Wisconsin schools file lawsuit against Legislature over school funding (EAU CLAIRE)
A group of teachers and school districts are suing the Wisconsin Legislature for more state aid for students. The lawsuit was filed Monday in Eau Claire County by liberal Madison based law firm Law Forward on behalf of 19 plaintiffs. It accuses Republicans in the legislature of failing to uphold Wisconsin’s constitutional requirement to provide all students a “sound, basic, and uniform education.” Districts have long been restricted from raising their spending, and the Legislature under Republican leadership has reduced per-pupil state aid. The last time districts attempted to use the legislative process to change the school spending formula was in 2000, when the State Supreme Court’s conservative majority upheld the formula. The court’s current liberal majority will likely rule differently if this lawsuit advances.
Wisconsin Hospital Association warns of future health care worker shortages (UNDATED)
A new report warns there will not be enough health care workers in Wisconsin to keep up with patient needs. The annual report from the Wisconsin Hospital Association finds there are too many job vacancies in the health care system, even with an increase in hiring since the pandemic. W H A vice president Ann Zenk says health care demands are expected to increase by 10 percent as the state’s population continues to age. The report also shows doctors are increasingly leaving their positions because of friction with insurance companies that often lag in allowing coverage for needed treatments or denying those treatments entirely. The WHA wants better laws on prior authorization practices, better educational pathways to employment for health care workers, and better access to at-home care and telehealth to keep up with demands.
Students at Lawrence University push back against TP USA chapter (APPLETON)
Students at a private university in Wisconsin are opposing a conservative group’s plans for a campus chapter. Turning Point USA, the student organization founded by the late Charlie Kirk, wants to open a chapter at Lawrence University in Appleton. Some Lawrence students do not care to have the group recognized, enough to circulate a petition to have the university’s Community Council deny the request. T P USA is accusing the university of discrimination and suppression of its free speech rights, while the university contends students have control over which groups receive official recognition at Lawrence. Acceptance for T P USA is currently up for a vote by the student body.
Follow up bill to Bradyns Law would allow for lawsuits (MADISON)
An expansion of Bradyns Law, which defines sextortion as a crime, could soon be on Governor Tony Evers desk. Representative Brent Jacobson says it would allow sextortion victims and their families to sue for damages including wrongful death. The Mosinee Republicans says this language will make it clear in state statute that this is a cause of action plaintiffs can bring in this specific situation for death. The bill passed the Assembly with strong bipartisan support as the chamber ended its session last week and will head to Governor Tony Evers if approved by the state Senate. Jacobson of Mosinee says more follow up legislation is in the works, including requiring education for parents, students, and teachers to look out for the warning signs of sextortion, and to fund additional positions at DOJ within the Internet Crimes Against Children Division.
Democratic lawmakers introduce bill to increase minimum wage in Wisconsin to $20 (MADISON)
Wisconsin Democrats are proposing a boost to the state’s minimum wage, raising it to twenty dollars an hour by 2030. At a Capitol press conference, Madison State Senator and candidate for governor Kelda Roys said at least a million workers can’t afford basic needs like housing, child care, or health care. She blamed what she called a “right‑wing experiment” of waiting for wages to rise on their own. Service worker Sabrina Prochaska also spoke, saying her $15.81 hourly wage isn’t enough as living and health care costs continue to climb. The bill would raise Wisconsin’s minimum wage to $15 immediately, then increase it by $1.25 each year until 2030. With the legislative session nearly over, the measure is unlikely to advance this year.
Study shows salt brine effectively clears Wisconsin highways (UNDATED)
New research shows that salt brine can effectively clear Wisconsin highways. A UW–Madison study for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation compared salt brine to traditional rock salt on parallel highway routes during winter storms. Researchers found nearly identical road performance, but salt brine used 40 to 72 percent less salt. WisDOT says the findings reinforce what counties have seen for years, that brine helps clear roads faster, improves traction, and reduces environmental impact. All 72 counties now use some amount of brine, which can stretch budgets by covering far more lane miles than rock salt alone.