Steve Nass

You Can Now Carry a Gun While Fishing

Legislative committee kills 25-year-old DNR rule in response to conservative lawsuit.

Wisconsin Senate Democrats Plan To Work Across The Aisle

With major gains in the number of seats, Democrats see opportunity.

GOP Losses Will Test Vos, LeMahieu

Smaller majorities in each house will change state Capitol, make it tougher to pass Republican bills.

Senate Fires 8 Evers Appointees, Approves 3 Constitutional Amendments

Senate ends session for year with governor 'apoplectic' over 'petty partisan politics.'

Republicans Seek to Ban DEI Statements ‘Once and For All’

But proposed bill could make it harder to hire conservatives at Wisconsin's universities.

Senate Votes to Fire Evers Appointee from Public Service Commission

Tyler Huebner rejected. Senate also passes electric vehicle, nudity ban and tax cut bills.

LeMahieu Grows Into Majority Leader Role

Republican Senate leader has worked at times with Democrats to get legislation passed.

Will Senate Oppose Brewers $546 Million Subsidy?

Easily passed Assembly, but facing bipartisan opposition in the Senate.

Bill Would Allow New Bars To Offer Indoor Cigar, Pipe Smoking

City of Milwaukee could support the bill, but raised questions over regulation.

Republicans Two Seats From Veto-Proof Majorities

Just 2,498 votes assured that GOP legislators can't override Gov. Evers' vetoes.

Senate Republicans Pass Budget That Cuts Taxes and Democrats’ Policies

Two Republicans join Dems in voting against. "Generational harm," says minority leader.

Legislature Passes Local Revenue, Schools Bills

Deal heads to Gov. Evers’ desk. Despite bipartisan support, some are calling for him to veto proposals.

Business Group Threatens To Sue Over Water Quality Regulations

WMC says proposal would cost $57 million over two years, DNR says $2.5 million.

Republican Legislators At Odds Over Milwaukee Sales Tax

Assembly wants referendum, Senate may remove requirement to reduce uncertainty.

Republicans Again Block Student Vaccine Requirements

Legislative body blocks Department of Health Services rules regarding meningitis and chickenpox.

Republican Legislators May Suspend Vaccine Requirements

Committee may suspend DHS rules for students on chickenpox, meningitis.

Top 10 State Political Stories of 2022

Evers and Johnson victories and suddenly changed battle over abortion lead the list.

Republican-Controlled Legislature Has Hindered Environmental Protection

Conservation group releases report claims politics have trumped environment since 2011.

Absentee Ballot Guidance Blasted By GOP Lawmaker

State Rep. Steve Nass goes after Elections Commission guidance on fixing minor errors.

GOP Lawmakers Strike New Blow Against Absentee Ballots

Legislators nix rule allowing clerks to correct minor errors on envelopes, setting stage for legal battle.

GOP Leaders Seek to Prevent Fixing Absentee Ballots

Legislative committee can kill rule, could invalidate tens of thousands of votes in next election.

State Supreme Court Affirms Local Public Health Powers

Court rules that local public health officials can unilaterally issue, enforce health orders.

State PFAS Standards Take Effect July 1

First standards for ‘forever chemicals’ require public water systems to test for PFAS.

DNR Planning New E. Coli Regulations

State business lobby concerned DNR will consider stricter PFAS standards too.

Controversy Over Parole Is Rare

Issue facing Evers is rare, as most state prison inmates must serve 100% of their sentence.

New UW Chancellor Mnookin Seeks ‘Common Ground’ With GOP Critics

Vos, Kleefisch, Nass assail regents' choice of UCLA Law School dean.

No One Cancels Kellyanne Conway

No protests of former Trump advisor’s UW-Whitewater speech about suppressing free speech.

Wisconsin Court of Appeals Race Takes Partisan Turn

Donations from mega-donors, political action committees funding attack ads.

Use of Paper Ballots Soared in State Senate

Maneuver used in hundreds of bills to bar any debate or amendments to proposed bills.

Senate Passes a Dozen Voting Bills

Republicans say bills address election ‘irregularities.’ Democrats charge ‘voter suppression.'

State Senate Votes on Guns, Vaccines, China

Against vaccine mandates and China and for guns on school grounds.

State High Court Allows Absentee Ballot Boxes For February Primary

Hagedorn joins liberal justices. Court also agrees to hear expedited appeal of the case.

Absentee Ballot Boxes Helped Republicans, Too

Many of the 500 drop boxes in state were in districts voting heavily for Trump.

State Lawmakers Seek to Weaken Vaccine Mandates

GOP sponsored bill would make natural immunity a substitute for vaccination.

Bradley, Wichgers Unveil Legislation to Rein In Low Bail for Repeat Offenders

PFAS Rules Getting Weaker, Advocates Say

New DNR rules reflect changes Republican legislators made earlier this year.

Republicans Vote Against Medicaid Transgender Care

Legislative committee vote keeps Wisconsin out of compliance with a court non-discrimination order.

Democrats Lose Experience In Legislature

10 years of Republican control helps creates Legislature with less experienced Democrats.

Nass Pushes Legislature to Sue UW System

Thompson, system leaders refuses to submit mask and testing rules for Republican approval.

Assembly Majority Leader Opposes Suing UW

Steineke backs Thompson’s resistance to legislative oversight of UW System pandemic rules.

UW System Prez Not Backing Down On Mask Mandate

Interim President Tommy Thompson warns GOP legislators not to pick a fight.

UW Campuses Vary on Mask Policy

UWM among eight state universities requiring them. Others hint it may be voluntary.

Thompson Resists GOP Oversight of UW-System COVID-19 Plans

Republican lawmakers passed legislation seizing final authority over UW-System COVID-19 plans.

GOP Legislators Order UW System to Submit COVID-10 Safety Measures

Thompson warned that ending UW System control would be "biggest threat.”

UWM Institutes Pandemic Restrictions

Despite Republican objections, requires testing for unvaccinated and masks indoors for all.

Lawmaker Wants Legislature in Charge of UW-System COVID-19 Policies

State Sen. Steve Nass proposes blocking UW-System from requiring masking or COVID-19 testing without legislative approval.

Suit Charges ALEC Unlawfully Helps Republicans

Nonprofit's help to GOP politicians in Wisconsin, other states, violates its tax status?

GOP Bill Targets ‘Silicon Valley Elites’

Accusing Facebook and Twitter of silencing conservatives, they propose new rules and fines for companies.

Senator Bradley Unveils Tech Accountability Bill

Are Employers ‘Competing With The Couch’?

GOP legislators say jobless benefits causing worker shortage. Studies don’t back them up.

GOP Budget Lifts UW Tuition Freeze

Committee votes to end tuition freeze on undergraduate students maintained for 8 years.

Legislators Reinstate Work Search Rule

On party line vote Republicans add work search requirement for those getting unemployment benefits.

GOP Report Proposes Regionalized UW-System

Interim system President Thompson doesn't support regional consolidation of university functions.

Unemployment Tax Break Bill Muddied by Partisan Conflict

GOP amendment would take control of COVID-19 relief funds away from governor.

Who’s the Most Right Wing Of All?

Conservative group ranks state’s most conservative members of Congress and Legislature.

Public Hearing Scheduled for Unemployment Compensation Tax Break

Proposal would exempt the first $10,200 in UC benefits from taxation

Legislature Passes Federal Stimulus Plan

Yet again. And passes election law changes. Evers likely to veto all of it.

Assembly Legislators Show Their Priorities

Minutes to pass big expansion of voucher schools, hours debating home schools.

State Senate Beset by Culture Wars

Rush Limbaugh vs. Black history, LGBT protectors vs GOP objectors, the arguments get ugly.

Senate Passes Bill To Prevent Rape Kit Backlog

Bipartisan bill passed one year ago, but Assembly resisted.

As State Looks to Bounce Back from Pandemic, Gov. Evers Urges Bipartisan Support for $2.38 Billion in Capital Budget Investments to Provide Estimated 29,000 Family-Supporting Jobs, $4.3 Billion in Economic Impact 

Governor's 2021-23 capital budget to be taken up by State Building Commission this week includes major projects in both Republican and Democratic districts

Honoring Limbaugh But Not Black History

Republican legislators back resolution to honor Rush, resist celebrating Black History Month.

Where Are Act 10 Players Today?

Governor and three-fourths of legislators engaged in 2011 battle over law crushing public unions have moved on.

Will Supreme Court Act on Mask Mandate?

State high court has sat on case for months, could decide fight between governor and Legislature.

Republicans End Mask Mandate, Evers Puts It Back In Place

Governor issues new health order after Republicans end his prior one.

Ending Mask Mandate Could Hurt Businesses

50 organizations are lobbying Legislature to keep it. Not one group favors ending it.

Evers Likely to Veto GOP COVID-19 Bill

Bill includes mask mandate repeal and other 'poison pill' provisions.

Legislature Halts Mask Mandate Repeal

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said bill not being taken up, for now.

Eliminating Mask Mandate Could Cost Wisconsin $49 Million in Food Assistance

Ending public health emergency voids state eligibility for emergency food assistance.

Vos ‘Behaving Like a Bully,’ Democrats Charge

After 10 months with no COVID-19 response bill, frustrated Democrats condemn their colleagues.

Senate Votes to Kill State Mask Mandate

State Assembly will likely vote on repeal later this week.

Senate Passes Resolution to Rein in Governor Evers’ Mandates

LeMahieu Struggles in Vos’s Shadow

New Senate majority leader a surprise choice who's trying to resist the dictates of Robin Vos.

Evers, Senate Agree on Pandemic Bill

Bipartisan bill goes back to Assembly, where leader says GOP will resist compromise.

Republicans Dare Evers to Veto Bill

Their COVID-19 bill includes immunity from liability for businesses violating pandemic restrictions.

Assembly Passes ‘Poison Pill’ COVID-19 Relief Bill

GOP bill curtails efforts to slow spread of virus. And doesn't have support of Senate leadership.

GOP Lawmakers Strip Emergency PFAS Rule

Committee votes to eliminate targets for safe levels of the harmful forever chemical.

GOP Lawmakers Target DNR’s PFAS Regulatory Power

A Republican backed bill would remove rules for acceptable levels of harmful forever chemicals.

Republican legislators set to undo only clean water policy passed this year

Trump Won State, GOP Legislators Declare

Wisconsin Elections Commission chair Ann Jacobs has received threats to her children and family.

Republicans Have ‘Blood On Their Hands”

Evers signals he will ignore Legislative restriction, challenges GOP to present their pandemic plan.

GOP Legislators In Rules Standoff With Evers

Republican resolution requires Evers' health restrictions on public gatherings to get committee approval.

GOP Legislators Attack Evers’ New Restrictions

But Republicans have proposed zero plans for dealing with the coronavirus.

Wisconsin’s Legislature Laziest in U.S.?

Other states with full-time legislators have met 18 times more frequently than in Wisconsin.

Is Robin Vos Scared of Voters?

Republican legislators condemn Evers' mask mandate, but won’t override it as the law allows. Why?

GOP Hasn’t Interfered With Mask Mandate

They've criticized it, but for now they've left it alone.

Evers Says No Statewide School Re-Opening Plan

School districts will be responsible for decisions about re-opening.

15+ Wisconsin Lawmakers May Attend ALEC Annual Meeting in Orlando Amid Spiking Coronavirus Cases

GOP, Dems Battle Over Unemployment Backlog

Democrats say Walker administration failed to update the system, now it can't handle unprecedented wave of unemployment claims.

Bill to Impound Cars Costly for Cities

Republican bill could cost local governments $50 million per year and charge owners of autos that are stolen.

Hot Debate, Limited Action by Senate

Limited bills on homeless, clean water passed, nothing on dark stores tax loophole.

State Doesn’t Need English Only Law

Bill’s language is sweeping. Its purpose is to fan the flames of bigotry.

Bill to Ban “Sanctuary Cities” Returns

GOP proposal penalizes cities, counties that don't cooperate fully with immigration enforcement.

State Senate Inaction Kills Homeless Funding for this Winter

Apparently, there were three Senators who were opposed to homeless funding: Senators Kapenga, Nass, and Craig.

A World Without Scott Fitzgerald

Capitol insiders wonder who will be senate majority leader if Fitzgerald wins race for Congress.

Evers Expands Effort Against “Forever” Chemicals

Directs DNR to create standards for drinking, surface water on PFAS chemicals.

Evers’ Transportation Secretary Moves Toward Confirmation

But some GOP legislators concerned with appointee Craig Thompson's past as a lobbyist

Senate Sends $82 Billion Budget to Evers

Governor can reject, approve or partially veto the Republicans' revised version of budget.

Assembly Passes State Budget By 60-39

To secure Senate approval adds amendment to help a company championed by Republican senator.

Second GOP Senator Won’t Support Budget

Sen. Dave Craig won't support budget saying it spends too much. Pushing GOP closer to deadlock over budget.