot measure would do.”
Drake brought together Black leaders in Milwaukee including Mayor Cavalier Johnson and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who is running for governor, to speak against the constitutional amendment proposal.
Johnson said at the press conference that the city complies with state and federal law.
“As mayor of a majority-minority city, I know firsthand that when every resident has the tools and every resident has the resources at their disposal to succeed, the entire community is strong,” he said.
Drake has spoken about the risk of losing programs including the state’s Supplier Diversity Program, which was established in the 1980s and certifies minority-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned and woman-owned businesses to provide better opportunities for them to do business with the state of Wisconsin. She also says she thinks the proposal could have farther reaching consequences. For example, she said, she thinks the Holocaust education bill that lawmakers passed and Evers signed last session could be disallowed. That effort was approved in the same year that the state enacted legislation to require education on Hmong and Asian American history in schools.
“The reality is in the constitutional amendment resolution they’re putting forth, it applies for any type of public dollars, so… if our public schools and school boards put money towards that, in a way, you’re giving preferential treatment to teaching that specific history,” Drake said. “It’s so much more than just the programs… that Milwaukee county and the city have.”
“They’re saying that this constitutional amendment would prevent discrimination, but then it’s preventing the government from taking actions when discrimination actually happens, so essentially, you’re outlawing accountability when discrimination does occur,” Drake said.
The Senate will vote on the proposal just days after Martin Luther King Day. Republican lawmakers have cited the civil rights leader’s teachings as justification for the amendment.
“The principle of a colorblind equality and merit-based decision-making is again articulated by one of their greatest civil rights leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr,” Sen. Steve Nass (R-Whitewater), the other lead author of the proposed amendment, said at a hearing in the Senate Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs Committee on Jan. 7. “Using immutable characteristics like race, sex, color, ethnicity, national origin and the like to discriminate against or grant any individual or group is wrong, no matter who it targets or what the reason, it creates distrust and injust division and represents resentments that divide people instead of uniting them. Past discrimination, however wrong, cannot be corrected with more discrimination.”
Nass said the amendment would ensure people are hired, promoted, selected and admitted to school in the “same way we choose people for our Olympic team.”
Drake said the lawmakers who are citing MLK misunderstand his legacy.
“The reality is that he was someone that was a pioneer in his time and he wasn’t liked because he actually challenged and named the systematic structures that cause disparities throughout this country,” Drake said. “He actively called out his fellow white faith leaders on why they were silent in the face of injustice. He never advocated for a so-called colorblind society. What he was advocating for was that people have access to opportunity.”
GOAT report identifies recommendations to eliminate DEI
The goals of the amendment — and the broader desire to eliminate DEI — were on display during an informational hearing in the Assembly Government Operations, Accountability and Transparency (GOAT) committee on a recent report compiled by Rep. Shae Sortwell.
Rep. Shae Sortwell speaks to the GOAT committee about his report. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)
The Republican from Two Rivers used his authority on the GOAT committee, which was created to be the state’s version of the federal Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), in February 2025 to begin investigating DEI practices in local government. He submitted open records requests to Wisconsin’s 72 counties, the 50 largest municipalities throughout the state and all school districts.
The resulting report released on Jan. 9 was more than 80 pages long. Sortwell also listed thousands of pages of records from counties and municipalities on his website.
During a Jan. 15 hearing on the report, Sortwell told the GOAT committee that he wanted it to be a “fact-finding” mission. The Wisconsin Counties Association helped guide counties in responding to the requests.
“This is what we found so that you can draw your own conclusions as to what you think,” Sortwell said.
Four counties Buffalo, Richland, Sawyer and Waupaca didn’t have relevant records to share.
Pierce County did not provide any records to the committee and was identified as uncooperative, according to the report. Sortwell noted during the hearing that Pierce is small and it is possible that is the reason they didn’t reply.
The following municipalities reported that they had no records: Ashwaubenon, Brookfield, Caledonia, Fond du Lac, Fox Crossing, Germantown, Howard, Marshfield, Menasha, Menominee Falls, Mequon, Mount Pleasant, New Berlin, Oak Creek, Oconomowoc, Pleasant Prairie, West Bend and Wisconsin Rapids. Janesville and Sheboygan failed to provide records to the committee.
Sortwell discussed spending that some counties, including Rock, Milwaukee and Waukesha, did on DEI training and a “disproportionality” conference hosted by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) in 2024.
He also highlighted the report’s finding that the Manitowoc mayor attended 24 DEI-related trainings between 2021 and 2023 for a cost of $4,000.
“I’m trying to understand what he didn’t get in the first 23… Is he so racist and homophobic or something that you couldn’t manage to figure out not to treat people badly because they’re different from him in the first 23?” Sortwell said. “Where’s the controls here?”
The report listed a number of recommendations for potential bills lawmakers could pass including one to remove DEI language from state grants, to “prohibit all levels of government from contracting with vendors within a discriminatory DEI lens,” to remove the term “health equity” from all state laws and administrative codes, to prohibit policies and practices relating to equity, prohibit the hiring of DEI staff and use of DEI terminology throughout government, the use of funds for DEI trainings and the requirement that employees participate in such trainings and to prohibit DPI from requiring that school districts “adhere to discriminatory and race-based policies and practices, including spending local tax dollars to fund such.”
Sortwell said he thought the constitutional amendment would take care of some of the recommendations, but that other measures could be needed.
Chair of the committee Rep. Amanda Nedweski (R-Pleasant Prairie) said at the hearing that she thought the report “presents a lot of high-level evidence, probably just scratching the surface really, for why we need this constitutional amendment.”
Sortwell said the recommendations included in the report were based on his judgment.
Democratic lawmakers on the committee, however, spoke to the value of DEI work and questioned the framing and findings of the report.
Rep. Angelina Cruz (D-Racine) told the Wisconsin Examiner that the report includes “gross mischaracterizations” of DEI and “reflects a deep misunderstanding of what DEI is,” and said she would frame the report as more of a “witch hunt” than an investigation.
Cruz said she thought the process of compiling the report was not transparent. She noted that Sortwell’s work on the report was not discussed with Democratic members of the committee before he started and that lawmakers did not have much time to review the thousands of pages before the hearing.
“If you want to talk about waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer money, it is to waste public servants’ time and our taxpayer resources on generating the data that produce these conclusions that are not grounded in good research methodology,” Cruz said.
Rep. Mike Bare (D-Verona), the ranking member of the committee, told Nedweski during the hearing that he found her comment troubling.
“I don’t want to make a partisan game here, but I think there’s one side who sees these as not valuable and one side that does see them as valuable,” Bare said.
The report noted that local health departments have prioritized “health equity” — noting that the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) includes in its rules that local health departments work to help create it. The report called “health equity” a “phantom DEI term.”
Republicans and Democrats then engaged in a back and forth about the meaning of the term health equity.
“I don’t think we should be treating people differently because they check some box… that’s equality and I support that, and equity says I want a certain outcome, so I’m going to rig the system,” Sortwell said.
“I don’t think you have to rig the system — and I don’t think a lot of the things that you’ve pointed out are about rigging the system — services for moms or children support services,” Bare said. “We’re trying to allow for an outcome to be possible… You’ve got 50,000 pages. You didn’t do any analysis to tell us why this is bad. There is a lot more that goes into [the question] should we have health equity or not beyond ideology.”
Nearly $800 million in funding for Wisconsin hospitals is in question due to potential rule changes under consideration by the Trump administration. (Photo by Thomas Barwick/Getty Images)
Nearly $800 million in funding for Wisconsin hospitals is in question due to potential rule changes under consideration by the Trump administration.
Wisconsin lawmakers and Gov. Tony Evers rushed to finish the state budget in July, ahead of federal legislation making it to President Donald Trump’s desk, to ensure the state draw down additional federal funds. Whether the state will be able to benefit from that funding is now uncertain.
The 2025-27 state budget included a provision to increase its Medicaid hospital assessment from 1.8% to 6% as a way to supplement the state’s Medicaid resources with matching contributions from the federal government. The change was meant to increase payments to hospitals and to offset the state’s funding for the Medical Assistance program. It was estimated to result in over $1 billion in additional revenue for Wisconsin hospitals.
A Legislative Fiscal Bureau analysis this week found that “preliminary federal guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has created some uncertainty about the allowability of changes to Wisconsin’s hospital assessment.”
The analysis said that if the increase is disallowed then it would lead to a general purpose revenue shortfall of $396 million annually — or $792 million in the 2025-27 biennium.
“CMS indicated that this matter will be addressed through formal rule making procedures, and thus will be subject to provisions of notice and public comment. Pending additional information from the federal government, the allowability of the Act 15 changes is not currently known,” the LFB analysis stated.
A group of eight Democratic state lawmakers, including state Rep. Steve Doyle and Sen. Brad Pfaff, both from Onalaska, sent a letter to U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden urging him to take action to help ensure Wisconsin receives the funds. Following the state budget, Van Orden claimed credit for helping secure the extra funds for the state.
“Our hospitals, and especially our rural hospitals were counting on that funding to keep their
doors open… At a time when our medical institutions are facing unprecedented financial challenges, we must do everything we can to ensure their ability to continue to operate. Our state budget was counting on it, and our constituents’ lives literally depend on it. We implore you to do everything in your power to reverse these catastrophic decisions,” the lawmakers wrote.
There are about 11 months until the primary, which is scheduled for August 11. Gubernatorial candidates at a November forum. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)
The first campaign finance reports of the year show that Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley is leading the Democratic primary field in fundraising, while U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany is ahead in the Republican primary field. Tiffany has raised about $2 million, the most of any candidate. The reports cover the period from July 1 to Dec. 31, 2025.
There are about 11 months until the primary, which is scheduled for August 11.
Crowley leads Democratic field
Crowley, who launched his campaign in September, has raised $800,949, including $789,281 in donations and $11,666 in in-kind contributions. About $138,000 was transferred to his governor’s campaign from his county executive campaign committee account.
According to his campaign finance report, he spent $187,529 and finished the period with $602,181 cash on hand. Seven contributors gave the maximum $20,000 donation allowed in the governor’s race, including executive of the Milwaukee Bucks Alex Lasry.
“People across Wisconsin are feeling the financial squeeze, and they want a governor who knows how to get things done,” Crowley said in a statement. He said the support is providing him “the resources to build a serious, statewide operation focused on delivering results for working families.”
Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, who launched her campaign in July becoming the first Democratic candidate in the race, raised $618,284 in donations and $2,034 in in-kind contributions. She spent $174,894 and ended the period with $603,075.
The Democratic Lt. Governors Association pledged in October to invest $2 million in independent expenditures in 2026 to support Rodriguez’s campaign. She listed a $86,000 contribution from the PAC.
Former Department of Administration Sec. Joel Brennan, the latest candidate to launch a campaign, reported raising $566,212 in donations and $1,610 in in-kind contributions. He spent $13,873 and reported having $552,339 on hand at the end of the period.
Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes raised $555,647 since launching his campaign on Dec. 2 from 3,790 donations. He spent $88,265 and ended the period with $471,471. Shortly after launching his campaign, Barnes said his fundraising goal is $50 million over the course of his campaign.
According to his campaign finance report, he received donations of the maximum $20,000 from megadonors George and Alexander Soros.
Former Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation CEO Missy Hughes reported raising $465,403 and $13,681 in in-kind donations. She spent $63,059 and ended the period with $402,344 on hand.
State Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison), a Democratic socialist, raised $368,685 in donations and $1,188 from in-kind contributions, though she also spent a majority of the funds during the period. According to her report, Hong spent $234,782 during the period and ended it with $134,588 on hand.
Hong’s fundraising came from over 7,300 donors. According to her campaign, the average donation was $49.96 and about 75% of the total dollars raised came from donors in Wisconsin.
State Sen. Kelda Roys (D-Madison) raised $355,455 in donations and $23,132 from in-kind contributions during the period. According to her report, she spent $84,930 and reported having $334,032 on hand.
Roys reported four donations of the maximum $20,000, including from her husband and Peter Gunder, a former executive at American Family Insurance, and his wife.
In a statement, Roys’ campaign said that about 82% of the donations to her campaign came from Wisconsin residents and that she isn’t accepting corporate donations.
“Kelda’s campaign is funded by grassroots donors from every corner of the state. With our disciplined financial management and a committed Wisconsin donor base that is growing every day, Kelda will have the resources necessary to win the primary on August 11,” Roys’ campaign manager Jasper Bernstein said in a statement.
Tiffany leads Schoemann in fundraising
Tiffany, who launched his campaign in September, led the field of GOP candidates, reported over $2 million raised — raising the most of any candidate in the Democratic or Republican field. The Republican primary field is much smaller than the Democratic field with only two candidates.
According to his campaign finance report, Tiffany raised $2,122,489 in donations and also received $3,808 in in-kind contributions. He spent $438,160 and ended the period with $1,695,038 on-hand.
Tiffany also received $20,000 each from Republican megadonors Diane Hendricks, Dick Uihlein and Liz Uihlein.
The largest donation Tiffany reported was $86,000 from the Wisconsin Federation of College Republicans. Wisconsin state law allows for unlimited donations from political parties to candidates.The College Republicans, who boasted raising over $1 million, had received $500,000 from the Uihleins.
Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann, who launched his campaign in early May, reported raising nearly $1 million over the course of the year.
During the reporting period from July to December, he brought in $535,650 in donations and $3,649 in in-kind donations. He spent $381,394 during the period and ended it with $492,495 in-hand.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) told reporters ahead of the session that his caucus was seeking to address affordability with the legislation. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner).
The Wisconsin Assembly — seeking to align state policy with Trump administration initiatives — passed bills Thursday to exempt overtime pay and tips from income tax. Lawmakers also passed bills to make English the official language of the state as well as school related bills.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) told reporters ahead of the session that his caucus was seeking to address affordability with the legislation, though Democratic lawmakers argued the bills would not help address the issue in an effective way.
AB 38 would implement an income tax exemption for cash tips paid to an employee that would sunset in 2028. President Donald Trump signed a law in July to allow workers to deduct up to $25,000 in tips annually from their federal taxable income. Those earning more than $150,000 aren’t eligible for the deduction.
The Wisconsin bill would apply the same policy when it comes to the state income tax. The deduction would apply to tips whether paid by cash or credit.
Bill coauthor Rep. Ron Tusler (R-Harrison) said the tips tax cut is for the working and middle class. The bill passed 61-33 with a handful of Democrats joining Republicans. Rep. Lee Snodgrass (D-Appleton) and Rep. Robyn Vining (D-Wauwatosa) abstained from the vote.
“Tips are primarily earned by the working class and the lower middle class and tips should never have been taxed. A tip is a gift, it’s not income,” Tusler said. “Tips are not mandatory; they are a way to say thank you to someone.”
Tusler told reporters that his legislation wasn’t permanent because legislators want to “watch and see how it works out.”
“I think it would be a great idea for it to become permanent someday. I hope it does,” Tusler said.
Tusler also called on the Department of Revenue (DOR) to “get to work right away” should the bill become law to ensure it has forms ready.
“This bill is going to pass, and it’s going to get signed by the governor, but if the Department of Revenue doesn’t get ready for that, they will not have their forms ready for the tip earners come tax time. Those tip earners will wind up paying their taxes for 2025 and then they’ll have to refile their taxes to pay it to get their tip refund back. That’s not something we should be asking working-class and middle-class taxpayers to do.”
Evers told reporters Monday that he is open to looking at Republican proposals to eliminate taxes on overtime and tips but wants to consider more “universal” forms of tax relief. He has proposed property tax relief as well as exempting certain items from the sales tax including diapers and over-the-counter medications.
Rep. Ryan Clancy (D-Milwaukee) tried to introduce an amendment to bring tipped employees, who can make a minimum wage of $2.33, up to the minimum wage of $7.25. He said it would’ve helped raise the standard of living for workers across the state.
“Restaurant workers, hotel cleaners, bartenders, and too many other Wisconsin workers still rely on the inconsistent generosity of their customers just to survive. This is a terrible system that primarily benefits bosses and corporations – it’s also rife for abuse, leading to frequent unethical and sometimes illegal behavior like forced pooling of tips, assigning of non-tipped work assignments to tipped employees, and outright tip theft by bosses and managers,” Clancy said in a statement.
His amendment was rejected by Republican lawmakers.
The Assembly also passed AB 461 in a 61-35 vote. It would create an income tax subtraction for certain overtime compensation. Single filers could claim up to $12,500 per year under the subtraction, while joint filers could claim up to $25,000. Unlike the “no tax on tips” bill, this policy change would be permanent.
Bill coauthor Rep. Paul Melotik (R-Grafton) noted that overtime work can be essential to communities and also take a toll on family life. He said the bill would help support the “hard-working people of Wisconsin, who put out extra effort… whether it’s nurses working double shifts, deputies filling in on weekends, line workers staying late to meet production goals or service employees keeping the doors open.
Bill to make English the official language.
AB 377 would make English Wisconsin’s official language and allow state agencies to use artificial intelligence translation tools instead of providing an interpreter to people during court proceedings.
The bill passed 51-43. Rep. Jessie Rodriguez (R-Oak Creek) voted with Democratic lawmakers against the bill.
Rep. Priscilla Prado (D-Milwaukee), who chairs the Wisconsin Hispanic Legislative Caucus, delivered her opposition to the bill in Spanish — telling lawmakers that after that they could “use Google to translate that.” Prado stood again later to deliver her remarks in English, saying she would help lawmakers out.
“You want to make it legal to use AI as a translator, which might be useful for ordering lunch, but certainly not sufficient for legal hearings, official forms and civil rights — not to mention that this implementation of AI would, quite literally, take jobs away from Wisconsinites who work as translators,” Prado said. “If efficiency were the goal, we would be talking about improving language access, not political symbolism. Wisconsin does not lose its identity because Spanish or another language is spoken. What it does lose is credibility when it ignores a substantial part of its population.”
Rep. Nate Gustafson (R-Ormo) said he didn’t think the bill was stripping people of their identity, but would instead give people a “tool in the toolbox.”
“It allows our legal system to move efficiently and forward instead of waiting on, let’s say, a limited pool of resources that aren’t there again,” Gustafson said. “We have declining birth rate. Our absolute workforce is obviously diminished at this point, but we’re still reliant on people at the end of the day. There is a point where we need to give the people who are doing these jobs the tools to be more efficient.”
Bill coauthor Rep. Dave Murphy (R-Hortonville), speaking after Prado, said the speech represented a failure to communicate as most people in the Assembly did not understand what she said.
“One of the important things about having an official language for society is language draws people together, and I think it’s really important to give a society cohesiveness with people that speak the same language. Now, that doesn’t mean that this bill in some way makes it illegal, or you know, somehow, impeaches your ability to to speak another language, however I think we are making a mistake here that if you speak English in the society — it’s a huge advantage to you.”
School revenue and lunches
AB 457, coauthored by Rep. Amanda Nedweski (R-Pleasant Prairie) and Sen. Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield), would require Wisconsin school districts’ financial reports to the Department of Public Instruction on time before they are able to go to referendum. It passed 52-44 with Republicans for and Democrats against.
The bill was introduced in response to Milwaukee Public Schools’ financial scandal where the district was months late in submitting financial documents to the state. The news was unveiled just weeks after voters had approved a historic referendum for the state’s largest school district.
Rep. Christian Phelps (D-Eau Claire) said that the bill was a “distraction” from other issues that school districts and property taxpayers are facing.
Wisconsin taxpayers’ December bills included the highest increase since 2018. The increase followed a controversial line item veto by Gov. Tony Evers , which extended a one-time increases to school revenue limits for the next 400 years. State lawmakers did not provide additional state aid to schools, pushing many districts to use their additional taxing authority and others to go to referendum to ask local residents to raise their own taxes.
“The Department of Public Instruction is already working through any financial issues that they need to work through with the Milwaukee Public Schools,” Phelps said. “Educators and property taxpayers just are not buying the Republican spin. They can see the impact of what this building has done on the services in our public schools and their property tax bills, so it is frankly a waste of taxpayer-funded time for us to debate this silly bill that isn’t going anywhere.”
Referencing the acronym for the school district, Nedweski called her bill the MPS bill — saying it stood for “maximizing public scrutiny.” Nedweski said her bill is “straightforward” and would ensure that school districts are transparent before seeking to raise property taxes.
“Public trust was shattered,” Nedweski said of the Milwaukee schools financial reporting failure. She also asked whether the outcome of the Milwaukee referendum would have been different if voters had known about the absent financial reports.
“As property taxes continue to rise thanks to that 400-year Democrat property tax increase, it’s imperative that voters have complete information about the financial outlook of their school district before voting to further raise their own taxes,” Nedweski said. “This bill does not ask school districts to do anything new. It is not one new hoop they have to jump through… They are already supposed to be completing and submitting their financial information on time in accordance with state law.”
AB 226 would prohibit Wisconsin public schools, independent charter schools, and private schools participating in a parental choice program serving meals that contain certain ingredients. Some of the food additives that would be prohibited include brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, azodicarbonamide and red dye No. 3, which can be found in candy, fruit juices and cookies.
The bill is another instance of GOP lawmakers seeking to align state policies with Trump administration efforts. The exclusion of the additives is meant to target “ultra processed foods,” which were one of the top concerns outlined by Health Sec. Robert F. Kennedy and a report the Trump administration commissioned.
It passed 53-43. A handful of Democrats, including Reps. Deb Andraca (D-Whitefish Bay), Jill Billings (D-La Crosse), Brienne Brown (D-Whitewater) and Renuka Mayadev (D-Madison), voted for the bill, while a handful of Republicans voted against the bill including Reps. Lindee Brill (R-Sheboygan Falls), Joy Goeben (R-Hobart) and Chuck Wichgers (R-Muskego).
The LFB projection is about $1.53 billion above the projected balance when the 2025-27 biennial budget was enacted last year. Wisconsin State Capitol. (Examiner file photo)
According to a Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) analysis released on Thursday, Wisconsin’s general fund balance at the end of the biennium, June 30, 2027, is projected to be $2.37 billion. The projection is about $1.53 billion above the projected balance when the 2025-27 biennial budget was enacted last year.
According to the LFB, the majority of the growth, $1.367 billion, is due to an increase in estimated tax collections. Other contributions to the growth include $104 million in departmental revenues, an increase of $49.9 million in sum sufficient appropriations and an increase of $107.8 million in the amounts that are estimated to lapse to the general fund.
Both Republicans and Democrats sought to take credit for the news.
Rep. Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) and Sen. Howard Marklein (R- Spring Green) said in a statement that Republicans’ “long-standing commitment to responsible budgeting and fiscal discipline is working.”
The lawmakers warned that the state should continue to exercise caution.
“These increased revenue estimates are driven in part by strong stock market performance and resulting tax collections,” the lawmakers said. “We must be careful when committing to ongoing spending using one-time money. Our disciplined approach has delivered results and put Wisconsin in a strong fiscal position.”
Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton) said that the numbers are “a tribute to Wisconsin Democrats, who have prioritized investments in the people of Wisconsin that have improved our state’s economy, provided middle class tax relief and helped make Wisconsin a state where businesses want to invest and families want to live.”
Gov. Tony Evers told reporters that the revenues were larger than expected on Monday and he wanted to use the funds for priorities including over $1 billion in property tax relief. Republican lawmakers have said that they want Evers’ 400-year veto, which gave school districts the ability to enact annual revenue limit increases, repealed in order to deal with rising tax cuts.
Preschool children playing with colorful shapes and toys in a child care center. (Getty Images)
The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families Sec.-designee Jeff Pertl told reporters that he is confident in the state’s child care accountability measures and isn’t concerned about the state potentially losing federal funding.
Last week, the Trump administration froze over $10 billion in federal child care funds designated for Minnesota and four other states amid fraud allegations. The funds cover child care subsidies, social services and cash support for low-income families.
Pertl told reporters that “nothing can stop the president from politicizing an issue.”
“I think we all see that playing out in a variety of ways all across the country right now, and I think that concerns everyone frankly,” Pertl said.
Even with the politicization of the issue, Pertl expressed confidence in Wisconsin’s system.
The Wisconsin Shares program is a subsidy program for low-income families where funds are paid to parents on an EBT card that is then used to pay a child care provider. According to the agency, this program is the main way that federal child care funding is utilized in Wisconsin. There is also some funding that goes towards quality improvement for programs, training and technical assistance.
Pertl said January payments have already gone out to families and he said he doesn’t expect any issues with February payments or other future payments.
“People are using them. Folks should have confidence in the system,” Pertl said. “We’re likely to see an increase, maybe, in reporting requirements, but our system is well positioned to be able to meet those and continue to move forward. It may be administratively burdensome, and maybe more paperwork and things we’ve got to collect, but we’re confident that our system, particularly because of its unique history, is probably one of the best systems in the country for being able to navigate some of the questions that are coming in.”
Wisconsin dealt with significant fraud involving improper payments a decade ago, which led to the state beefing up its accountability measures.
A 2009 Pulitzer prize-winning investigation by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel uncovered fraud within the WisconsinShares program that led to criminal indictments and prompted the state to implement protections.
An audit that year by the Legislative Audit Bureau found there was an estimated $16.7 to $18.5 million in improper subsidy payments made and child care providers were estimated to have received an additional $4 million in improper subsidy payments as a result of errors or fraudulent reporting.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester), who was in the Legislature at the time, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in December that he remembers the work that was undertaken to address the issue in 2009.
“I want to definitely make sure it’s not happening again,” Vos said. He noted that he hasn’t heard of specific examples of fraud happening, but he doesn’t “want to assume that it’s not.”
Gov. Tony Evers also told reporters this week that Wisconsin is “in a good place.”
“There’s lots of auditing going on… so I think we’re in a great place,” he said.
Some of the reforms that the state has adopted relating to ensuring proper payments include expanding program integrity staff, improving attendance tracking and reporting, implementing fingerprint background checks, expanding the list of crimes that prohibit someone from running a child care center, adopting YoungStar, which is the quality rating system in the state, and moving to using EBT cards.
The state has also passed laws to allow DCF to collect money from providers if they go out of business and to suspend or revoke licenses and subsidy payments to people previously convicted of crimes relating to the operation of a business.
Those measures can help ensure accountability.
“How do you know when it’s fraud? How do you know when a kid just stopped showing up?” Pertl asked. “When we do the licensing visit or get a tip or we’re checking the enrollment and attendance records, if there’s discrepancies… that’s going to trigger a review. It might trigger a claw-back and recovery of money.”
Wisconsin DCF also maintains a list on its website of child care centers that have been suspended or terminated from the WisconsinShares program.
The federal government conducts monitoring checks every three years. In recent years, Wisconsin has had a low payment error rate. In 2023, the last time the check happened, Wisconsin’s error rate was 2.9%. In 2020, it was 1.81% and in 2017, it was 4.35%. In 2013, the error rate was 18.84%.
Pertl noted that the changes made by the state were a bipartisan effort under the administrations of former Govs. Jim Doyle, a Democrat, and Scott Walker, a Republican.
“There are certainly some very significant issues going on in Minnesota and there is no question that the president politicizes this for an agenda and targets folks for it,” Pertl said. “I think what you’ve seen [Gov. Evers] say and what you see Wisconsin leaders doing is showing that we have a strong system that has navigated these issues, that has high integrity, that addresses these things when they come, and so we’re confident about our ability to continue to run a robust and great child care system.”
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