During the coronavirus pandemic, individuals and families across our state relied on unemployment benefits to make ends meet. Now, Wisconsin has returned to work. Our state’s unemployment rate is at historic lows, and we have the fewest number of people unemployed ever in our state’s history. I am vetoing this bill in its entirety because I object to adding more barriers for individuals applying for and receiving economic assistance through programs largely designed to provide support when individuals and families are experiencing economic hardship.
Additionally, under this legislation, the number of weeks an individual who lost their job through no fault of their own would be eligible to receive benefits would be determined based on historical and potentially outdated unemployment rates. Under this bill, for example, for an individual applying for unemployment insurance benefits on or after January 1, the number of weeks for which that person would be eligible to receive benefits would be based on the average unemployment rate of July, August, and September of the preceding year. Similarly, for an individual applying for unemployment insurance benefits on or after July 1, the number of weeks for which that person would be eligible would be based on the average unemployment rate of January, February, and March earlier that year.
This bill fails to meaningfully contemplate—much less be responsive to—timely, immediate economic needs precipitated by an economic crisis. Considering the economic turbulence caused by the coronavirus pandemic, for example, might have proved illuminating, even instructive, to the Legislature in the course of developing this legislation. In April 2020, Wisconsin’s unemployment rate was 14.8 percent. If this bill had been enacted before this pandemic, the number of weeks for which an April 2020 claimant would have been eligible to receive would have been based on the unemployment rate for the third quarter of 2019—when there was no pandemic, no economic crisis existed, and the unemployment rate was 3.1 percent. This defies logic.
The Legislature might well have been informed about these issues had this legislation been developed through the Unemployment Insurance Advisory Council's agreed-upon bill process or in consultation with the Council and the Department.
I am vetoing Assembly Bill 938 in its entirety.
This bill would make several modifications to the unemployment insurance laws. Specifically, the bill provides that whenever unemployment benefits are augmented by congressional or executive action—that is, for example, many of the enhanced federal unemployment benefits that provided additional economic support during the coronavirus pandemic—they must be approved by the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee. The bill also dramatically expands the definition of employee misconduct. The bill would impose upon nonresident claimants a requirement to register with their local job center after receiving the first week of benefits from Wisconsin. The Department of Workforce Development would have to verify that such claimants have completed this registration, as well as audit 50 percent of all work search actions reported by all claimants in the state. The bill further would require the department to provide information about the unemployment insurance system to both individuals and employers and enhance identity verification (compliant with National Institute of Standards Digital Identity Guidelines IAL2 and AAL2), among other provisions.
During the coronavirus pandemic, individuals and families across our state relied on unemployment benefits to make ends meet. Now, Wisconsin has returned to work. Our state’s unemployment rate is at historic lows, and we have the fewest number of people unemployed ever in our state’s history. I am vetoing this bill in its entirety because I object to adding more barriers for individuals applying for and receiving economic assistance through programs largely designed to provide support when individuals and families are experiencing economic hardship. Additionally, I also object to the Legislature’s unnecessary interference in future unemployment benefit augmentations. Unfortunately, this state has already experienced firsthand what happens when the Legislature delays and refuses to act expeditiously in the face of overwhelming need—in 2020, Wisconsin lost out on $25 million in federal funding to help support unemployment benefits because the Legislature failed to act quickly. This legislation only enables this same mistake to occur again in the future by requiring Joint Finance Committee review. By way of further example, had this bill been enacted during this pandemic as the state was implementing the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation benefit program, the two-week delay to accommodate the Joint Finance Committee’s passive review period alone would have resulted in an estimated more than $360 million in lost funds. Legislative inaction on future benefit augmentations could needlessly delay and potentially even jeopardize economic support to Wisconsinites during times of great economic need and uncertainty.
Moreover, the Department of Workforce Development has launched a modernized call center, offers significant reemployment services, and has substantial eligibility requirements and fraud prevention mechanisms. The Legislature might well have been informed about these processes and existing requirements had this legislation been developed through the Unemployment Insurance Advisory Council's agreed-upon bill process or in consultation with the Council and the Department.
I am vetoing Assembly Bill 939 in its entirety.
This bill would make various changes to the unemployment insurance law. Wisconsin businesses and employers are an essential part of the success of our unemployment system and are already required to submit information to the Department of Workforce Development. The Department would also be required to create online reporting mechanisms for employers' increased reporting requirements. This bill requires employers to "provide a full and prompt response” for benefit claims as to eligibility questions and report to the Department regarding various conduct of a job applicant. The bill specifies that the first such report regarding an individual should be disregarded for purposes of determining unemployment benefit eligibility if the claimant can demonstrate good cause for any failure to interview or accept a job offer. Generally, though, reports under the bill would render an individual ineligible for benefits during a benefit week. The Department would be required to investigate each report and provide the results of such investigations and actions taken to the Unemployment Insurance Council and the appropriate standing committees of the Legislature. The bill also adds duplicative requirements, which are largely already provided for under current law.
During the coronavirus pandemic, individuals and families across our state relied on unemployment benefits to make ends meet. Now, Wisconsin has returned to work. Our state’s unemployment rate is at historic lows, and we have the fewest number of people unemployed ever in our state’s history. I am vetoing this bill in its entirety because I object to adding more barriers for individuals applying for and receiving economic assistance through programs largely designed to provide support when individuals and families are experiencing economic hardship. Moreover, state law already has protections in place to prevent the types of fraudulent activity this bill purports to prevent. Under current law, unemployment claimants must already be able and available for work, must actively look for work and provide documentation for completing four work search actions per week, and must report weekly whether they have refused job offers or job referrals. Failure to comply with these requirements could result in the ending of benefits, overpayments, or additional penalties. The Legislature might well have been informed about these existing requirements had this legislation been developed through the Unemployment Insurance Advisory Council's agreed-upon bill process or in consultation with the Council and the Department.
I am vetoing Assembly Bill 963 in its entirety.
This bill would create a new legal standard for infringement on certain rights for parents with regard to their children.
As a former science teacher, principal, and state superintendent, I know that parents are the first and best teachers our kids have. We know we can improve our kids’ academic achievement when parents are actively involved in their kids’ lives, including supporting their education. During my time as an educator and administrator, engaging with parents and family members about their kids’ education was invaluable. That is why, as governor, I trust parents, educators, and school boards to work together to do what’s best for our kids.
Unfortunately, this bill is another in a string of legislation aimed not at supporting our parents, our kids, and our schools, and fostering those relationships that improve student outcomes, but at dividing our schools. Politicians on both sides of the aisle have to stop using our kids as political pawns. I am vetoing this bill in its entirety because I object to sowing division in our schools, which only hurts our kids and learning in our classrooms. Now more than ever, especially after these past few years, our focus should be on doing what’s best for our kids, improving school quality, and supporting our classrooms. I continue to urge the Wisconsin State Legislature to make meaningful, sustainable investments in K-12 education so we can ensure our educators, staff, administrators, and school boards can maintain robust communication and collaboration with parents and parent involvement and improve outcomes in our schools. By providing long-term state support for our schools and bolstering staff resources, we can better empower and facilitate parent engagement, which is critically important for our kids’ success.
For these reasons, I cannot support this bill.
I am vetoing Assembly Bill 966 in its entirety.
This bill would dissolve the Milwaukee Public Schools System (MPS) and catalyze the creation of multiple school districts by July 1, 2024, to serve the same geographic area. The bill mandates that a Milwaukee Public Schools Redistricting and Implementation Commission would devise the new MPS structure and plans would have to be submitted to the Legislature.
I am vetoing this bill in its entirety because I object to dissolving MPS without evidence that doing so will provide the measures and support necessary to help kids in the Milwaukee area. This bill’s provisions could weaken city-wide school initiatives that are a strength of MPS, could substantially alter individual school funding, and could result in substantial employee movement both within and potentially out of MPS. Further, this bill fails to assign membership to the proposed Commission to stakeholders that represent teachers, parents, students, or school board members who best understand what students in MPS need.
Moreover, this bill represents yet another attempt by this Legislature to politicize our schools and an unprecedented intrusion on local control in our public school districts. At a minimum, such a broad, sweeping plan should be developed in consultation with parents, educators, and administrators of MPS, drafted together with legislators who represent MPS parents, students, and schools, and considered meaningfully by and with input from the greater Milwaukee community. This bill fails on each front.
I am vetoing Assembly Bill 970 in its entirety.
This bill eliminates income limits and participation limits in the Parental Choice Programs and creates an unfunded $1,000 per-student education account reimbursement program.
I am vetoing this bill because I object to the drastic impact it could have on families; according to the Department of Public Instruction, the impact on taxpayers in a school year could exceed $500,000,000. It is remarkable to me that many supporters of this bill, who commonly express concerns about property taxes when it comes to supporting more than 800,000 public school children in our state, are apparently unfazed by the fiscal impact this bill could have on families due to the way these programs are funded.
Similarly, I object to creating a new reimbursement program with no designated state funding source. While courses offered by approved educational providers may benefit students, the bill contains no appropriation, oversight, or accountability to implement the $1,000 reimbursement for educational materials.
Finally, I am vetoing this bill because it could jeopardize the state’s Maintenance of Effort obligations related to the receipt of over $2 billion of federal funding for public and private schools by increasing K-12 expenditures without increasing higher education expenditures.
Respectfully submitted,
TONY EVERS
Governor
