Election roundup: Crawford, Underly win statewide races, votes approve voter ID amendment (UNDATED)
Liberal backed candidates won the two statewide races last night. Dane County Judge Susan Crawford won a major victory over former Wisconsin attorney general Brad Schimel, 54 to 45 percent. That race was called just over an hour after polls closed with Crawford leading by as much as 17 points. The win means the State Supreme Court will continue to lean liberal, 4 to 3. Meanwhile incumbent state superintendent of schools Dr. Jill Underly won over private school advocate Brittany Kinser 52 to 47 percent. Voters also chose to place Wisconsin’s current voter id law into the state constitution, 63 to 36 percent.
WI joins lawsuit against HHS cuts (UNDATED)
Wisconsin joins a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over billions in grant cuts. Attorney General Josh Kaul is part of a coalition of 23 state attorneys general demanding HHS halt termination of roughly $11 billion in federal public health grants that support projects across the country. Wisconsin faces a loss of six grant awards totaling over $225 million that would have helped pay for mental and behavioral health services, preventing and responding to the opioid epidemic, and strengthening local emergency medical services. The lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order to stop the grant terminations.
UW President Jay Rothman testifies to JFC on $855 million budget increase (MADISON)
The Universities of Wisconsin System is asking Governor Tony Evers to provide it with an additional $855 million in his next budget. UW System President Jay Rothman went before the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee on Tuesday and says for the last decade they haven’t been funded at a level that met inflation. The additional funding would cover an 8% across the board salary increase for faculty and staff and expand the Wisconsin Tuition Promise. Wisconsin currently ranks 43rd out of 50 states when it comes to funding its four-year, public universities. Republicans on the committee are expected to reject most of Democratic Governor Tony Evers proposed budget.
JFC hears from DOC officials on budget request that would overhaul system (MADISON)
Governor Tony Evers has included more than $530 million in his next budget to overhaul the state Department of Corrections, and Corrections Secretary Jared Hoy made the case for that on Tuesday before the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee. Hoy says the budget is not simply a list of funding requests, it’s a blueprint for the future of Wisconsin corrections. Evers’ proposal would close the Green Bay Correctional Institution and convert others, while also expanding the earned release program. Republican leaders in the Legislature are skeptical of the plan.
Bill seeks to improve school lunches by prohibiting additives (MADISON)
At the Capitol, a plan for healthier school lunches. Representative Clint Moses of Menomonie wants to prohibit schools from serving foods containing six additives* – several of which are difficult to pronounce. Moses says the additives have no nutritional value, and a lot of them are just for appearance, making food look brighter, more colorful, and more appealing. Moses chairs the Assembly Health Committee and has introduced the bill with Senate Health Committee chair Rachael Cabral-Guevara of Appleton. The Republican lawmakers are seeking co-sponsors for their proposal.
*Under the bill, schools could no longer serve items containing brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, azodicarbonamide, red dye 3 or titanium dioxide.