Senate majority leader demands review of National Guard assault policies after meeting with soldier
MADISON — A powerful Wisconsin legislator has demanded a detailed review of the state National Guard's sexual harassment and assault policies after meeting with a soldier who alleges she was sexually harassed and the perpetrator was never punished.U.S. Air Force investigators are already investigating allegations of sexual assault and harassment within a Wisconsin Air National Guard security unit at the urging of U.S. Sen.
Wisconsin Legislature's top Republicans push for tolling to fund roads
MADISON — The Wisconsin Legislature's top Republicans promised Wednesday they wouldn't quarrel among themselves again over transportation funding during state budget deliberations and advocated for toll roads as a means of generating enough money to fix deteriorating roads.Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald appeared at a Wisconsin Counties Association roundtable discussion in Madison along with Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz and Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling.Vos pledged that Assembly and Senate Republicans wouldn't fight about transportation funding as lawmakers craft the 2019-21 state budget.
Governor-elect Tony Evers tours Milwaukee health care facility
MILWAUKEE - Democratic Governor-Elect Tony Evers met with executives from the Sixteenth Street Community Health Center in Milwaukee Wednesday afternoon.
Tony Evers prepares transition, Republicans look to curb power
MADISON — Wisconsin Republican lawmakers on Thursday, Nov. 8 privately discussed ways they could limit the incoming Democratic governor before he takes office, which the governor-elect described as a "desperate attempt to cling to power."Tony Evers, who narrowly defeated Republican Gov.
Wisconsin Senate OKs school safety bill
MADISON -- The Wisconsin Senate late Tuesday, March 20 passed Gov.
Gov. Walker releases $100M school safety plan, one he says offers 'peace of mind for every school district'
MADISON -- A day after thousands of Wisconsin students walked out of classrooms to call for tougher gun laws, Gov.
Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says changes needed to juvenile bill
MADISON — The Republican leader of the state Senate said Wednesday that changes will be needed to an $80 million juvenile justice overhaul plan that the Assembly passed unanimously and that is a top priority of Gov.
Republicans looking to toughen Wisconsin alcohol enforcement
MADISON — Republicans are once again looking at ways to toughen enforcement of Wisconsin's alcohol laws governing brewers, distillers, distributors and retailers.Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald on Tuesday says current enforcement efforts at the Department of Revenue have "fallen apart." Fitzgerald says he's been working on a bill since November.The MacIver News Service on Tuesday published the draft of a bill that would create a new "alcohol czar" position, similar to a proposal floated last year that died under broad opposition.Fitzgerald says changes are needed because "the alcohol statues in Wisconsin are not being enforced, period." He says many in the system are not playing by the rules.Under the bill draft, alcohol administration and enforcement would be transferred from the Revenue Department to a newly created office.
Wisconsin Ethics Commission unanimously supports embattled leader as GOP senators plan ouster
MADISON — The boards of Wisconsin's top watchdog agencies are standing behind their leaders as Republican senators try to fire them.Thursday, the state Ethics Commission voted 6-0 in a show of confidence for administrator Brian Bell.
Elections chair calls Senate GOP leader a "bully"
MADISON — The chairman of the Wisconsin Elections Commission called Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald a bully Tuesday for blocking confirmation of the agency's administrator.Elections Commission chairman Mark Thomsen called on senators to stand up to Fitzgerald and vote to confirm Michael Haas as administrator of the agency.
Abolish Columbus Day? State lawmakers, activists push to replace with 'Indigenous Peoples Day'
MADISON -- Spurred on by students in Milwaukee County, some state lawmakers are pushing to get rid of Columbus Day and replace it with "Indigenous Peoples Day."
Assembly speaker calls Republicans terrorists; "Don't hold somebody hostage for your own personal needs"
MADISON — The speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly apologized Monday for calling three fellow Republican lawmakers "terrorists" over how they negotiated the state budget with Gov.
Republican Scott Fitzgerald will not run for U.S. Senate
MADISON — Republican state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says he is not running for U.S. Senate.Fitzgerald on Monday said he instead is endorsing fellow Republican state Sen.
Assembly to take up budget, Foxconn bill next week
MADISON — Wisconsin lawmakers plan to start taking their final votes next week on the state budget and Gov.
Republican Assembly leader calls on Senate to take deal
MADISON — Republican state Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke is calling on fellow Republicans in the Senate to take the latest budget offer floated this week by Gov.
Wisconsin works to lure Foxconn to state; "We are disconnected from what Michigan's doing"
MADISON — In a decision that could end the three-week impasse over the state budget, Assembly Republicans said Thursday that they have accepted Gov.