State News

Wisconsin’s wolf hunt ends early as hunters exceed harvest quota

By Helena Wehrs | Feb. 26

Hunters and trappers killed 20% of Wisconsin’s wolf population in just 3 days.

The new “Final Five” proposal would make primaries nonpartisan and allow voters to rank their choices for candidates for the U.S. House and Senate.

Bipartisan group of legislators seeks to bring ranked-choice voting to Wisconsin

By Tyler Katzenberger | Feb. 26

Over 13 percent of white Wisconsinites have received at least one dose while only 4.2 percent of Black Wisconsinites have. At Dane County, the disparity is slightly lower, but white residents still are 2.38 times more likely to have received at least one dose.

State, county level data shows racial disparities in vaccinations

By Abigail Leavins | Feb. 25

More State News

STATE NEWS

Republican lawmakers introduce bills to restrict voter registration laws in Wisconsin

By Rosie Marder | Feb. 24

Republican Sen. Duey Stroebel is leading the charge, introducing bills that would require a medical professional’s endorsement to receive an absentee ballot, among other changes.

Gov. Evers’ proposal includes $88 million for a new Letters and Science academic building, which fits into the university’s plan to demolish the Mosse Humanities Building. The project would include the demolition of two residence halls.

CAMPUS NEWS

Evers recommends new L&S building, other campus projects in capital budget

By Hope Karnopp | Feb. 23

Gov. Tony Evers recommended about $1 billion for building projects within the UW System as part of his nearly $2.4 billion Capital Budget unveiled Monday.

First-term lawmaker Deb Andraca gained followers on TikTok after she posted a video making Valentines for Republican colleagues. While she strives to make her TikToks funny and engaging, she also hopes that her message is taken seriously.

STATE NEWS

Freshman lawmaker takes to TikTok to urge bipartisanship

By Hope Karnopp | Feb. 22

In the past few weeks, Rep. Deb Andraca, a first-year Democrat in the state Assembly from the Milwaukee suburbs, has gained unexpected fame on TikTok. Before her most popular TikTok, posted two days before Valentine's Day, Andraca only had about 18 followers.

Jill Underly and Deborah Kerr took the lead in a crowded primary to become Wisconsin’s top education official. On election night, Kerr faced backlash over a racially insensitive Tweet.

STATE NEWS

State superintendent race moves forward following Kerr’s racially insensitive Tweet

By Tyler Katzenberger | Feb. 19

State superintendent candidates Jill Underly and Deborah Kerr advanced to the April election after a crowded primary on Tuesday. On election night, Kerr put out a racially insensitive Tweet and deleted her account the next morning.

Gov. Evers proposed legalizing and taxing marijuana, which would produce revenue for a new community reinvestment fund. However, the provision, and many of Evers’ other budget proposals, face opposition in the Republican-controlled legislature.

STATE NEWS

Proposal to legalize, tax marijuana faces opposition from Republicans in legislature

By Emma Grenzebach and Hope Karnopp | Feb. 18

Gov. Tony Evers included a proposal to legalize and tax marijuana in his biennial budget, which he unveiled in full Tuesday. The plan faces opposition from Republican leaders in the legislature, who had asked the governor to avoid “divisive” policy proposals in his budget.

STATE NEWS

Gov. Evers releases his 2021-23 budget, unlikely to go far in GOP legislature

By Nathan Denzin and Rosie Marder | Feb. 17

Evers plan includes legalizing marijuana and accepting the Obamacare expansion, but Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says that he expects the legislature to start from scratch.

STATE NEWS

President Biden Returns to Wisconsin for Town Hall in Milwaukee

By Sam Tuch | Feb. 17

Biden outlined his almost $2 trillion plan to vaccinate every American by the end of July to voters among other issues.

The DNR will issue 4,000 permits based on the 200-wolf quota. The decision comes as the state appeals a court ruling that required the DNR to begin the wolf hunt.

STATE NEWS

Wolf hunt moves forward in Wisconsin

By Elena Price | Feb. 16

The state Department of Natural Resources Board held a meeting Monday to decide on a quota for the newly instated wolf hunting season, which is set to run from Feb. 22-28.

Multiple organizations, including the state Department of Justice, made recommendations to reform emergency detentions in Wisconsin. Gov. Tony Evers will also include funding to reform crisis intervention in his budget, which he will unveil this week.

STATE NEWS

Coalition of law enforcement, health officials looks to improve mental health crisis response

By Annabella Rosciglione | Feb. 15

A coalition of law enforcement agencies, hospitals, medical professionals, county and state health services and mental health advocates released recommendations Thursday to reform Wisconsin’s mental health crisis response.

The state now ranks ninth in the nation for people with at least one dose per hundred thousand. New community vaccination clinics will help with the state’s distribution, but some providers have dealt with short supply.

STATE NEWS

Eleven percent of Wisconsinites have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose

By Emma Grenzebach | Feb. 12

Wisconsin has moved up the ranks in vaccine distribution as Gov. Tony Evers’ administration plans to open new community vaccination clinics.

A new Senate bill would allocate $1 million in funding each year for Extension specialists at CALS. Gov. Tony Evers also said his upcoming budget would increase funding for the Division of Extension.

STATE NEWS

New proposals would boost Extension funding

By Alexa Heller | Feb. 11

New legislative and budget proposals could create more UW-Madison Division of Extension agents, who exemplify the Wisconsin Idea by bringing university research to agricultural communities across Wisconsin.

STATE NEWS

WEC expects lower voter turnout in Spring Primary than the 2020 General Election

By Tyler Katzenberger | Feb. 10

Top state election officials say it’s normal to see a dip in primary turnout after a Presidential election.

Evers asked the legislature to send him an earlier version of the bill without measures that he opposes.

STATE NEWS

Evers vetoes Republican COVID-19 relief legislation

By Hope Karnopp | Feb. 8

Gov. Tony Evers vetoed COVID-19 legislation after the Senate passed it in an extraordinary session Friday, another sign of stalemate in the state’s pandemic response.

Wisconsin still has a mask mandate, but the Wisconsin Supreme Court has not yet ruled on a case challenging Evers’ emergency powers.

STATE NEWS

Evers implements new mask mandate immediately after Republicans repealed it

By Hope Karnopp | Feb. 4

Gov. Tony Evers issued a new mask mandate Thursday afternoon immediately after the Assembly voted to eliminate it. Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, urged the Wisconsin Supreme Court to weigh in.

About two dozen contributors from Wisconsin donated money to the Republican Attorneys General Association in previous years. A branch of the organization was directly involved in promoting the Capitol riots on Jan. 6.

STATE NEWS

Wisconsin organizations donated $279,000 to conservative group that promoted Capitol riots

By Tyler Katzenberger | Feb. 4

Wisconsin organizations donated a total of approximately $279,000 over the past three years to the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA), which promoted the Jan. 6 Capitol riots that resulted in the deaths of five people.

STATE NEWS

Rep. LaKeshia Myers introduces “Breonna’s Law” to the Wisconsin state assembly

By Mackenzie Moore | Feb. 3

The law has already been adopted in four other states after the wrongful killing of Breonna Taylor in March 2020.

The caucus will be hosting events throughout February to celebrate Black history. Also on Monday, Evers made appointments to his new Advisory Council on Equity and Inclusion.

STATE NEWS

Wisconsin Legislative Black Caucus kicks off Black History Month

By Elena Price | Feb. 2

The Wisconsin Legislative Black Caucus held a kickoff event Monday afternoon to celebrate the beginning of Black History Month in Wisconsin.