Wisconsin
Republican-led Legislature files challenge to Evers’ partial veto of literacy bill • Wisconsin Examiner
Wisconsin’s Republican-led state Legislature filed a lawsuit against Democratic Gov. Tony Evers this week to challenge his partial veto of a bill meant to help fund new literacy programs throughout the state.
The suit centers on $50 million that lawmakers dedicated in the most recent state budget to support the creation of new literacy programs in Wisconsin. Shortly after including the money in the budget, lawmakers passed Act 20, which directed the creation of the programs.
A final bill passed this year — now Wisconsin Act 100 — to create a “mechanism” for the state’s Joint Finance Committee to deploy the $50 million to support the programs is the subject of lawmakers’ suit.
Evers signed the bill, but exercised his partial veto power. He said in his veto message that he objected to overly complicating the allocation of funding, and that the veto would allow DPI the flexibility necessary to use the funding for various literacy needs based on the needs of Wisconsin schools.
“The single appropriation created through my partial veto will allow the department to administer the literacy coaching program, curriculum grants and financial assistance for early literacy professional development effectively and efficiently,” Evers wrote in the message.
Evers also vetoed a part that he said would have provided per-pupil increases to private choice and independent charter schools. He noted that those increases wouldn’t have been provided to public schools.
Republican lawmakers argued that the bill wasn’t eligible for a partial veto because it did not appropriate any money. They said the bill created a “framework” for the budget committee to direct the $50 million to specific DPI programs created after the budget bill passed.
“The unconstitutional partial veto of Act 100 leaves the Legislature in a dilemma: [the Joint Finance Committee] would like to fund the literacy programs created in Act 20, as specified in the bill, but the partially vetoed version of Act 100 does not ensure that the funds would be used on the literacy programs created by Act 20,” the complaint states. “Rather, any money directed under the partially vetoed version of Act 100 might (but should not) be treated by DPI as money that can be used by the Office of Literacy for any nondescript ‘literacy program’ of DPI’s invention.”
The lawmakers said declaratory relief is urgent. They said that the status quo should be preserved until there is a decision and the Court should bar DPI from spending the money and taking any other actions until then.
Evers’ spokesperson Britt Cudaback said in a statement that the governor is capable of exercising line-item veto authority on appropriations bills under the Wisconsin Constitution.
“Republicans didn’t seem to have concerns about this concept until Wisconsinites elected and re-elected a Democratic governor,” Cudaback said.
Cudaback called the lawsuit “yet another Republican effort to prevent Gov. Evers from doing what’s best for our kids and our schools — this time about improving literacy and reading outcomes across our state.”
The lawsuit is the second challenge to Evers’ partial veto powers this week. The first lawsuit — filed by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the state’s largest business lobby group — seeks to have Evers’ partial veto that extended school funding increases for 400 years declared unconstitutional.
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About 1,000 animal welfare activists who tried to gain entry on Saturday to a beagle breeding and research facility in Wisconsin were turned back by police who fired rubber bullets and pepper spray into the crowd and arrested the group’s leader.
It was the second attempt in as many months by protesters to take beagles from the Ridglan Farms facility in Blue Mounds, a small town about 25 miles (about 40 kilometres) southwest of Wisconsin’s capital, Madison.
Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said in a video statement that 300 to 400 protesters were “violently trying to break into the property” and assault officers. He said protesters have ignored designated areas for peaceful protest and blocked roads to prevent emergency vehicles from entering.
“This is not a peaceful protest,” Barrett said.
The sheriff’s department said a “significant” number of people were arrested out of about 1,000 protesters at the site but did not give an exact total as they were still being processed as of the afternoon.
Protesters tried to overcome barricades that included a manure-filled trench, hay bales and a barbed-wire fence. Some protesters did get through the fence but were unable to enter the facility, where an estimated 2,000 beagles are kept, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
Wisconsin guard Andrew Rohde reflects on early March Madness exit
Wisconsin guard Andrew Rohde said the Badgers ‘thought we could do so many things’ in the NCAA Tournament before it ended abrupty with an upset loss.
Wisconsin men’s basketball has added a sharpshooting wing via the transfer portal.
Miami (Ohio) transfer Eian Elmer has signed with the Badgers, the team announced April 18. The 6-foot-7 wing will join UW with one year of eligibility remaining.
Elmer averaged a career-high 12.7 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 49.8% from the field and 42.9% from 3-point range in 2025-26. His production helped the RedHawks go 32-2 and earn an at-large NCAA Tournament bid.
“We are really excited to add another excellent addition to our spring signees,” UW coach Greg Gard said in a release. “Eian brings a wealth of experience and scoring punch as a 6-7 wing. … A terrific shooter, his skillset and production fit excellently into our plan as we build out next year’s team. Throughout our evaluation process, our staff loved his size, power and skill and truly believe he will thrive in our system.”
Elmer is Wisconsin’s third transfer portal addition since the end of the 2025-26 season, joining former George Washington guard Trey Autry and former Hofstra forward Victory Onuetu. UW also added Australian guard Owen Foxwell.
The additions of Autry, Onuetu and now Elmer leave Gard’s staff with three more roster spots to fill ahead of the 2026-27 season.
The Badgers are looking to replace much of their production from a 2025-26 team that went 24-11. Nolan Winter is expected to be the team’s only returning starter after John Blackwell and Aleksas Bieliauskas entered the transfer portal and Nick Boyd and Andrew Rohde exhausted their eligibility.
MILWAUKEE – Friday’s severe storms have passed. And with that, the threat of any severe weather has also passed for the immediate future as no storms or rain are expected for several days.
However, plenty of damage remains across southeastern Wisconsin as of Saturday morning, in addition to the ongoing flooding threat.
Several area rivers are at flood stage, and there are multiple river flood warnings in effect.
FOX6 Weekend WakeUp on Saturday begins at 6 a.m.
On the scene in the morning
What we know:
Farmstead damage in Franklin
FOX6’s Hayley Spitler is in Franklin on Saturday morning, April 18, getting a daylight look at the damage from last night’s storms.
Storm damage in Caledonia
Friday’s storms left quite the mark across southern and southeastern Wisconsin, including at L and L Farms and Greenhouse in Caledonia.
FOX6 Weather Extras
Local perspective:
Meanwhile, FOX6Now.com offers a variety of extremely useful weather tools to help you navigate the stormy season. They include the following:
FOX6 Storm Center app
FOX LOCAL Mobile app
FOX Weather app
Maps and radar
We have a host of maps and radars on the FOX6 Weather page that are updating regularly — to provide you the most accurate assessment of the weather. From a county-by-county view to the Midwest regional radar and a national view — it’s all there.
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School and business closings
When the weather gets a little dicey, schools and businesses may shut down. Monitor the latest list of closings, cancellations, and delays reported in southeast Wisconsin.
FOX6 Weather Experts in social media
The Source: Information in this post was compiled by the FOX6 Weather Experts.
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