By EZEKIEL KINGSBURY
The Round Table email has been signed up for press releases from the Wisconsin legislature for a while now, and I thought now was as good a time as ever to summarize and distribute the happenings in Madison.
On Thursday, September 14, 2023, a series of bills relating to childcare in Wisconsin were passed. Republicans argue these bills will expand resources and provide flexibility to childcare providers, though those providers as well as the Democrats have criticized the bills. AB 387 allows parents to contribute $10,000 yearly before taxes to a child care reimbursement account. AB 388 creates a $15 million loan program to help childcare centers renovate their properties. AB 390 lowers the minimum age for an assistant childcare teacher from 18 to 16 years old and has been criticized for shifting the labor onto the backs of teenagers, who can be paid minimally. AB 391 increases the ratio of children to childcare workers allowed in a center. Overall, these bills have been criticized as lackluster and shifting the weight of the problem, rather than addressing the issue at its core.
Recently elected Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Janet Protaiewicz is being threatened with impeachment if she hears cases about redistricting. On Wednesday, September 6, 2023, the Assembly Democratic Caucus and the Senate Democratic Caucus released this statement: “Earlier this year, Justice Janet Protasiewicz was elected by the people of Wisconsin. Now, legislative Republicans, in an unprecedented attempt to override the will of voters, are threatening to impeach Justice Protasiewicz before she has the opportunity to hear a single case. Legislative Democrats are united in our opposition to this anti-democratic abuse of power.” According to the Wisconsin State Journal, UW-Madison legal experts seriously doubt the validity of this case and do not think it will amount to anything substantial.
On August 11, state Rep. Barb Dittrich and fellow Republicans reintroduced legislation that “would require public and private K-12 schools, along with University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Technical College System schools, to create male, female, and coed categories for athletic teams” (WPR). The bill explicitly bans male students from “participating on an athletic team or in a sport that is designated for females or women.” Governor Evers has promised to veto these bills if they do pass. Additionally, it seems a bill is circulating in Madison that “would lead to increased abuse and harassment, and reduced safety for transgender inmates in Wisconsin prisons,” (TPNAC Caucus) though I have not yet found the specifics of this bill.
The political landscape in Wisconsin has witnessed a flurry of legislative and judicial actions, each carrying its own set of implications and controversies. The passage of childcare-related bills has ignited debates over resource allocation and labor practices, with critics arguing that the measures fall short of addressing the core issues. The potential impeachment threats faced by newly elected Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz have raised concerns about political interference in the judiciary, drawing opposition from Democratic lawmakers and legal experts. Additionally, the reintroduction of legislation regarding gender categories in school sports has sparked discussions about equity and inclusion. Wisconsin remains a focal point for our country’s broader political discourse.
Featured Image Credit: Cam Stenberg;24
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