June Legislative Update

Note: We will be trying out a bulleted format for PRMonthly’s Legislative Update – let us know what you think!

• After several rocky weeks of negotiations, the legislature passed the Shared Revenue bill, providing an additional $275 million into state aid for local governments and granting Milwaukee the ability to increase their sales taxes.
• The Joint Finance Committee is wrapping up their budget work early next week and is likely to take up taxes and the UW System in their final session. The budget bill then heads to both houses before it is sent to the governor.
• Despite brokering a deal on shared revenue and education, the Governor continues to battle legislative GOP leaders on their proposal to cut UW System to eliminate DEI programming.
• The state’s legislative fiscal year ends on June 30. If a budget is not signed into law, the spending levels from the current fiscal year will carry over.
• Other provisions of note in the legislature’s 2023-25 state budget so far for WPRA include:
  • Continuation of the Department of Tourism’s Office of Outdoor Recreation.
  • Creation of a $50 million nonstate Capital Grant Program (under the Building Commission).
  • Increase in total funds for the Transportation Alternatives Program.
• A bill to open the eligibility for the Urban Control Wildlife Program continues to advance in the legislature. WPRA supports this legislation.
• The update on the Wisconsin’s Pool code is ready to take effect in September – check out a DATCP webinar to learn more about this update. 
• The Department of Workforce Development continues to draft new rules pertaining to child labor laws, including codifying changes made under 2017 Wis. Act 153, which allows 15-year olds to work as lifeguards. WPRA will be monitoring and engaging on this rulemaking.