WisPolitics Capitol Chats

In this week's Capitol Chats episode, School Choice Wisconsin President Nic Kelly says new legislative maps that favor Dems could be a challenge. But he argues Dems should remember their constituents benefit from the state's private school voucher programs. Kelly also reviews the group's efforts during the legislative session.

In this week's Capitol Chats podcast, Wisconsin Education Association Council President Peggy Wirtz-Olsen says the $1.4 billion in combined school budget referendum requests across Wisconsin is a sign public schools need more funding and the funding formula is broken. A WisPolitics review found this year to be the third-highest ask from schools since 2000. Wirtz-Olsen also talks about a new AAPI curriculum bill and the Senate's rejection of Gov. Tony Evers' nomination of John Miller to the UW Board of Regents.

In this week's Capitol Chats podcast, Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, announces her bid for reelection after talking about what her caucus wants to work on for the remainder of the year. She also says she's not too worried the Dem Assembly members leaving this year will impact her caucus' ability to make significant gains with the new legislative maps. Published on March 13, 2024.

In this week's Capitol Chats episode, Sen. Brad Pfaff discusses his bill aiming to fight PFAS contamination. The Onalaska Dem says the Legislature must act on the issue amid a standoff between Republicans and Gov. Tony Evers over PFAS funding.

In this week's Capitol Chats podcast, Assembly Corrections Committee Chair Michael Schraa, R-Oshkosh, talks about some of the most pressing issues facing the Wisconsin's prisons. He talks about what it will take to continue driving security staff vacancy rates down and how likely it is a longterm push to replace maximum security prisons from the 19th century in Waupun and Green Bay with one newer facility. He also briefly touches on what's to come from his committee.

In this week's Capitol Chats episode, WISDOM Transformational Justice Campaign Coordinator Mark Rice says long term lockdowns amount to torture for inmates. He also says there has been no significant progress to lift the nearly yearlong lockdowns at Wisconsin's two oldest maximum security prisons, and argues former Parole Commissioner John Tate II created a better climate on the Parole Commission.

In this week's Capitol Chats episode, freshman Rep. Nate Gustafson discusses recommendations from the Speaker's Task Force on Artificial Intelligence he chairs. The Fox Crossing Republican also shares his thoughts on how AI could be used to address the state's workforce shortage.

In this week's WisPolitics Capitol Chats podcast, Americans for Prosperity State Director Megan Novak says most voters are thinking about inflation on regular goods and services such as groceries and energy heading into the presidential election. She argues the federal government has got to stop growing the national debt and should also focus on providing more American energy while. She also blasts President Joe Biden for what she calls anti-worker freedom policies.

In this week's Capitol Chats episode, state Rep. Katrina Shankland, D-Stevens Point, talks about her campaign to unseat U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Prairie du Chien, and touts her credentials as a state legislator. Shankland is one of three Dems vying for the seat.

In this week's WisPolitics Capitol Chats WILL President and General Counsel Rick Esenberg talks about the legislative redistricting lawsuit his office is party to. Esenberg also talks about what to watch for in the lawsuit seeking to make Wisconsin's 1849 abortion law unenforceable. A Dane County judge late last year ruled the law doesn't apply to consensual abortions, but Sheboygan DA Urmanski is appealing the decision.