Assembly GOP Reverses Course on Health Care Bills

Republicans in the Wisconsin Assembly say they’ll pass two bills related to women’s health Thursday, a surprise move that comes after years of blocking the legislation.

The bills, which would increase Medicaid access for low-income postpartum mothers and remove out-of-pocket costs for breast cancer screenings, had wide bipartisan support across multiple legislative sessions and passed the Senate late last year. But until late Wednesday, it seemed unlikely that they would reach the Assembly floor for a vote before the body adjourned for the year later this week.

The bills have faced opposition from Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, who has called the postpartum Medicaid bill an expansion of welfare.

In an emotional press conference at 9:45 p.m. Wednesday, after several hours of closed door meetings, eight Republicans said they had reached an agreement with the powerful Speaker.

“Speaker Vos did not support this position at first,” said Rep. Todd Novak, R-Dodgeville.

As the Assembly met to debate other issues Wednesday, Democrats had tried to draw attention to these bills. They attached them as amendments to every piece of legislation that did make it to the floor, a move that sparked some tense moments during debate.

Rep. Pat Snyder, R-Weston, was visibly angry as he accused Democrats of almost sinking the delicate negotiations that Republicans were having internally.

“I talked to my Democratic colleagues and told them that I was close, that it was going to get done, but then they throw this crap at us today and almost blew it up,” he said, pounding the lectern.

Addressing reporters after, Democrats said they believed their advocacy moved the needle.

“It is our job as the minority party to raise issues that are important to people of this state and make sure that we get votes on those issues,” said Minority Leader Rep. Greta Neubauer, D-Racine. “Raising amendments and Republicans refusing to vote on them is their own choice.”

Advocates have tried for years to advance the two bills in question. The breast cancer screening bill, referred to as Gail’s Law, would lift costs for certain supplemental exams for people at advanced risk.

And the Medicaid expansion would allow low-income mothers to stay on their public health insurance for 12 months after giving birth, up from 60 days.

While both had wide bipartisan support, Republicans typically don’t allow votes on bills where they need help from the minority party.

But these particular bills are politically charged. A Marquette poll released last summer found 66 percent of Wisconsin voters support extending postpartum Medicaid.

The issue has been backed by lawmakers from swing districts, and that was evident Wednesday. The GOP lawmakers who announced the deal on the health care bills are the eight most vulnerable Assembly Republicans, according to an analysis of legislative districts by Marquette University.

Before the deal was announced, Democrats used unusually aggressive tactics to try to force the votes. Earlier in the day, Rep. Lee Snodgrass, D-Appleton, stood to support an amendment to a bill about amusement rides at campgrounds to establish Gail’s Law.

“What does women’s health have to do with amusement rides?” said Speaker Pro Tem Kevin Petersen, R-Waupaca.

“Well, we’re talking about regulation here, and I’d like to talk about the regulation in regards to women’s bodies and what we’re allowed to do,” Snodgrass said, her voice rising.

The health care bills up for a vote Thursday will be part of what could be a packed day in the Assembly. Here are some issues still in the air before the chamber gavels out for the year.

A deal on property taxes and school funding

According to Vos, GOP leaders and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers were due to return to the negotiating table to try to reach a deal about lowering property taxes and increasing school funding. Legislative Republicans and Evers have each presented different plans, and so far, neither has expressed readiness to accept the other.

On Wednesday, Assembly Majority Leader Tyler August, R-Walworth, said the timing of adjourning the Assembly was contingent on those discussions.

Online sports betting

Late last year, Assembly lawmakers almost brought forward a bill that would clear the way for online sports gambling, but they pulled it from consideration at the 11th hour.

The bipartisan proposal would let people to place bets online in Wisconsin as long as the computer server managing those wagers is on tribal property. With opposition from some conservative and Christian groups and from national online gambling outfits, and support from some tribal and tourism groups, it seemed that authors had more considerations to weigh.

The bill is now scheduled for a vote Thursday.

SNAP enforcement positions

Another outstanding issue involves how the state would deal with a requirement in President Donald Trump’s signature “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”

The law tightened restrictions on federal food assistance, known as SNAP, or FoodShare in Wisconsin.

Evers has requested money and staff to facilitate those changes, which include more oversight and heightened work requirements. Evers argues the extra staff will prevent the state from being penalized under the new federal law.

Vos has suggested that he’d be open to releasing that money, possibly in exchange for a bill that disallows SNAP recipients from spending benefits on soft drinks and candy. A version of the soft drinks bill was originally scheduled for a vote in the Assembly in November and in the Senate Wednesday. In both instances, it was removed from the agenda. It is now scheduled for a vote Thursday.

The future of WisconsinEye

Although a bipartisan group in the Assembly passed a bill to restore funding to Wisconsin’s version of C-SPAN, that proposal didn’t gain traction in the Senate. Republicans there initially backed a different bill that wouldn’t give any money to the public affairs network.

Senators passed an amended plan with a bipartisan vote Wednesday that would spend $585,630 on the network, in addition to creating a competitive bidding process.

It’s yet to be seen whether the Assembly will take up that proposal. The identical bill has to pass both houses of the Legislature in order to make it to Evers’ desk.

In the meantime, WisconsinEye was floated $50,000 by the state Legislature to restore basic operations and Capitol coverage for the month of February.

Listen to the WPR report

Wisconsin Republicans announce plan to pass postpartum Medicaid, breast cancer bills was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.