The state Assembly passed the budget bill on a 60-39 vote late in the evening of June 25 after 10 hours of floor debate. GOP Reps. Brandtjen (Menomonee Falls), Gundrum (Slinger) & Ramthun (Campbellsport) joined all Assembly Democrats in voting No on the bill.
The Assembly added a last minute amendment that was designed to garner support from certain GOP Senators after two have already announced they intend to vote No. The amendment also modified language in the bill to make it more difficult for the governor to use his powerful partial veto pen to alter the modified provisions. The bill now heads to the state Senate and is scheduled to be taken up today (June 26) at 10am along with several other bills. Watch the debate LIVE on WisconsinEye.
Also of note is that the budget passed by the Assembly does not have the state covering 2/3 of education costs as was pledged by legislative leaders and proposed by Gov. Evers. As we have posted before, however, whether that marker is met or not does not necessarily mean more or less spendable resources for schools.
