In this update:
- Legislative Updates
- Redistricting Updates
- Election Updates
- Administration Updates
Legislative Updates
Assembly Republicans introduce medical cannabis bill
Assembly Republicans backed by Speaker Robin Vos announced new legislation to legalize cannabis for medical use in Wisconsin. The bill currently has no known GOP senate co-sponsors, but Speaker Vos said he has the Republican votes in the Assembly to pass it. According to the proposal, the state would contract with private growers and processors and then have pharmacists dispense the medical cannabis in state-owned and operated dispensaries. Medical cannabis products would only be allowed in certain forms and smokable medical cannabis would remain illegal. Patients could only be prescribed medical cannabis if they have at least one of 15 qualifying medical conditions. Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R) called the Assembly GOP proposal a “non-starter” for the senate GOP caucus because of the state-run dispensaries component. The Assembly GOP proposal comes two years after Sen. Mary Felzkowski (R), a longtime advocate for medical cannabis, introduced a different medical cannabis bill that would have used a private market model to grow, process, and dispense the medical cannabis. She also said she has concerns with the Assembly GOP proposal because of its reliance on state-run dispensaries.
Read Michael Best Strategies’ medical cannabis memo for a detailed analysis on the recent Assembly GOP proposal, as well as the bill proposed by Sen. Felzkowski last session.
Vos on ‘UpFront’
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R) was on WISN’s ‘UpFront’ to discuss working with his Democratic colleagues to draw new legislative maps.
Other topics discussed includes:
- Abortion
- Elections Commission
- Presidential primary
- Medical cannabis
To watch the interview, click here.
Two bills introduced as part of Vos/UW-System deal
The Joint Finance Committee had a public hearing to discuss two bills that are included in the deal between Speaker Robin Vos (R) and the Universities of Wisconsin System leadership to decrease DEI positions at state universities in exchange for funding. One of the bills, AB 921/SB 895, would allow $696.7 million to be used for UW-System campus projects. The bill includes funds to construct a new engineering building at UW-Madison. The bill transfers $423.3 million from the general fund to the capitol improvement fund to cover the cost of the projects. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau said the transfer would reduce the state’s projected surplus at the end of the 2023-25 biennium to $3.6 billion.
The second bill, AB 920/SB 896, would update the Minnesota-Wisconsin tuition reciprocity agreement to enable the UW-System to administer the agreement instead of the Higher Educational Aids Board. The UW-System would then be able to maintain the difference between the tuition paid by Minnesota students attending Wisconsin universities and Wisconsin students going to Minnesota. This revision would be a $44.6 million increase to the UW-System over the 2023-25 biennium.
Neubauer on WisEye’s ‘Newsmakers’
Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer (D) was on WisconsinEye’s ‘Newsmakers.’ She reflected on 2023 and discussed goals for 2024.
Topics included:
- Tax cuts
- Medical cannabis
- Childcare challenges
- Bipartisan compromises
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Abortion access
- New legislative maps
- Presidential election
Click here to watch the full interview.
LeMahieu working on income tax cut
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R) said he is working on another income tax cut to raise the income limits for the second-lowest tax bracket by more than $100,000. Sen. LeMahieu is working with Joint Finance Committee Co-Chair Sen. Howard Marklein (R) to raise the income limits of the second of four brackets. With this change, more Wisconsinites would be eligible for the 4.4% income tax bracket who are currently in the 5.3% bracket. Sen. LeMahieu said the proposal is intended to address the Democratic legislators concerns of their last budget proposal of reducing the four-bracket system down to three. Governor Evers (D) vetoed the plan for benefiting primarily wealthy Wisconsinites.
“And I’m sure it’s something that the Democrats can get behind, because it addresses all their concerns,” Sen. LeMahieu said. “And something that hopefully the governor will consider, unless he just wants to make sure that next session there is a big slush fund for whatever he wants to spend money on, rather than actually providing meaningful tax relief to Wisconsinites.” He said the state would lose around $1 billion in revenue annually under the proposal. However, the state is projected to finish the 2023-25 budget with a $4 billion surplus.
Evers and LeMahieu announce Milwaukee Brewers stadium board appointments
Governor Tony Evers (D) and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R) announced their appointments to the Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District Board to oversee the Milwaukee Brewers stadium. Gov. Evers appointed his Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Jenni Dye as the chair of the board.
Gov. Evers’ other appointees include:
- Andrew Disch, North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters
- John Zapfel, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
- Corey Gall, Wisconsin Pipe Trades Association
- Kevin Newell, Royal Capital
- Preston Cole, City of Milwaukee Department of Administration
- Michael Cantor, Sterling Project Development
Sen. LeMahieu’s picks include:
- Sen. Duey Stroebel
- Sen. Dan Feyen
- Dale Kooyenga, MMAC President
The 13-member board consists of six picks from Governor Evers and three each from Senate Majority Leader LeMahieu and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R). Speaker Vos has not yet announced his appointees.
Redistricting Updates
Split court rejects GOP motion to reconsider; proposed maps due to court today
GOP motion to reconsider denied
- In a 4-3 decision along ideological lines, the liberal majority on the state Supreme Court rejected GOP lawmakers’ motion asking the court to reconsider its ruling deeming unconstitutional the state’s legislative maps. The order from the court did not include an explanation of the court’s ruling.
Proposed maps due today
- The deadline for parties to submit proposed state legislative maps to the Supreme Court passes at 5:00 p.m. today. The maps submitted by each party can be viewed here.
Next upcoming deadline — January 22, 2024 (Briefs on submitted maps due)
- Each party may file a response brief to the maps submitted by no later than 5:00 p.m. on January 22, 2024. Any non-party that was previously granted leave to file an amicus curiae brief in this proceeding may file a non-party brief in support of or opposing a proposed map.
Elections Updates
Petition filed to recall Vos
A petition to recall Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R) was filed with the state Elections Commission for “blocking fair elections” by failing to impeach Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe and opposing Former President Donald Trump. Speaker Vos has been at odds with the former president since he disagreed with Trump’s call to overturn the 2020 election results. Speaker Vos defeated a Trump-backed primary opponent by 206 votes in August 2022. Last fall, opponents launched a six-figure campaign to pressure Speaker Vos to impeach Ms. Wolfe.
The recall filing begins a 60-day period for the Speaker’s opponents to collect nearly 6,900 valid signatures from adult residents of the district. In a letter from the Elections Commission notifying Speaker Vos of the recall petition, the Commission’s chief legal counsel, Jim Witecha, said the Commission is still determining whether the Supreme Court’s recent ruling that the state legislative maps are unconstitutional makes the recall attempt viable. “Thus, the Commission must research whether an officeholder can be recalled, or in the alternative, whether a circulator can properly circulate a recall petition, when the current construct of the officeholder’s district lines have been ruled unconstitutional,” Mr. Witecha wrote.
Speaker Vos said he has confidence the effort will fail and dismissed the recall supporters as focused on the past. He will be able to raise campaign contributions without a ceiling on the size of the donation until the Wisconsin Elections Commission schedules an election. “The effort today is no surprise since the people involved cannot seem to get over any election in which their preferred candidate doesn’t win,” Speaker Vos said. “This recall is a waste of time, resources and effort.”
- Read the petition.
- See the signature paper that will be circulated.
- See Vos’ statement.
- See the Recall Vos press release.
Key nonpartisan races, ballot measures for spring 2024
- Mayor: Incumbent Mayor Cavalier Johnson is running for reelection. He is being challenged by David King and Ieshuh Griffin. In addition to mayor, Ms. Griffin also filed papers to run for aldermanic districts 3 and 15, as well as Milwaukee County executive.
- City Attorney: Incumbent City Attorney Tearman Spencer is being challenged by state Rep. Evan Goyke (D), who has served in the legislature since 2012. Attorney Spencer has held the position since first being elected in 2020.
- Executive: Incumbent County Executive David Crowley is being challenged by frequent political candidate Ieshuh Griffin.
- Mayor: Nine candidates are vying for the open mayoral seat. A primary election will be held in February. Incumbent Mayor John Antaramian announced earlier this year he will not seek reelection when his term ends in the spring.
- Question 1: Prohibits any level of government in the state from applying or accepting non-governmental funds or equipment for election administration.
- Question 2: Provides that only election officials designated by law may administer elections.
Cassi Fenili to serve as DPW’s executive director
The Democratic Party of Wisconsin’s chairman Ben Wikler announced Cassi Fenili has been hired to serve as its executive director for 2024. Ms. Fenili managed Gov. Tony Evers’ (D) reelection bid in 2022 and has served as a senior adviser to the party since April. She will still be Gov. Evers’ campaign manager alongside her new role at DPW. Devin Remiker was previously executive director before joining President Joe Biden’s campaign last month as senior advisor in Wisconsin. “With another enormously consequential election ahead of us this November, Cassi Fenili is the right person at the right time to help lead us to victory,” Ben Wikler said.
See the DPW’s release.
Administration Updates
Summer Strand named PSC Chair
Summer Strand was selected as Chair of the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) following Governor Tony Evers’ (D) announcement that Chair Rebecca Cameron Valcq is leaving the Evers administration on February 2, 2024. Summer Strand was appointed by Gov. Evers to serve as a commissioner at the PSC for a six-year term last March. She is a member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and the Mid-America Regulatory Conference. Before her appointment, Commissioner Strand was the director of government affairs for the Walbec Group, a Wisconsin-based construction and engineering firm. She also oversaw the State of Wisconsin Building Program as administrator of the Division of Facilities Development at the Wisconsin Department of Administration and served as an advisor to and citizen member of the State Building Commission.
“Since day one, I have appreciated Becky’s welcoming demeanor and her dedication to the PSC’s mission. I would like to thank Becky for her years of service to the Public Service Commission and to the state of Wisconsin. Due to her exemplary leadership, the Commission is well-positioned for continued success,” said Commissioner Strand. “This is also bittersweet for me as I will miss working alongside Becky. I am grateful for the opportunity to follow in the role as chairperson, and I look forward to the important work ahead.”
