One-Hundred and Seventh Regular Session6:28 P.M. WEDNESDAY, January 22, 2025
The Assembly met in the Assembly Chamber located in the State Capitol.
Speaker Vos in the chair.
Representative Summerfield asked unanimous consent for a quorum call. Granted.
A quorum was present.
The prayer was offered by Pastor Michael Beresford of High Point Church in Madison.
Representative Hurd led the membership in reciting the pledge of allegiance to the United States of America flag.
The roll was taken.
The result follows:
Present - Representatives Allen, Anderson, Andraca, Armstrong, Arney, August, Bare, Behnke, Billings, Born, Brill, Brooks, Brown, Callahan, Clancy, Cruz, Dallman, DeSanto, DeSmidt, Dittrich, Donovan, Doyle, Duchow, Emerson, Fitzgerald, Franklin, Goeben, Goodwin, Green, Gundrum, Gustafson, Haywood, Hong, Hurd, Hysell, B. Jacobson, J. Jacobson, Joers, Johnson, Kaufert, Kirsch, Kitchens, Knodl, Krug, Kurtz, Madison, Maxey, Mayadev, McGuire, Melotik, Miresse, Moore Omokunde, Moses, Murphy, Mursau, Nedweski, Neubauer, Neylon, Novak, O'Connor, Ortiz-Velez, Palmeri, Penterman, Phelps, Piwowarczyk, Prado, Pronschinske, Rivera-Wagner, Rodriguez, Roe, Sheehan, Sinicki, Snodgrass, Snyder, Sortwell, Spaude, Spiros, Stroud, Stubbs, Subeck, Summerfield, Swearingen, Taylor, Tenorio, Tittl, Tranel, Tucker, Tusler, Udell, VanderMeer, Wichgers, Wittke, Zimmerman, and Speaker Vos - 94.
Absent with leave – Representatives Kreibich, McCarville, Petersen, Steffen, and Vining - 5.
Vacancies - None.
_____________
Leave of Absence
Representative Summerfield asked unanimous consent for a leave of absence for today's session for Representatives Kreibich, Petersen, and Steffen. Granted.
Representative Subeck asked unanimous consent for a leave of absence for today's session for Representatives McCarville and Vining. Granted.
_____________
Executive Communications
December 3, 2024
Senator Mary Felzkowski
Senate President-Elect
415 South, State Capitol
Madison, WI 53707
Representative Robin Vos
Assembly Speaker
217 West, State Capitol
Madison, WI 53708
Dear President-elect Felzkowski and Speaker Vos:
Congratulations, again, on your election to serve as leaders in your respective chambers. I look forward to working with both of you in the next legislative session on many important issues facing our state, including expanding BadgerCare, making child care more affordable for working families, and investing in public education at every level.
I intend to deliver my 2025 State of the State address at 7:00 p.m. on either Wednesday, January 22, 2025 or Tuesday, January 28, 2025. Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 16.45, I respectfully request to deliver the budget message at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, or Tuesday, March 4, 2025. A later date this year will allow both the State Budget office and the Legislative Fiscal Bureau additional time to review year-end economic activity in 2024 and updated 2025 economic forecasts. I also opted for these dates as I have a scheduling obligation in mid-February and am slated to attend a bipartisan convening of the nation's governors and I would prefer to avoid any potential conflicts. Thank you in advance for your consideration. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my chief of staff, Maggie Gau, with any questions in the interim. I hope you and your families have a happy and safe holiday season, and I look forward to working together and having a productive and collaborative legislative session in the New Year.
Sincerely,
Tony Evers
Governor
_____________
Speaker’s Communications
December 20, 2024
The Honorable Tony Evers
Governor of the State of Wisconsin
115 East, State Capitol
Madison, WI 53702
Dear Governor Evers:
Thank you for your letter. We write to you as our state approaches a crossroads. The state government is holding $4 billion in taxpayer money while hardworking families struggle to make ends meet.
The legislature’s position is well-documented. The surplus should be returned to taxpayers in the form of structural changes to our tax code. Short-term, pandemic-era stimulus has caused long-term inflationary pressure on families, businesses, and local governments. Last session, we addressed the pressure on schools and local governments by providing them with the largest increases in state support ever. Now it is time to provide middle-class families and our private sector partners with support as well.
We are ready to get to work and welcome your input on how to best address these issues.
It is our honor to invite you to deliver the State of the State address to a joint session of the Wisconsin State Legislature at 7:00 p.m. in the Assembly Chambers on January 22, 2025.
We would also like to invite you to deliver your budget message at 7:00 p.m. in the Assembly Chambers on February 18, 2025.
We look forward to hearing both addresses.
Sincerely,
ROBIN J. VOS
Assembly Speaker
_____________
Speaker Vos appointed Representatives Stubbs and Tucker to escort Governor Tony Evers from his office to the Assembly Chamber.
Speaker Vos asked unanimous consent that the Assembly stand informal. Granted.
The Assembly stood informal. 6:43 P.M.
_____________
Informal
