Wisconsin voters will be asked two questions to amend the constitution on their August 13, 2024, partisan primary ballot. If these constitutional changes they will impact the delegation of appropriation power and the process for allocating federal money. These are large sweeping changes that will impact a wide range of issues voters care about, from education to the environment to how quickly the government can respond to emergencies such as natural disasters and public health crises.
The venerable non-partisan, non-profit organization League of Women Voters of Wisconsin say that if these amendments are passed they will be detrimental to the people of our state. The League urges voters to VOTE NO on both questions. WEAC has joined a coalition in opposition to both proposed amendments that includes League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Association of Local Health Departments & Boards, Wisconsin Conservation Voters, Wisconsin Public Health Association, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign and many other non-profit, public interest organizations.
The exact wording of the constitutional amendment questions is:
❌Question 1: “Delegation of appropriation power. Shall section 35 (1) of article IV of the constitution be created to provide that the legislature may not delegate its sole power to determine how moneys shall be appropriated?”
❌Question 2: “Allocation of federal moneys. Shall section 35 (2) of article IV of the constitution be created to prohibit the governor from allocating any federal moneys the governor accepts on behalf of the state without the approval of the legislature by joint resolution or as provided by legislative rule?”
A “yes” vote supports amending the state constitution to require legislative approval via a joint resolution before the governor can expend federal money appropriated to the state.
A “no” vote opposes this amendment, thereby allowing the governor to accept and allocate federal funds without seeking legislative approval.
All WEAC members are urged to vote “no.”
The League of Women Voters Wisconsin has created a toolkit consisting of resources and advice that will help supporters of public education and democracy to organize against the two proposed constitutional amendments.