State lawmakers are working on the two-year budget. What is it, and why does it matter?
Over the next several weeks, you're likely to hear a lot about Wisconsin's biennial budget, the state's two-year spending plan that sets funding levels for schools, transportation, mental health and more.
The Republican-controlled state Legislature and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers both have a role in shaping the budget. After Evers pitched his plan, the powerful Joint Finance Committee modifies the massive bill, which Evers will take action on later this summer.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel will follow upcoming budget hearings and how lawmakers' decisions will impact government services and programs.
Here's a broad timeline of what to expect.
The budget process starts when state agencies — such as the Department of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin System and Department of Public Instruction — make requests for funding over the next two years.
Typically, those are released toward the end of even-numbered years. State superintendent Jill Underly unveiled a $4 billion request for the DPI in November 2024. The UW System's $855 million request was announced in August.
More: Does the UW System's $855 million budget request bring Wisconsin closer to average?
These agency requests shape the governor's budget proposal, but the governor often makes changes by removing or adding specific programs or tweaking funding levels.
The governor is required to deliver a budget message to the Legislature. Evers gave that speech Feb. 18 this year. His plans included a new tax bracket for the state's wealthiest residents, expanding the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship program and addressing lead exposure among children.
The budget proposal is also a chance for Evers to lay out policies he supports, such as marijuana legalization and Medicaid expansion, though Republicans often remove them from the budget.
More: Gov. Tony Evers' budget has a $2.4 billion net tax increase, would create a shortfall
As of early May, this is the step we're at. The budget is in the hands of the Joint Finance Committee, which is comprised of 16 lawmakers from both parties and houses. Committee members hosted public listening sessions across the state in April.
Now, the Republican-controlled committee will hold several, hours-long executive sessions in the Capitol to make changes to the governor's budget, piece by piece. In 2023, those meetings took place in May and June.
Republicans historically ignore much of what's in Evers' budget. The committee started its work May 8 by eliminating hundreds of ideas in his proposal. But it's possible this budget cycle will have more compromise — Evers and legislative leaders are holding negotiations this year, which is unusual for them to do.
More: Republicans scrap over 30 programs dedicated to behavioral health care from Evers' budget
Once the Joint Finance Committee finishes its work, the budget bill goes to the full Assembly and Senate. In 2023, the Senate approved the budget June 28, and the Assembly passed it a day later. Two Republican senators joined Democrats in voting no, though the vote is typically along party lines.
During floor debate two years ago, Democrats put forward numerous last-ditch amendments, trying to add some of Evers' policy ideas back into the budget. All were rejected by Republicans.
June 30 is the deadline to pass a budget, but lawmakers have gone beyond that date in the past. Missing the deadline doesn't have immediate impacts; spending levels stay where they are until a new plan is in place.
From there, the budget bill goes to Evers' desk to become law. The governor can veto the entire state budget.
Typically, though, Evers and other governors have used their powerful partial veto authority to remove words, numbers and punctuation from the budget, which can create new meanings or change spending amounts. In 2023, Evers issued 51 partial vetoes when he signed the budget into law July 5.
On April 18, the state Supreme Court upheld Evers' partial veto that locked in funding increases for public schools for 402 years by deleting a hyphen and a "20" in reference to the 2024-25 school year.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said his party would discuss how to write the 2025-27 budget in ways that limit Evers' partial veto opportunities. GOP leaders have also floated passing items typically included in the budget as separate bills to reduce the chance of vetoes.
More: Republicans scour for options to sidestep Tony Evers vetoes, including not using digits in the budget
More: Why did Wisconsin's capital move from Belmont to Madison? Corruption, land and lobbying
The state budget impacts daily life across Wisconsin. Cuts at the federal level could make funding from the state even more crucial.
Funding for the UW System dictates whether tuition will increase or remain flat for in-state undergraduates. Grants in the budget could address the rising cost of child care. Infrastructure projects, such as highway construction and traffic calming measures, are also considered in the budget. State prisons in Green Bay and Waupun could be closed or renovated as part of budget negotiations.
The budget also dictates how much money the state takes in — including through income taxes. The last budget delivered an average income tax cut of $36, down from $573 in Republicans' plan, which Evers said focused relief on the wealthiest residents.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What exactly is the Wisconsin state budget, and why does it matter?
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