Stateline Headlines

Child support enforcement cuts will backfire

Wis. panel considers bill limiting local recalls

Legislators back broad Scott Walker authority to sell state property

Presidential speculation heats up

Budget committee approves $50 tobacco use fee

Change would reverse declining funding for child support enforcement

Watchdog group accused of showing Democratic bias with fundraiser

Budget panel makes changes for public retirees to stop double-dipping

GOP move gives state more control on construction

Republican lawmakers may try to resurrect bail bonding

Proposal gives Scott Walker administration more power to sell state property

Critics pounce on Scott Walker's three out-of-state trips this week

State bill would ban mandatory flu shots

Walker signs layoff alternative bill

Wis. not likely to take up gay marriage again soon

Wisconsin Gov. Walker to headline Iowa GOP event

Gov. Scott Walker signs work-share measure

Taxpayers will pay more under Scott Walker health plan, study says

Obama and Walker earn identical approval ratings in Wisconsin

Republican lawmakers may try to resurrect bail bonding

Proposal gives Scott Walker administration more power to sell state property

Walker reports state added 32,000 jobs in 2012

Wisconsin adds 62,000 over past 2 years

State stewardship funds trimmed by $18 million

Scott Walker proposes UW tuition freeze, much smaller funding increase

IRS asked about Wisconsin recall, Texas tea party group says

Lawmakers forgo real work and focus on junk

Scott Walker proposes UW tuition freeze, much smaller funding increase

State stewardship funds trimmed by $18 million

Wis. budget committee OKs stewardship reductions

Walker revises UW budget, calls for tuition freeze

State treasurer duties gutted by committee

Assembly passes drunken driving bills

Walker meets with Dalai Lama before speech

Walker says IRS screening 'more than political'

Bill to get around injunctions blocking state laws gets preliminary Assembly OK

State Senate passes bill to cut budget of Milwaukee County Board

Wisconsin conservation groups hope to ward off stewardship program cuts

Assembly to consider bill that alters Wisconsin landlord-tenant law

Milwaukee County sheriff's official questions eviction law change

Measure requiring 4 work searches per week for jobless benefits advances

Department of Administration awards $3.2 million in housing grants

Committee signs off on Wis. venture capital bill

Venture capital bill stalls; dispute surfaces on whether biotech firms should be included

Tom Barrett blasts state lawmakers over vote to end residency rules

Wisconsin conservation groups hope to ward off stewardship program cuts

Assembly to consider bill that alters Wisconsin landlord-tenant law

Democrats say new money must go to schools

Panel approves drunken driving bill

State budget panel OKs residency rule based on distance

State budget panel holds up $63 million in WEDC funding over problems

Wisconsin revenue to grow $500 million more than expected

State Rep. John Nygren promises more money for schools

Lawmakers to move ahead with WEDC budget vote

Democrats oppose bill affecting asbestos lawsuits

Lawmakers cite frustration with Wis. jobs board

Assembly passes informed consent bill

GOP leaders would set distance limit for workers who move after residency rules dropped

Wisconsin Assembly passes measure that changes what doctors must tell patients for diagnoses

Latest turmoil at WEDC prompts Democrats to demand changes

Scott Walker pledges to address treatment of disabled students in voucher schools

Assembly approves junk food stamps bill

Troubles mount for Gov. Scott Walker's jobs agency

Legislature OKs sanitation worker safety bill

Assembly passes bill requiring that most food stamp benefits go to purchasing healthy foods

Wisconsin Supreme Court Retains Conservative Tilt

The Wisconsin high court’s perceived conservative tilt will remain after a justice was re-elected in Tuesday’s vote.

Balance of Power, Future of Key Issues at Stake in Wisconsin Court Race

Two years after one of the most contentious and bruising Supreme Court elections any state has ever seen, Wisconsin voters will return to the polls Tuesday to cast their votes in another judicial election.

Should Public Workers Have to Live Where They Work?

Municipal residency requirements have gradually become less common. State efforts to ban them can get ugly as cities fight to maintain their middle class population base.

Wisconsin State of the State Address 2013

MADISON, Wisconsin -- Jan. 15 -- Following is the prepared text of Gov. Scott Walker's (R) 2013 State of the State Address

Economic Development Agencies Face New Scrutiny

When Wisconsin partially privatized its Department of Commerce last year, the hope was to create a less bureaucratic job creation organization. Since then, though, the new entity has faced a series of setbacks.

Feds Slam Wisconsin Public-Private Partnership for Economic Development

Transferring control of Wisconsin’s economic development efforts from a state agency to a new public-private partnership was a focus of Governor Scott Walker’s campaign and one of the first things he accomplished when he took office.

Wisconsin Voter ID Law Unlikely to Apply in November

Wisconsinites this November won’t likely need to show photo identification at the polls. That’s because the state Supreme Court says it won’t immediately consider whether to reinstate a voter ID law blocked in a lower court.

Wisconsin Judge Strikes Down Collective Bargaining Restrictions

A county judge in Wisconsin has thrown out most of Governor Scott Walker’s law that severely restricts collective bargaining for public employees, throwing into question changes to contracts already negotiated under the year-old law.

Report: Cost of Walker Recall Effort Topped $80 Million

Wisconsin’s unprecedented 15 recall races for governor, lieutenant governor and state senate in 2011 and 2012, prompted a record amount of campaign spending, according to a report released Wednesday (July 25). Candidates, groups and committees spent a total of about $137.5 million on races, including about $84.5

Wisconsin State of the State Address 2011

MADISON, Wis. - Feb. 1 - Following is the text of Gov. Scott Walker's (R) 2011 state of the state address: Click here to access a video of the address. Speaker Fitzgerald, Speaker Pro Tem Kramer, President Ellis, Majority Leader Fitzgerald, Minority Leader Miller, Minority Leader Barca, Supreme Court Justice

Wisconsin State of the State Address 2010

MADISON, Wis. - Jan. 26 - Following is the text of Gov. Jim Doyle's (D) 2010 state of the state address: Speaker Sheridan, Speaker Pro Tem Staskunas, President Risser, Majority Leader Decker, Minority Leaders Fitzgerald and Fitzgerald, Constitutional Officers, Supreme Court Justices, tribal leaders, members of the

Other Elections Besides Walker Recall

Voters will also decide ballot measures, five state legislative primaries and a gubernatorial primary in Montana.

Infographic: Thirty Years of State Recalls

In all of U.S. history, only two state governors have been recalled from office. Today, Wisconsin’s Scott Walker seeks to avoid becoming the third.

Wisconsin State of the State Address 2009

MADISON, Wis. - Jan. 29 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Jim Doyle's (D) 2009 state of the state address: Speaker Sheridan, Speaker Pro Tem Staskunas, President Risser, Majority Leader Decker, Minority Leader Fitzgerald, Minority Leader Fitzgerald, Supreme Court Justices, Constitutional Officers, tribal le

Wisconsin State of the State Address 2008

MADISON, Wis. - Jan. 23 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Jim Doyle's (D) 2008 state of the state address: Growing Wisconsin's Economy Speaker Huebsch, Speaker Pro Tem Gottlieb, President Risser, Majority Leader Decker, Constitutional Officers, Supreme Court Justices, tribal leaders, members of the Cabinet

Wisconsin State of the State Address 2007

MADISON, Wisc., Jan. 30 - Following is the transcript of Gov. Jim Doyle's 2007 State of the States Address. Click here to view the address. Speaker Huebsch, Speaker Pro Tem Gottlieb, President Risser, Majority Leader Robson, Lieutenant Governor Lawton, Constitutional Officers, Supreme Court Justices, members

Wisconsin State of the State Address 2006

MADISON, Wis., Jan. 17 -- Following is the prepared text of Gov. Jim Doyle's 2006 state of the state address: Click here to access the governor's web page and view or hear the address. Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, Mr. Speaker Pro-Tempore, Members of the Legislature, Lieutenant Governor Lawton, Constitutional Of

Wisconsin State of the State Address 2005

MADISON, Wisconsin - Jan. 12 - Following is the text of Gov. Jim Doyle's 2005 state of the state address: Speaker Gard, Majority Leader Schultz, President Lasee, Speaker Pro Tem Freese, Members of the Legislature, Lieutenant Governor Lawton, Constitutional Officers, Supreme Court Justices, Members of the Cabi

Wisconsin State of the State Address 2004

MADISON, Wisconsin - Jan. 21 - Following is the text of Gov. Jim Doyle's 2004 State of the State Address: Speaker Gard, President Lasee, Lieutenant Governor Lawton, Supreme Court Justices, constitutional officers, members of the Cabinet, tribal leaders, distinguished members of the Legislature, and fellow citizen

Wisconsin State of the State Address 2003

MADISON, Wisconsin - Jan. 30 - Following is the full text of Gov. Jim Doyle's 2003 State of the State Address: Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, Lieutenant Governor Lawton, Supreme Court justices, constitutional officers, members of the Cabinet, distinguished members of the Legislature and fellow citizens of Wisconsin:

Wisconsin State of the State Address 2002

MADISON, Wisconsin - March 5 - Following is the complete text of Gov. Scott McCallum's 2002 State of the State Address: Citizens, colleagues, guests and friends. Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, distinguished members of the Legislature, members of the Supreme Court, constitutional officers, cabinet members, Lieutenant Gov

Wisconsin State of the State Address 2001

MADISON, Wisconsin - Feb. 1 - Following is the full text of Gov. Scott McCallum's 2001 State of the State Address: Chief Justice Abrahamson, Governor Thompson, Governor Schreiber, Governor Dreyfus, Governor Earl, members of the Wisconsin Legislature, members of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, my wife Laurie, my childr

Wisconsin State of the State Address 2000

MADISON, Wisconsin - Jan. 26 - Following is the text of Gov. Tommy G. Thompson's 2000 State of the State Address: Speaker Jensen, President Risser, Members of the Legislature, Constitutional Officers, Honorable Justices of the Supreme Court, tribal leaders, members of the Cabinet, distinguished guests, ladies and g

Threats, Switches Mark Wisconsin Gunfight

When people imagine Wisconsin, they may think of beer, dairy farms and the pro football Green Bay Packers. But the bucolic Badger State was the scene this week of a bruising political battle over letting citizens carry concealed weapons.

Pro-Baseball Franchise Hit with Unusual State Audit

More than three dozen new professional sports stadiums and arenas opened in the United States in the last decade, many of them built with taxpayer money. Some taxpayers and the people who represent them seem satisfied with the bargain, but others are beginning to ask why some of the teams that benefited have provided so little to cheer about.

Drunken Driving Plea Tarnishes Wisconsin Attorney General

Wisconsin's first female attorney general is fighting for her political life after an arrest for drunken driving led not only to her embarrassment but also to the discovery she was misusing a state-owned car to commute to work. Democrat Peg Lautenschlager reimbursed taxpayers, paid fines and now gets rides to work because she lost her driver's license. She is trying to put the controversies behind her and says she has no plans to step down.

States Offer Tax Breaks to Spur Organ Donation

A new Wisconsin initiative to boost organ donations in the state by giving an income-tax deduction to living donors is gaining steam in statehouses across the country. Since January, Georgia lawmakers approved an identical bill, and similar measures have been introduced in 10 other states.

Welfare-To-Work Can Benefit Kids, Study Finds

A new report on an experimental welfare-to-work program released Tuesday (June 10) suggests that putting poor mothers to work can have a positive effect on the well-being of their children as long as their family receives adequate work supports and their income rises above the poverty level.

Wisconsin Legislator Relishes Road-Warrior Alter Ego

Wisconsin State Sen. Dave Zien is not the kind of legislator who revels in political deal-making in smoked-filled rooms. Zien, 53, who uses a means of transport known as a Hog for his 400 mile daily commute to and from the state capitol in Madison, is much more comfortable out on the open road.

Governor Vetoes Wisconsin Gun Bill

A bill allowing gun-owners to pack concealed weapons even into the state Legislature -- has sparked a political shootout in Wisconsin, with Republican proponents blazing away rhetorically at criminals, druggies and wackos, while Democrats return fire with equal passion. Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle put at least a temporary stop to this feuding Tuesday with a veto, backed by strong support from Wisconsins law enforcement community and the public at large.

Budget Plan Gives Wisconsin Big Political Issue

Wisconsin Gov. Scott McCallum has triggered an election year battle with his proposal to phase out a 90 year-old program of state aid to local governments to erase a $1.2 billion state budget deficit. The politically risky plan, fiercely opposed by many urban leaders and Democratic legislative leaders, would reduce the $1 billion per year "Shared Funding" program by more than one-third this year alone.

Wisconsin Leads In Extending Jobless Aid

Wisconsin, which pioneered financial aid for out-of-work citizens, is extending unemployment benefits for up to eight additional weeks to workers laid off on or after March 11th, 2001.

Wisconsin Govs Race One To Watch

Less than seven months before the November election, Wisconsin Gov. Scott McCallum has fielded a new team of top advisers in a bid to win a four-year term in the face of discouraging poll numbers and an image problem. But McCallum, who for 14 years played understudy to popular former Gov. Tommy Thompson, faces a difficult challenge.

Wisconsin State Senator Faces 18 Felony Charges

Just weeks ago Wisconsin State Senator and former Milwaukee assistant prosecutor Brian Burke (D-Milwaukee) was the front-runner for state attorney general. Instead of prosecuting criminals Burke now faces 18 felony counts of misconduct in office and evidence tampering for allegedly using state resources and state employees for partisan campaigning and trying to cover up his crimes.

Wisconsin Politics Gets Stranger and Stranger

Wisconsin politics gets stranger and stranger. In the latest bizarre twist, the Democratic majority leader of the state Senate has unmasked himself as the mastermind of a move that ended the gubernatorial campaign of a fellow Democratic state senator.