The Capitol Report

Hemp-growing registrations in Wisconsin fell by 48 percent for the 2021 growing season, spurring state lawmakers to look to the private sector to help the fledgling program undermined by the pandemic and an uncertain CBD market.

While Republican Sen. Ron Johnson keeps everybody waiting on his 2022 plans, Democratic activists are eyeing a growing field of declared and potential candidates to take him on next year.

The University of Wisconsin tuition freeze that’s been in place for the past eight years would expire under a Republican motion the Joint Finance Committee approved in late May.

Acting Tourism Secretary Anne Sayers says the Joint Finance Committee’s vote to continue a $1.5 million addition to the Department of Tourism’s base budget will help Wisconsin remain competitive with other Midwestern states.

On May 14, the Wisconsin Supreme Court declined to create a rules process to ensure redistricting lawsuits go straight to the justices for consideration.

As Republicans push to reward school districts that have provided in-person instruction over the past year, using federal funds from the latest COVID-19 package has emerged as a possible path to that goal, according to multiple sources.

As vaccinations start to slow in Wisconsin, local county health departments are beginning “hand-to-hand combat” to reach herd immunity.

Both sides of Wisconsin’s political aisle are circulating legislation to increase affordable housing as a way to tackle workforce issues.

Nearly a decade after Colorado became the first state to legalize recreational marijuana, the debate has spiked in Wisconsin as more states join the pro-marijuana ranks. Some local units of government have made moves to decriminalize the drug as progress at the state level appears unlikely.

Every budget starts with a little drama. When will they finish it? Will they even get it done? But as the Joint Finance Committee prepares to dive into the details of Gov. Tony Evers’ 2021-23 budget, there’s an extra layer of intrigue — thanks to the dysfunction that has gripped the Capitol during what seems like a perpetual standoff between Evers and GOP legislative leaders.