by Dan Rossmiller | Mar 3, 2022 | Legislative Update Blog, State Issue
Yesterday, the Marquette University Law School released its latest poll of Wisconsin residents regarding politics and public policy issues in Wisconsin. The long-running poll regularly surveys hundreds of registered voters in Wisconsin to ask their opinions on elected officials, political candidates, and a variety of policy matters. The most recent poll interviewed 802 registered Wisconsin voters by landline or cell phone Feb. 22-27, 2022. Below are the responses to questions asked about education issues:
The question of who should have the biggest role in determining public school curriculum produces varied answers, with 35% saying parents, 33% saying teachers, 13% saying school boards, and 9% saying superintendents and principals. Five percent say state legislators should have the major role in curriculum. (more…)
by Dan Rossmiller | Jan 25, 2022 | Legislative Update Blog, State Issue
Once again, the state Department of Health Services (DHS) and the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) will host a joint webinar updating local public health and school stakeholders on COVID 19 tomorrow afternoon, Wednesday, January 26 from 4:00 – 5:00 pm.
If you are interested in this online event, here is the link to register: https://dhswi.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_Ppf1BsKMQymC_1JWf9HGNw
In addition, here is a link to a webpage where all of the previous DHS/DPI joint school/public health stakeholder webinars are archived
by Dan Rossmiller | Jan 25, 2022 | Federal Issue, Legislative Update Blog, State Budget, State Issue
A new report released today by the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) projects Wisconsin’s closing, net general fund balance at the end of the current biennium (June 30, 2023) to be just over $3.8 billion. This is slightly more than $2.88 billion above the net balance that was projected last July when the 2021-23 biennial budget was signed into law. The $3.8 billion balance is in addition to the $1.7 billion the state currently holds in its “rainy day” fund, known officially as the budget stabilization fund.
The $2.88 billion increase is the net result of:
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- an increase of $2.51 billion in estimated tax collections;
- an increase of $33.1 million in departmental revenues (non-tax receipts deposited into the state’s general fund); and
- a decrease of $339.4 million in net appropriations.
(more…)
by Dan Rossmiller | Jan 24, 2022 | Legislative Update Blog, State Issue
(Note: This is the third of three blog posts detailing information that was provided by the WASB Government Relations team to in-person attendees at the Legislative Update presentation during the State Education Convention last Friday.)
Although the legislative session is winding down, there are several bills still making their way through the process that impact K-12 education and are of interest to school leaders and the WASB. Here are the bills we discussed during our presentation at Convention.
Legislation of Interest
Assembly Bill 348/Senate Bill 355, relating to raising the legal age for purchasing cigarettes, tobacco products, nicotine products from 18 to 21 to parallel a recent change in federal law. The bill also imposes the same
minimum age to the purchase of “vapor products” (a/k/a electronic smoking devices). (WASB supports) While both bills have been voted out of committee, neither has made it to the floor of either house yet. (more…)
by Dan Rossmiller | Jan 24, 2022 | Federal Issue, Legislative Update Blog, State Issue
(Note: This is the second of three blog posts detailing information that was provided by the WASB Government Relations team to in-person attendees at the Legislative Update presentation during the State Education Convention last Friday.)
Election Preview
Sen. Ron Johnson’s anticipated announcement that he will seek reelection to his Senate seat means that on the Republican side the openings available for statewide candidates are in the race for governor.
