HARM VENHUIZEN

Statehouse reporter and Report for America corps member

Top Wisconsin Republican wants to put abortion laws on a future ballot

Wisconsin’s top Republican wants to let voters decide whether to shorten the length of time that pregnant women can legally seek abortions.

Wisconsin Republicans call for layoffs and criticize remote work policies as wasting office spaces

Republican lawmakers are calling for layoffs and criticizing remote work policies at state agencies after an audit revealed that state employees were spending substantially more time working from home than in their offices.

Wisconsin lawmakers weigh bipartisan ranked choice voting bill as opponents push to ban the method

A bipartisan bill that would dramatically rework how Wisconsin residents choose congressional candidates had its first hearing in the state Legislature on Tuesday.

Top Wisconsin Senate Republican says a deal is near for university pay raises. UW officials disagree

The leader of the Republican-controlled Wisconsin Senate says lawmakers are nearing a deal that would allow for long-blocked pay raises for Universities of Wisconsin employees to take effect.

Democratic Wisconsin governor vetoes bill to ban gender-affirming care for kids

Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has vetoed a bill that sought to outlaw gender-affirming care for minors.

Republican leaders of Wisconsin Legislature at odds over withholding university pay raises

The Republican head of the Wisconsin Senate says he wants to see pay raises approved for Universities of Wisconsin employees.

Man pleads guilty to 2022 firebombing of Wisconsin anti-abortion office

A Wisconsin man has pleaded guilty to firebombing the office of a prominent anti-abortion group last year.

Hunters killed nearly 18% fewer deer this year in Wisconsin’s nine-day gun season

Officials say hunters killed substantially fewer deer this year during Wisconsin’s nine-day gun season.

Wisconsin Legislature passes liquor law overhauls opposed by private wedding venues

The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Senate has passed a bipartisan measure to overhaul the state’s liquor laws and regulate private event venues.

Wisconsin’s Democratic governor says he would sign current GOP-backed ballot pre-processing bill

Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers says he will sign a bill that would allow elections officials to process absentee ballots the day before an election if the measure passes the Republican-led Legislature in its current form.

Wisconsin Senate approves GOP-backed elections amendments to the state constitution

The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Senate has voted to pass three proposed amendments to the state constitution that would change elections administration in the presidential battleground state.

Universities of Wisconsin unveil plan to recover $32 million cut by Republicans in diversity fight

The Universities of Wisconsin is proposing a $32 million workforce spending plan in an attempt to get back funds that were cut by the Republican-controlled state Legislature earlier this year in a fight over campus diversity programs.

Wisconsin judge rules that GOP-controlled Senate’s vote to fire top elections official had no effect

A Wisconsin judge says the state Senate’s vote to fire a top elections official last month had no effect.

Wisconsin Republicans back bill outlawing university financial aid based on race and diversity

Republican Wisconsin lawmakers are backing a bill that would bar public universities in the state from considering race and diversity when awarding financial aid.

Wisconsin Republicans look to pass constitutional amendments on voter eligibility, elections grants

Republicans who control the Wisconsin Legislature have advanced a series of voter-related constitutional amendments.

Federal jury convicts 2 employees in fatal Wisconsin corn mill explosion

A federal jury has convicted two senior employees at a Wisconsin corn plant of falsifying records and obstructing an investigation into a fatal corn dust explosion in 2017.

Wisconsin Republicans reject eight Evers appointees, including majority of environmental board

Republicans who control the Wisconsin Senate have voted to fire eight appointees nominated to state boards by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.

Wisconsin Republicans withhold university pay raises in fight over school diversity funding

Republicans who control the Wisconsin Legislature are withholding pay raises for Universities of Wisconsin employees amid a fight over the school system’s diversity, equity and inclusion spending.

Wisconsin Republicans admit vote to fire elections chief had no legal effect

Republicans who control the Wisconsin Legislature have admitted that a vote to fire the state’s top elections official last month has no legal effect.

Top Wisconsin Senate Republican calls on Assembly to impeach state’s top elections official

The Republican president of the Wisconsin Senate is calling on the Assembly to vote to impeach the state’s nonpartisan top elections official.

Wisconsin Senate Republicans vote to reject commissioner who backed disputed top elections official

Republicans who control the Wisconsin Senate’s elections committee are retaliating against one of the three Democratic elections commissioners who tried to block them from voting to fire the state’s nonpartisan top elections official earlier this year.

National Democrats sue to block Wisconsin’s absentee voting witness requirements

A national Democratic law firm is suing Wisconsin elections officials over the state’s witness requirements for absentee voting.

Watchdog files open meetings lawsuit against secret panel studying Wisconsin justice’s impeachment

A liberal watchdog group is suing a secret panel investigating the criteria for impeaching a Wisconsin Supreme Court justice.

Wisconsin Republicans propose impeaching top elections official after disputed vote to fire her

Several Republican Wisconsin lawmakers have proposed impeaching the state’s top elections official. The move came Thursday as Democrats are fighting to keep Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe in office.

Bipartisan group of Wisconsin lawmakers propose ranked-choice voting and top-five primaries

A bipartisan group of Wisconsin lawmakers is reviving a proposal to implement ranked-choice voting and nonpartisan blanket primaries in the battleground state.

Planned Parenthood resumes offering abortions in Wisconsin after more than a year

Planned Parenthood has resumed offering abortions in Wisconsin at clinics in Madison and Milwaukee. The resumption of services on Monday is the first time abortions have been available in the state since the U.S.

GOP-led Wisconsin Senate votes to fire nonpartisan official targeted by 2020 election skeptics

The Wisconsin Senate has voted to fire the state’s top elections official as misinformation about the 2020 election influences election administration in the battleground state.

Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates often speak out on hot topics. Only one faces impeachment threat

The Wisconsin Supreme Court justice who Republicans are threatening to impeach over comments she made on the campaign trail about abortion and redistricting isn’t the first member of the court to offer public opinions about major issues of the day.

Senate committee recommends firing Wisconsin’s top elections official in process Democrats dispute

The Wisconsin Senate’s elections committee has recommended firing the state’s top elections official.

Wisconsin GOP threatens to impeach justice over donations, but conservatives also took party cash

Wisconsin Republicans are threatening to impeach a state Supreme Court justice over donations she received from the Democratic Party.