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The ever-changing landscape of state government requires businesses across all industries to stay informed on the happenings in Madison. Welcome to the July issue of the Capitol Connection.

 In this issue:

  • Governor Tony Evers Signs 2025–2027 Wisconsin Biennial Budget into Law
  • K-12 Education and Child Care
  • UW System and Technical Colleges
  • Tax Relief for Household Affordability
  • Investments in Tourism Industry
  • Health care and Public Health
  • Transportation and Infrastructure Development
  • Support for Veterans and Military Families
  • Agriculture, Conservation, and Clean

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Continue Reading Capitol Connection, July 2025

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More than three years after the case was originally filed in Dane County Circuit Court, the Wisconsin Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision, held that Wis. Stat. § 940.04(1) does not prohibit abortion in Wisconsin. The statute, the majority held, had been impliedly repealed by subsequent legislation that permitted, but regulated, abortion in certain circumstances. The majority decision in Kaul v. Urmanski, authored by Justice Dallet, held that the statutes enacted subsequent to Wis. Stat. § 940.04(1) could not…
Continue Reading Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules Legislature Effectively Repealed Abortion Ban with Subsequent Legislation

The Wisconsin governor’s partial-veto power is unique. Although some states grant governors the power to veto entire budget line items, Wisconsin’s governor may veto discrete parts of appropriation bills, including words, punctuation marks, and digits. See generally Wis. Const. art. V, § 10(1)(b), (c). On April 18, 2025, the Wisconsin Supreme Court revisited Wisconsin’s anomalous partial veto power in its tenth ever opinion on the topic, LeMieux v. Evers, 2025 WI 12, which addressed the constitutionality of Governor Tony…
Continue Reading Wisconsin Supreme Court Upholds Governor’s ‘400-Year Veto’ and Affirms Expansive Partial-Veto Power

As of January 1, 2025, more than 300 new laws have taken effect in Illinois, impacting various aspects of daily life, business regulations, and consumer protections. From digital driver’s licenses to salary transparency, these changes may affect individuals, businesses, and professionals across the state. Below is a summary of some of the most notable new laws and their implications.
New Laws in Illinois for 2025
Digital Driver’s Licenses
Illinois residents may soon have the option to carry a digital…
Continue Reading Stay Up to Date on New Laws in Illinois for 2025

What happened?

On December 3, 2024, a federal district court in Texas found the Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”) to be unconstitutional and issued a nation-wide order to ban it. The case before the court was Texas Top Cop Shop, Inc., et al. v. Garland, et. al, Case No. 4:24-cv-478 (E.D. Tex.). This means that companies do not need to comply with the CTA’s reporting deadlines.

What is the Corporate Transparency Act?

The CTA would have required the vast…
Continue Reading No Need to Report – CTA Blocked

It is safe to say that the Federal Bench in Texas is at it again.  Just a few months ago, the Northern District of Texas struck down the Federal Trade Commission’s nationwide ban on non-compete agreements just days before it was set to take effect.  Ryan LLC v. Federal Trade Commission, No. 3:24–cv–986-E (N.D. Tex.).  Now, on December 4, 2024, the Eastern District of Texas just issued a temporary injunction prohibiting the Federal Government from enforcing the Corporate Transparency…
Continue Reading Don’t Mess with Texas: Corporate Transparency Act Is Unenforceable (for now)

The U.S. Government has appealed a federal judge’s order temporarily blocking the enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). As a result, the case is now headed to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Currently, reporting companies are not required to submit filings. FINCEN has acknowledged this in a recent update to its website, stating: “Reporting companies are not currently required to file a BOIR and are not subject to liability if they fail to do so while…
Continue Reading U.S. Government Appeals Block on CTA Enforcement

On December 3, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas granted a preliminary, nationwide injunction enjoining the United States federal government from enforcing the  Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”), which includes the reporting of beneficial ownership information (“BOI Report”) to the U.S. Federal Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”). The court’s reasoning revolved around the constitutionality of the CTA. The immediate impact is that companies are, at least temporarily, no longer required to file a BOI Report with…
Continue Reading Corporate Transparency Act Injunction Alert

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On Monday, December 2, 2024, Dane County Circuit Court Judge Jacob Frost issued the long-awaited decision involving a November 2023 challenge to 2011 Act 10 by numerous unions and individual employees. On July 3, 2024, the Circuit Court previously indicated the Court would find specific provisions of Act 10 as unconstitutional. A summary of our Legal Update on that July decision from the Circuit Court can be found here.

In the December 2 decision, the Court identified nearly…
Continue Reading Dane County Circuit Court Issues Long-Awaited 2011 Act 10 Decision

The ever-changing landscape of state government requires businesses across all industries to stay informed on the happenings in Madison. Welcome to the November 2024 issue of the Capitol Connection.

In this issue:

Election 2024: State Legislature

After the implementation of new legislative maps, months of campaigning, heated rhetoric, a barrage of unsolicited text messages, and lots of junk mail, the 2024 election has concluded.

After the votes were tallied:

  • Democrats gained 10 seats in the Wisconsin Assembly
  • Republicans maintain

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Continue Reading Capitol Connection, November 2024

Statewide ballot referenda are not new to voters in the Badger State. There are four scenarios in which a question may be directly asked of voters: whether to amend the state’s constitution; ratification of a law extending the right of suffrage; nonbinding advisory question to measure public sentiment; and, ratifying a law that was passed by the legislature, contingent on voter approval. Wisconsin does not have a direct ballot initiative process. In November 1914, 64 percent of voters rejected…
Continue Reading August Constitutional Referenda to Decide Who Spends Federal Funds

The ever-changing landscape of state government requires businesses across all industries to stay informed on the happenings in Madison. Welcome to the May issue of the Capitol Connection.

Inside this issue

Wisconsin Senate Votes to Override Nine Gov. Evers Vetoes

In what was likely their final action of the 2023-2024 legislative session, the Wisconsin State Senate earlier this month used a “veto review period” to override nine vetoes issued by Governor Tony Evers.

With the implementation of new legislative…
Continue Reading Capitol Connection, May 2024

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May 1, 2024 – As we prepare to commemorate
Law Day on May 1, 2024, I invite all Wisconsinites to reflect upon the enduring significance of this annual observance.

This year, the American Bar Association (ABA) has chosen the theme “The Voices of Democracy,” which aligns with the foundational principles of our legal system and the essence of our nation’s democratic ethos.

Annette Kingsland Ziegler, Marquette 1989, is chief justice of the
Wisconsin Supreme Court, Madison.

President…
Continue Reading Law Day 2024: Honoring Our Legal Heritage and Democratic Values

March 27, 2024 – State Bar of Wisconsin President Dean R. Dietrich lauded the enactment of bipartisan judicial security legislation today.

The package of three bills aims to bolster security for judicial officers by protecting personal information and shielding judges’ residences from protestors.

The bills were authored by Representatives Ron Tusler (R-Harrison), Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (D-Milwaukee), and Sheila Stubbs (D-Madison), and Senator Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) and former Senator Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee). Governor Tony Evers signed the bills into law during…
Continue Reading State Bar of Wisconsin President Lauds Enactment of Judicial Security Bills

Dec. 11, 2023 – Following a busy fall floor period, legislators have begun the process of wrapping up their work over what is expected to be an active January and February floor session. There is always a sense of urgency by legislators at this time to get their priorities and business done as quickly as possible to avoid being caught up in any last-minute session wrangling that may impact the passage of pending legislation.

Currently, the legislature has their…
Continue Reading Expect Flurry of Action as Legislature Prepares to Finish 2023-24 Session