May Legislative Update 

Wisconsin Supreme Court Reverses Earlier Redistricting Decision, Selects Republican Legislative Maps
Since the last update, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has adopted state legislative maps proposed by Republican legislative leaders, a reversal of the court’s earlier decision adopting maps proposed by Gov. Tony Evers (D). On April 15, the state’s high court issued what is likely to be its final ruling related to the current cycle of redistricting in Wisconsin. The case was on remand from the United States Supreme Court, which ordered its Wisconsin counterpart to reconsider an earlier ruling.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision on April 15 did not affect the state’s new congressional maps. In a separate, one-sentence, unsigned order issued on March 23, the nation’s high court denied a request from Wisconsin’s Republican members of Congress to stay implementation of Gov. Evers’ congressional maps, meaning that those maps are likely to remain in place for the next ten years.

Additional litigation on the Wisconsin state legislative maps is expected but will have no effect on the districts in November’s elections.

Pool Rule Next Steps
Recall, over the last several months, WPRA has engaged with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Program on the rewrite of ATCP 76 or the “Pool Rule.” The DATCP Board reviewed the draft rule on May 12. WPRA submitted comments last month in favor of the draft rule.

In an unusual step, at the end of last month, the Joint Committee for Administrative Rules suspended a “tourist rooming house” from the definition of public pool as defined in ATCP 76. This suspension applies to the current regulation but has impacted language in the draft rule. During the next legislative session, likely in January 2023, the legislature is expected to consider the bills proposed in the April 26, 2022, hearing and whether to remove DATCP’s statutory authority to regulate pools at TRHs. If the legislation passes, the suspension will permanently remove “a tourist rooming house” from ch. ATCP 76.

In anticipation of legislative pushback next session, DATCP has removed Subchapter 7, Limited Use Public Pools from the draft Pool Rule, which will now go to the legislature for review. This legislative review will also not begin until next session. 

Joint Legislative Council Establishes Seven Study Committees
The Wisconsin Legislature’s Joint Legislative Council (JLC) recommends special committees to study major issues identified by the Legislature, typically during even-numbered years after adjournment. JLC circulated a paper ballot that was due on April 15 asking legislators to approve seven proposed committees. The committees are expected to gather information and make policy recommendations that could be considered for adoption by the Legislature next year.

The committees will address the following topics and will be led by the following legislators:

WisDOT Releases Solicitation for Additional TAP Planning Dollars
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation recently released an update on the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). Due to the federal infrastructure legislation, the state received additional funds, some of which were allocated to the TAP program. The state just released an additional solicitation for non-infrastructure Safe Routes to School programming projects and non-infrastructure planning studies due by June 3rd.