Highlights of Gov. Tony Evers' 2021-23 budget proposal

The bill would also include business liability protections from COVID-19 related lawsuits.

Evers' budget proposes spending almost $566 million in federal and state funds for major highway programs over the biennium, including $75 million for local multimodal transportation projects.

Law Forward filed complaints with the Wisconsin Elections Commission and Milwaukee County District Attorney.

Limbaugh died Wednesday at 70.

Evers’ 2021-23 budget would raise total spending nearly 10% over current levels, similar to the increase Evers proposed in his first budget. A finalized budget is due by July 1.

If Priebus runs next year, it could set up a heated Republican primary that might also include former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefish, who appears almost certain to launch a bid for governor.

The bill allows DWD to begin seeking firms to update the unemployment system, which has been estimated to cost at least $80 million.

The legislation allows the state Department of Workforce Development to begin seeking bids from companies for updates to the unemployment insurance system, which has been estimated to cost at least $80 million.

Opponents of the proposed legislation say the measure would raid hundreds of millions of dollars from the state's general fund intended to support education, health care and other purposes.

Since last March, 78 state public defenders have left the agency — some for significant pay increases in the private sector or other governmental entities, while others have departed for smaller pay increases.

State Republicans have grown increasingly critical of school districts that continue to offer virtual courses.

Bewley didn't immediately retract her comment but issued a statement later calling it a failed attempt at sarcasm.

Tony Evers said he would veto the proposed bill, which mirrors a measure that was included in a Republican COVID-19 relief package that the governor vetoed in early February.

State Republicans have already signaled plans to scrap the Democratic governor's budget and draft their own from scratch

Public hearings are planned for April 9 at UW-Whitewater, April 21 at Rhinelander's Hodag Dome and April 22 at UW-Stout in Menomonie. The budget committee also will host an online session on April 28.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said Republicans remain opposed to the move, which could extend coverage to 90,900.

Grothman expressed opposition to a measure included in the bill that would expand the earned income tax credit for single people, which he described as a "marriage penalty."

The mailer alters two of Jagler's responses to a candidate questionnaire, making them read like endorsements.

The move by Republicans to eliminate 384 items from Evers' spending plan leaves the 2019-21 budget, which was opposed by Democratic lawmakers, but signed by Evers, as a starting point for the 2021-23 biennial budget discussion.

Also this week, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said he has concerns with reinstating the state's one-week waiting period waiver, which could cut the state off from an estimated $2.6 million in weekly federal dollars.

Individuals do not have to file any extension forms and no interest or penalties will accrue during the extended period. Interest and late filing fees begin to apply beginning May 18.

Gov. Tony Evers is likely to veto the bill that would give the Republican-controlled budget committee more say over how COVID-19 stimulus funds are spent.

The legislation allows the sale of takeout drinks by the glass so long as container has a “tamper-evident seal.”

Jagler has not responded to the State Journal since first being asked about it March 15.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said last week a veto by Evers could result in yet another court battle between the Democratic governor and Republican state lawmakers.

"It’s time to just move forward and get everybody with a shot in their arm."

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers looks to distribute more than $3 billion in federal coronavirus stimulus dollars approved last month, while state Republicans have unveiled their own set of priorities for how those funds should be spent.

Gov. Evers has control over $3.2 billion in federal dollars following the latest stimulus package and the Democratic governor has signaled he's likely to veto the GOP-authored bills if they reach his desk.

The mayors urge the federal government to "deliver an American passenger rail network as a top priority in infrastructure investment."

Legislative Fiscal Bureau also reports the increase is about $12 lower than what property taxes would be under current law.

On Thursday Democratic Gov. Tony Evers again shut down efforts by legislative Republicans to gain control over federal stimulus funds, over which the governor has sole discretion.

The governor also announced $420 million in grants to an estimated 84,000 small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The governor also signed three bipartisan bills related to tipped employees, the sale of state-owned properties and updates to state's definition of stalking.

The bill limits claims to no more than 32 weeks after the injury is first reported and restricts compensation for such a diagnosis to three times, regardless of a change in employment status.

"Our guideline is to get it out the door as soon as possible," Evers said of the federal funds.

Evers said last week he was still awaiting federal guidelines on how the stimulus could be used, but hoped to provide an update to the budget committee in the near future.

Republicans on the state’s budget committee plan to vote Thursday to remove 15 pages containing hundreds of items from consideration.

The budget committee also passed on Evers’ request for funding to buy body cameras for Capitol police officers and postponed a vote on broadband expansion spending.

The Republican plan would also provide a $39 per pupil increase to school districts that held in-person classes for more than 50% of the 2020-21 school year, for a minimum of $781 per student. Schools that did not provide that level of in-person instruction would see no increase in funding.

Evers has not formally indicated if he plans to seek a second term in 2022, but has said he is likely to make a decision after the 2021-23 biennial budget is complete.

The committee also rejected Gov. Tony Evers' request for funding to create new Department of Motor Vehicles service centers in Madison and Green Bay.

New projections open up massive opportunities as the GOP-led budget committee looks to finalize the 2021-23 biennial budget by the end of the month. 

Gov. Tony Evers said his reelection campaign will focus on "unfinished business" from his first term, while also looking to buck Wisconsin's swing state trend of favoring the party not in the White House.

On Wednesday, the Fiscal Bureau said additional federal stimulus packages would provide an additional $784.4 million for schools, if the state meets the necessary funding requirement.

Republicans on the committee also voted to spend about $4.3 million over the two-year period to staff about 19 positions at Oakhill Correctional Institute’s new elderly inmate facility in Dane County.

Projections that the state will take in more than $4.4 billion in additional tax collections by July 2023 provide a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity for Republicans and Democrats to address some of Wisconsin’s long-standing challenges, according to a new report.

The committee also approved a $3.5 billion increase over the biennium to the state Department of Health Services’ budget, though Democratic members of the committee said the GOP budget falls short in several areas.

GOP leaders said the tax cuts would result in $1,200 in savings for a typical family over the two-year period. Most would go toward individuals making $100,000 or more.

Republicans say their plan to give $408 million to school districts without increasing their ability to spend it will qualify the state for $2.3 billion in federal COVID funds.

The budget committee last Thursday voted to set aside about $202 million in state funds over the biennium to backfill local jurisdictions for tax revenue that would be lost by eliminating the tax.

Republicans plan to take up the GOP-authored budget in the Assembly on Tuesday and the Senate on Wednesday.

With the aid of an unprecedented $4.4 billion surplus at their hands, Republicans in the budget committee last week worked more than $3 billion in tax cuts into the budget.

The state Senate is expected to vote on the budget Wednesday, after which it will be sent to Evers, who can sign it, veto it in full or use his line-item veto power to make changes to the document.

The Senate voted 23-9, with Democratic Senate Minority Leader Janet Bewley, of Mason, and Sen. Brad Pfaff, D-Onalaska, joining with Republicans, in favor of the budget, which includes more than $3 billion in income and property tax cuts.