WisPolitics Capitol Chats

Today's Midday podcast covers a quick update on the rise of the omicron variant as the holiday season prompts travel. We also cover Assembly Dems' leadership updates as Minority Leader Gordon Hintz announces he will step down from his leadership role in January.

Today's Midday podcast covers the rise in COVID-19 cases across Wisconsin filling hospital beds and ICUs. Gov. Tony Evers is requesting help from the federal government to deal with the worsening situation as many Wisconsinites refuse to get vaccinated.

Today's Midday podcast covers the latest Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling on how the state's next legislative and congressional maps should be drawn. Justices ruled in favor of the Republican-backed least changes approach to drawing new district boundaries. They also ruled new maps will not take partisan makeup into consideration.

Today's Midday podcast covers a bill that would reduce penalties for marijuana and paraphernalia possession in most communities across the state, but it would increase penalties in Milwaukee and Dane counties. The lawmakers who introduced the bill also recently made headlines on their own for different reasons.

Today's Midday podcast covers the COVID-19 health care situation in Wisconsin as flu season approaches. Cases and deaths have been increasing compared to recent numbers as state health officials move to vaccinate children and distribute flu vaccines.

Today's Midday podcast covers Dane County Judge Jacob Frost's order to DNR halting the fall wolf hunt that would have started this weekend. A federal judge is waiting for more action in Frost's court before he offers his full opinion on whether DNR violated Ojibwe tribal treaty rights in setting its own wolf hunt quota.

Today's Midday podcast covers Racine County Sheriff's finding of Wisconsin Elections Commission violating election law as the Senate and Assembly conduct their own 2020 election investigations. The Legislative Audit Bureau also found no widespread fraud after conducting its investigation into the matter.

Today's Midday podcast covers eight Assembly bills that aim to create more workforce housing the state as well as tackle issues with homelessness. The bills will see the light of the Assembly floor next week, but groups representing the interests of local governments are opposing many of the bills they say would give more land use control to the state government.

Today's Midday podcast covers what health experts on a recent WisPolitics virtual luncheon had to say about the ongoing pandemic. They said the Delta surge has stalled for now, but providers are still struggling with workforce shortages, burnout and some vaccine hesitancy as they pass 18 months fighting the pandemic.

Today's Midday podcast covers several bills introduced by both sides of the aisle aiming to address gun rights issues. Dems are pushing red flag law and universal background check bills as Republicans push bills to decrease liability for gun makers and dealers, as well as increase reciprocity for out-of-state concealed carry permit holders.