Legislative Updates
WEAC Public Affairs is here to keep Wisconsin public education advocates updated and active around issues and policies that impact our students, profession and schools. Please share our updates with other ed activists and encourage them to sign up for our alerts.
Governor doubles down on public school funding in next budget
Governor Tony Evers is vowing significant funding increases for public schools in the next state budget, after 2024 saw the largest number of local school referendums in history to keep schools open and students learning with high-quality educators.
Evers’ statements come in advance of the development of the biennial budget, and after public school advocates bemoaned two inadequate school funding plans during covering 2021-23 and 2023-25.
According to WisPolitics, an insider-news outlet, the governor in a press briefing said it’s “a joke” that Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos thinks schools can get by on the spending boost due them over the next two years – a $325 per student annual increase the governor created through use of his partial veto in the last budget cycle. Under the governor’s action, the $325 per student is guaranteed for the next 400 years under the state funding formula. Republicans are challenging the move in the Supreme Court. Vos has said that if the $325 per pupil prevails in the High Court that the Legislature will consider that “schools are mostly off the table” for Republicans, signaling no further investments even as inflation rises.
Evers told reporters he will propose a bigger increase in his budget, which he will present in February. Prior to the 2023-25 state budget, public schools had no increase in the revenue cap in six of eight years while unaccountable voucher schools received historic increases in taxpayer dollars.
In addition to his support for increases that reach students in their classrooms instead of diverting state funding to voucher schools and tax credits, the governor said his budget will propose allowing binding referendum questions on the ballot, bypassing the state Legislature. The Legislature has recently adopted a strategy of putting constitutional amendments on the ballot to bypass a potential veto on legislation from the governor. Binding referendums would allow for policies supported by a majority of Wisconsinites to finally become law without the partisan wrangling that has held up popular legislation like Medicaid expansion, paid family leave and common-sense gun laws.
Slate of candidates for Supreme Court, State Superintendent set
As many local associations are gearing up for local school board and referendum elections, our state union is preparing for important spring elections.
On April 1 Wisconsin will again have a Supreme Court Justice race that will decide the balance of the Court. WEAC has recommended Judge Susan Crawford for the post, citing her ability to be impartial, uphold the constitution and keep our communities and schools safe. She will face former Attorney General Brad Schimel, former Governor Scott Walker’s Attorney General who Walker appointed to a Waukesha County judge after Schimel lost reelection. If Crawford wins, liberals will lock in their majority for at least three more years, with chances to expand it in 2026 and 2027, when Justice Rebecca Bradley and Chief Justice Annette Ziegler, both conservatives, will be up for reelection.
In the State Superintendent race, are candidates Dr. Jill Underly, incumbent; Jeff Wright, Sauk Prairie superintendent; and Brittany Kinser, education consultant.
Social Security Fairness Act
President Joe Biden has signed the Social Security Fairness Act, repealing GPO/WEP.
NEA Vice President Princess Moss was in attendance and thanked President Biden on behalf of public school employees. Wisconsin was not affected by the policies of GPO/WEP, but union members here stood with those across America who were and now, because of our collective efforts, will receive the benefits they earned.
National Day of Mourning for President Jimmy Carter
President Biden has appointed January 9, 2025 as a National Day of Mourning to honor the memory of President Jimmy Carter.
2025 State Legislative Session Begins
The new state legislative session began today, with the swearing in of legislators at the State Capitol and setting a floor calendar. WEAC celebrates one of our own as a new Assembly Representative, Angelina Cruz of Racine Educators United.
Here are the elected officials serving in legislative leadership and key committees. If you live in one of these districts and would like to join a WEAC back home contact team to keep in touch with them about education issues, email communications@weac.org.
Senator Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, SD 9, Senate Majority Leadership
Senator Dianne Hesselbein, D-Middleton SD 27, Senate Minority Leadership
Representative Tyler August, R- Walworth, AD 31, Assembly Majority Leadership
Representative Greta Neubauer, D- Racine, AD 66, Assembly Minority Leadership
WI Joint Finance Committee
Representative Mark Born, R- Beaver Dam, AD 37 (Co-Chair)
Senator Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, SD 17 (Co-Chair)
Representative Tony Kurtz, R-Wonewoc, AD 41 (Vice-Chair)
Senator Patrick Testin, R-Stevens Point, SD 24 (Vice-Chair)
Senator Eric Wimberger, R-Oconto, SD 2
Senator LaTonya Johnson, D-Milwaukee, SD 6
Senator Rob Stafsholt, R- New Richmond, SD 10
Representative Jessie Rodriguez, R-Oak Creek, AD 21
Representative Deb Andraca, D-Whitefish Bay, AD 23
Senator Romaine Quinn, R-Birchwood, SD 25
Senator Kelda Roys, D-Madison, SD 26
Senator Julian Bradley, R- New Berlin, SD 28
Representative Shannon Zimmerman, R-River Falls, AD 30
Representative Alex Dallman, R-Green lake, AD 39
Representative Tip McGuire, D-Kenosha, AD 64
Representative Karen Hurd, R-Withee, AD 69
WI State Senate Education Committee
Senator John Jagler, R-Watertown, SD 13 (Chair)
Senator Romaine Quinn , R-Birchwood, SD 25 (Vice-Chair)
Senator Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, SD 7
Senator Steve Nass, R- Whitewater, SD 11
Senator Sarah Keyeski, D-Lodi, SD 14
WI State Assembly Education Committee
Rep. Joel Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay, AD 1 (Chair)
Rep. Joy Goeben, R-Hobart, AD 5 (Vice-Chair)
Rep. Paul Melotik, R-Grafton, AD 22
Rep. Joe Sheehan, D-Sheboygan, AD 26
Rep. Lindee Rae Brill, R-Sheboygan Falls, AD 27
Rep. Jeffrey Mursau, R- Crivitz, AD 36
Rep. William Penterman, R-Columbus, AD 38
Rep. Angelina Cruz, D-Racine, AD 62
Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison, AD 76
Rep. Patrick Snyder, R-Weston, AD 85
Rep. Christian Phelps, D-Eau Claire, AD 93
Rep. Cindi Duchow, R-Town of Delafield, AD 97
Rep. Barbara Dittrich, R-Oconomowoc, AD 99
Resources
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