November 2024 Legislative Update

All Hands-on Deck for Stewardship

WPRA members need your help to defend the Stewardship Program and work for its reauthorization. Gathering Waters, the state’s land trust organization, has compiled a coalition website (https://knowlesnelson.org/) for the effort.

WPRA encourages all members to identify the KNSP projects in your community and educate your local government leaders about this effort. We need everyone working hard to advocate for KNSP and that starts now.

Legislative Elections Recap: Republicans Hold Majorities in State Capitol

After years of focus on redistricting and new maps Wisconsin finally had its first election under the newly drawn legislative maps. The State Assembly will start the session with a 54-45 Republican majority, while the State Senate holds an 18-15 Republican majority. Both Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu were re-elected as leaders in their respective caucuses.

While the Republican margin in the Assembly shrank by ten seats, it is largely perceived as a good night for Speaker Vos as they were able to hold on to incumbents in democratic territory providing a margin that allows some wiggle room as the caucus moves through session. Assembly Democrats did pick up a couple 50/50 open seats and expect to have a larger impact on legislation moving forward.

In the State Senate Democrats swept all five competitive seats knocking the Republican margin from 22-11 to 18-15 leaving Senate Republicans no room for error and likely in need of Democratic support to pass most bills. Looking ahead, Democrats will need to win two of four competitive seats in 2026 to take the majority for the first time in what will be 16 years, a prospect that will shape both caucuses’ strategies in the coming session. That potential flip will play heavily into the upcoming session for both caucuses.

And just as we are trying to put this marathon election season to bed, Wisconsin is already gearing up for another significant battle: a State Supreme Court race that will determine the court’s balance in April 2025.