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Johnson, Tiffany and Fitzgerald vote ‘no’ on avoiding government shutdown

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Members of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation were mixed on whether or not to avoid a government shutdown. A stopgap measure to prevent that shutdown passed both the House and Senate last week and was signed by President Biden.

In the U.S. Senate, Republican Ron Johnson voted against the measure while Democrat Tammy Baldwin was in favor.

In the House, a matching bipartisan stopgap bill passed 335 in favor and 91 against. All of Wisconsin’s Representatives voted for the bill with the exception of Republicans Tom Tiffany and Scott Fitzgerald.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is now facing a challenge from members of the Republican far-right wing in the House over the passage of the measure.

DHS Secretary would not mandate COVID vaccines or mask wearing

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Wisconsin’s top health official says we’ve learned a lot since COVID’s early days. Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Kirtsen Johnson recently noted the toll of the pandemic.

“Almost 17,000 people have died in Wisconsin from COVID since 2020,” she told the state Senate Health Committee last week.

Johnson – who was Washington Ozaukee Public Health Department director at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic was questioned during a confirmation hearing

“We certainly made mistakes. Part of this is it was a novel virus, we didn’t know what we didn’t know. And we were making the best decisions we could out of a host of bad decisions. Would I make some of those same decisions today? Absolutely not.”

Johnson told the committee that she would not support vaccine mandates, but still recommends them. “People need to evaluate their own risk. I’m personally vaccinated, my children are vaccinated, my parents are vaccinated, I would highly recommend everyone gets vaccinated.’

Johnson also said she wouldn’t support future mask mandates, but that at-risk individuals should continue to wear them.

Liberal activist group wants to stop Protasiewicz impeachment panel from meeting in secret

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A liberal government watchdog group wants a judge to shut down Assembly Speaker Robin Vos’ panel to examine impeachment of Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz.

American Oversight argues that the panel ought to be subject to open meetings laws. In Dane County Court on Friday, Vos’ attorney Matt Fernholz said that’s not true.

“There is no panel that is necessarily formed or going to prepare a formal report at this point,’ Fernholz said. “It is merely Speaker Vos speaking to individuals.”

“It just boggles my mind that all of this could be done in secret to the point where we don’t even know who is advising the speaker on these issues,” American Oversight attorney Christa Westerberg told Dane County Judge Frank Remington

Remington said public statements from Vos seem to contradict the argument that a panel does not actually exist. The case is currently in the hands of the Dane County district attorney, and both sides will be back in court in two weeks for an update.

 

Republicans take no action on Evers’ special session

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An expected outcome at the Capitol. Republican legislative leaders in the state Senate and Assembly gaveled in and out of session on Wednesday, after signaling they’d take no action on a special session from Democratic Governor Tony Evers almost as soon as he called it more than a month ago.

Evers wanted lawmakers to take up a $1 billion workforce development package, including $365 million to support hard-pressed child care providers. In a statement, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) faulted Evers for twice vetoing a bill that would have imposed work-search requirements on welfare recipients.

“Senate Republicans will continue to stand with Wisconsin families that are struggling with inflation by presenting a workforce development proposal to the Governor,” LaMahieu said.

Meanwhile, a new study from a non-partisan research group details child care costs for Wisconsin families. Kevin Dospoy is deputy director of Forward Analytics.“We’re not advocating for any policy one way or the other, but we know that parents need to pay for childcare,” Dospoy told WKOW. “We know that childcare is very expensive and parents can’t really pay more.”

The report (“Priced Out: The Steep Cost of Childcare in Wisconsin”) found the average annual cost of infant child care in Wisconsin in 2021 was $13,572. That’s more than the $10,766 annual tuition at UW-Madison.

Republicans propose American Family Field funding plan

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Republicans in the Wisconsin Assembly have proposed a $614-million plan to keep the Brewers in Milwaukee and upgrade American Family Field. The new plan would raise income taxes on MLB Players and staff, including the Brewers.

“Unfortunately, the amount of money that was generated and has been spent so far, doesn’t even allow the team to remain in Wisconsin unless something is done as quickly as possible,” said Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester).

Under the plan, the Brewers will chip in for repairs to American Family Field, including winterizing the park for use year round. “We’ve asked the Brewers to step up and they have the Brewers are going to contribute an additional 100 million dollars over the term of the contract. And that is in addition to their current rent and other capital investments,” said Representative Robert Brooks (R-Saukville).

The plan also requires investments from Milwaukee city and county.

The plan unveiled Monday was greeted cautiously by Democrats. In a statement, a spokesperson for Governor Tony Evers said it’s unfortunate Republicans rejected a proposal Evers’ made earlier this year, to spend $290 million in state money to fund Brewers ballpark renovations. Evers looks forward to reviewing the Republican proposal and continuing conversations.

Assembly Democratic Leader Greta Neubauer of Racine and Assistant Leader Kalan Haywood of Milwaukee said the Republican proposal falls short of recognizing the regional benefit of AmFam Field and places too great of a financial burden on the city and county of Milwaukee.

Speaker Vos threatens to cut UW funding over plans to keep DEI staff

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A threat to UW System funding over DEI. 

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said Thursday afternoon the University of Wisconsin System “will never get another nickel out of the Legislature” unless it cuts diversity, equity and inclusion programming. Vos responded in a statement to the Daily Cardinal, after the paper reported that UW-Madison vice chancellor for student affairs Lori Reesor confirmed DEI positions would not be cut during a Wednesday meeting with student government. 

Republicans on the Legislature’s budget committee cut $32 million from the UW System’s 2023-25 state budget and tied that to elimination of 188 DEI positions. Democratic Governor Tony Evers used a partial veto to let UW officials absorb the cut as they see fit.

Legislative leaders react to Planned Parenthood’s resumption of abortion care in Wisconsin

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State legislative leaders reacted to news that Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin will resume offering abortion services next week.

“We are celebrating the restoration of abortion access for Wisconsinites today, and we are of course going to continue to fight to expand and protect these rights going forward,” Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer (D-Racine) said Thursday.

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin President and CEO Tanya Atkinson announced that abortion care will be offered beginning on Monday, at PPWI clinics in Milwaukee and Madison.

“It makes me remember that the job that we are doing is literally a matter of life and death,” said Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester). “I will pray tonight for all the unborn children who will no longer have the opportunity to be born.”

Vos said legal action by the legislature to block abortions is unlikely, but that outside groups may file a legal challenge, since the state’s 1849 law blocking most abortions remains on the books.

Kaul files lawsuit following Senate vote to oust WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe

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As expected, legal action quickly followed a vote on the status of Wisconsin’s elections administrator. The Wisconsin State Senate voted 22-11 along partisan lines Thursday to not accept the appointment of Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe – with Republicans effectively attempting to fire her from the position.

Democrats argued the action was not properly before the chamber and that Wolfe may remain in the post.

Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul agreed and said Republicans were out of order because Wolfe didn’t need to be reappointed. “There is in fact no appointment, the Commission was clear that there is no appointment. And more importantly, Wisconsin law is clear that there’s no appointment because the votes of four commissioners in favor of an appointment were required.”

Kaul filed a lawsuit in Dane County Court, asking a judge to rule the Senate action invalid and to prohibit appointment of an interim administrator.

Democrats argued that a recent state supreme court ruling that allowed a Republican appointee to the Natural Resources Board to stay on past the term of his office also applies to Wolfe. Kaul said the Senate has no power to reject her.

Wolfe said she won’t leave her position unless ordered to by a court. “The Senate’s vote today to remove me is not a referendum on the job I do, but rather a reaction to not achieving the political outcome they desire,” she said Thursday.

“It’s unfortunate that political pressures have forced a group of our lawmakers to embrace unfounded rumors about my leadership, my role on the commission, and our system of elections.”

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin to resume abortions starting next Monday

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Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin will resume providing abortions next week. The announcement was made Thursday by Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin President and CEO Tanya Atkinson

“A ruling by the Dane County Circuit Court in July made it clear that the 1849 law is not enforceable for voluntary abortions. This Monday, September 18, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin will resume abortion care at our Water Street Health Center in Milwaukee and in Madison at our Madison East Health Center.”

Atkinson said PPWI is confident in the decision after consulting with attorneys and doctors. The action comes as a legal challenge to the state’s 1849 law prohibiting nearly all abortions is expected to be heard by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, where liberal justices now hold the majority.

Assembly set to debate Iowa style redistricting bill

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At the Capitol, the state Assembly votes Thursday on a fast-tracked redistricting bill.

The measure to adopt Iowa style redistricting was announced Tuesday by Republicans. Representative Travis Tranel of Cuba City said he hoped Democrats who have called for fair maps and that the Iowa model is the way to go, will support the bill and that Democratic Governor Tony Evers will sign it.

That’s unlikely. Minority Leader Greta Nuebauer said Republicans – and Speaker Robin Vos – would retain redistricting authority under a bill. Evers has stated his disapproval of the bill, calling it “bogus.”