One-Hundred and Seventh Regular Session
6:30 P.M. TUESDAY, February 18, 2025
The Senate met.
The Senate was called to order by Senate President Felzkowski.
Pursuant to Senate Rule 17 (6), the Chief Clerk made the following entries under the above date. _____________
Chief Clerk's Entries
Amendments Offered
hist199267Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 39 offered by Senator James. _____________
Deposited with the Secretary of State
The Chief Clerk records:
Deposited in the office of the Secretary of State on 2-18-2025.
_____________
Introduction, First Reading, and Reference of Proposals
Read first time and referred:
Relating to: state finances and appropriations, constituting the executive budget act of the 2025 legislature.
By the joint committee on Finance.
_____________
Report of Committees
The committee on Judiciary and Public Safety reported and recommended:
Senate Bill 6
Relating to: impoundment of vehicles used in certain traffic offenses.
Ayes: 5 - Senators Wanggaard, James, Wimberger, Jacque and Hutton.
Noes: 3 - Senators Drake, L. Johnson and Roys.
Ayes: 5 - Senators Wanggaard, James, Wimberger, Jacque and Hutton.
Noes: 3 - Senators Drake, L. Johnson and Roys.
Ayes: 5 - Senators Wanggaard, James, Wimberger, Jacque and Hutton.
Noes: 3 - Senators Drake, L. Johnson and Roys.
The committee on Judiciary and Public Safety reported:
Senate Bill 25
Relating to: court-issued criminal complaints in officer-involved deaths.
Ayes: 4 - Senators Wanggaard, James, Jacque and Hutton.
Noes: 4 - Senators Wimberger, Drake, L. Johnson and Roys.
VAN WANGGAARD
Chairperson
_____________
Petitions and Communications
hist199239Pursuant to Senate Rule 17 (5), Representative Tenorio withdrawn as a cosponsor of Senate Bill 15. hist199259Pursuant to Senate Rule 17 (5), Representative Gustafson added as a cosponsor of Senate Bill 22. hist199295Pursuant to Senate Rule 17 (5), Representative O'Connor added as a cosponsor of Senate Bill 27. hist199261Pursuant to Senate Rule 17 (5), Representative Gustafson added as a cosponsor of Senate Bill 32. hist199260Pursuant to Senate Rule 17 (5), Representative Gustafson added as a cosponsor of Senate Bill 36. hist199297Pursuant to Senate Rule 17 (5), Representative Fitzgerald added as a cosponsor of Senate Bill 39. hist199240Pursuant to Senate Rule 17 (5), Senators Spreitzer and Habush Sinykin added as coauthors of Senate Bill 42. hist199296Pursuant to Senate Rule 17 (5), Representative Fitzgerald added as a cosponsor of Senate Bill 42. hist199258Pursuant to Senate Rule 17 (5), Representative Gustafson added as a cosponsor of Senate Joint Resolution 6. _____________
President Felzkowski appointed Senator Hutton and Senator Dassler-Alfheim to escort his Excellency, the Governor, to the Joint Convention.
Senator LeMahieu, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate recess until 6:45 P.M. for the purpose of awaiting the Governor’s Budget Address in Joint Convention in the Assembly Chambers at 7:00 P.M., and further, that the Senate stand adjourned, until Thursday, February 20, upon the rising of the Joint Convention.
6:35 P.M.
_____________
Recess
The Senate proceeded in a body to the Assembly Chamber to meet in Joint Convention to receive the Budget Address.
6:45 P.M.
_____________
In Assembly Chamber In
Joint Convention
Senate President Felzkowski in the chair.
The Committee to wait upon the Governor appeared with his Excellency the Honorable Governor Tony Evers, who delivered his message as follows:
7:00 P.M.
_____________
“Good evening, Wisconsinites!
Honorable Supreme Court Justices, Tribal Nation leaders, constitutional officers, members of the Wisconsin National Guard and active and retired members of our armed forces, cabinet members, legislators, distinguished guests, and Wisconsinites joining us from wherever you are, thank you for being with us tonight.
My wife, Kathy is up in the gallery tonight. Kathleen Frances—you are my best friend and sounding board. There’s no one else I’d rather shovel heaps of snow with or lose a game of pickleball to. I love you so much.
Folks, I’m Tony Evers, and I’m excited to be here tonight to introduce my fourth biennial budget as the 46th governor of the great state of Wisconsin.
Wisconsinites, we’re not even 50 days into 2025, but my administration and I have been hard at work doing the right thing for Wisconsin. I’m excited tonight to be able to share some of the good work we’ve been doing, including laying out our state’s policy priorities for the next two years.
Our budget includes my comprehensive plan to lower costs from child care to medication to help working families, seniors, and students. I’m providing nearly $2 billion in tax relief, including eliminating income tax on tips. And my plan invests in public education at every level while holding the line on property taxes to make sure the average homeowner will not see a property tax increase.
I’m announcing plans to stop price gouging on prescriptions and crack down on insurance companies for denying Wisconsinites’ medical bill claims. I also want to invest in fighting PFAS and lead and getting contaminants out of our lands, service lines, bubblers, schools, homes, and child care centers for good. And we’re going to keep fixing the darn roads and infrastructure, building more affordable housing, keeping our kids, families, and communities safe, and expanding high-speed internet.
The budget I’m proposing balances our priorities of investing in our kids and needs that have been long neglected while providing real and sustainable tax relief and saving where we can. So, let’s get to work.
