Janis Ringhand (Dem.), 15th Senate District
Born Madison, February 13, 1950; married; 2 children, 5 grandchildren, 1 great-grandchild. Graduate Evansville H.S. 1968; Associate Degree Madison Area Tech. Coll. 1985. Full-time legislator. Former accountant for small businesses, executive director of nonprofit. Member: Rock Co. Literacy Connection; Evansville Chamber of Commerce; VFW Auxiliary Post 6905 (pres.); Evansville Energy Independence Team. Former member: Stoughton Hospital Bd. (chp.); Creekside Place, Inc. (bd. of dir.); Evansville Community Partnership (secy.). Evansville City Council 1998-2002, 2008-10. Mayor of Evansville 2002-06.
Elected to Assembly 2010-12; elected to Senate 2014. Minority Caucus Secretary 2013. Biennial Senate committee assignments: 2015 — Economic Development and Commerce; Revenue, Financial Institutions and Rural Issues; Building Commission. Assembly committee assignments: 2013 — Government Operations and State Licensing; Small Business Development; Urban and Local Affairs (also 2011); Veterans; Workforce Development. 2011 — Rural Economic Development and Rural Affairs; Veterans and Military Affairs.
Telephone: Office: (608) 266-2253; District: (608) 882-5879.
E-mail: Sen.Ringhand@legis.wisconsin.gov
Voting address: 412 Fowler Circle, Evansville 53536.
Mailing address: Office: Room 22 South, State Capitol, P.O. Box 7882, Madison 53707-7882.
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Content referencing Janis Ringhand
Senate Democrats Elect New Leadership
Sen. Melissa Agard will lead 11 Democrats, just one third of the Senate.
Nov 16th, 2022 by Baylor Spears
Legislature Fails to Address Pension Crisis
400,000 seniors in Wisconsin will be living in poverty by 2030, state Task Force warned.
Apr 18th, 2022 by Steven Walters
Historic Turnover Will Change Legislature
Retirements, redistricting and members pursuing higher office could transform Legislature.
Mar 28th, 2022 by Steven Walters
Bill Gives Every Child a Savings Account
Bipartisan bill creates ‘401Kids’ accounts seeded with $25, managed by state investment board.
Mar 1st, 2022 by Erik Gunn
Democrats’ Revolving Door Swings Again
Assembly minority leader Gordon Hintz's decision to step down the latest of many leadership changes.
Dec 20th, 2021 by Steven Walters
State Senate Hears Bill Expanding Concealed Carry
Bill sponsored by Republicans. Democrats offer little push back.
Oct 28th, 2021 by Henry Redman
The Beguiling Blandness of Devin LeMahieu
Senate majority leader is conservative but eschews the nasty style of Robin Vos.
Apr 17th, 2021 by Melanie Conklin
Legislature’s Budget Roadshow Coming Soon
Since 1985 regional budget hearings have been held. Planned for April, all in small towns.
Mar 29th, 2021 by Steven Walters
Republicans Reject Evers Entire Capital Budget
But plan could be revisited later in the budget process.
Mar 17th, 2021 by Shawn Johnson
Where Are Act 10 Players Today?
Governor and three-fourths of legislators engaged in 2011 battle over law crushing public unions have moved on.
Mar 1st, 2021 by Steven Walters
Vos ‘Behaving Like a Bully,’ Democrats Charge
After 10 months with no COVID-19 response bill, frustrated Democrats condemn their colleagues.
Jan 27th, 2021 by Erik Gunn and Melanie Conklin
State Legislature Has Most Women Lawmakers Ever
31% of state legislators are women.
Jan 22nd, 2021 by Laurel White
Legislative Houses Elect Their Leaders
Democrats call for action on COVID-19 crisis.
Nov 11th, 2020 by Melanie Conklin
Ten Years After Act 10
Most of those who voted for it are gone. How has the Capitol changed?
Jul 27th, 2020 by Steven Walters
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.
May 28th, 2020 by Erik Gunn
Can Democrats Retake State Senate?
An uphill fight. Retirements by seven incumbents make races hard to call.
May 11th, 2020 by Steven Walters
Janet Bewley Is New State Senate Minority Leader
Sen. Bewley sets her sights on overcoming GOP opposition, re-taking the senate.
May 7th, 2020 by Melanie Conklin
Hot Debate, Limited Action by Senate
Limited bills on homeless, clean water passed, nothing on dark stores tax loophole.
Jan 22nd, 2020 by Erik Gunn
Task Force Takes on Retirement “Crisis”
Huge numbers of older Wisconsin residents have little in retirement savings.
Oct 28th, 2019 by Steven Walters
Democrats Push Paid Family Leave Bill
Modeled after other states, bill creates insurance trust fund paid for entirely by employees.
Oct 23rd, 2019 by Melanie Conklin
Oh, Those Dreaded Plastic Bags
Council debates what to do with bags that clog up recycling process.
May 15th, 2019 by Jeramey Jannene
Legislators Reject Evers Capital Budget
Republicans say $2.5 billion too high, back smaller price tag for top priorities.
Mar 21st, 2019 by Laurel White
Evers Appoints Record Number of Women
For first time in history, majority of governor’s advisors are women.
Feb 4th, 2019 by Steven Walters
Gerrymander Caused Women Assembly Losses?
27 women Democrats running for Assembly lost, women leaders point to gerrymandering.
Nov 26th, 2018 by Steven Walters
No Choice in 36% of Legislative Races
Gerrymandering and decline in number of candidates leaves 2.5 million residents with no choice.
Jun 14th, 2018 by Wisconsin Democracy Campaign
Growing Concern Over Dark Store Loophole
Shift of property taxes from retail stores to homeowners worries many Republicans.
Apr 23rd, 2018 by Steven Walters
Dark Store Loophole Costs Taxpayers
Republicans blocked bill that prevented big box retailers shifting taxes to homeowners.
Apr 16th, 2018 by John Eiden
Close the Dark Stores Tax Loophole
Would GOP legislators rather raise property taxes for others than lose political donations?
Feb 8th, 2018 by State Sen. Janis Ringhand
GOP Legislative Districts Heavily White
Republican assembly districts are up to 96% white, senate districts as high as 95% white.
Jan 15th, 2018 by Wisconsin Democracy Campaign
State Should Expand Family Medical Leave
Republican proposal would slash coverage; Democratic bill would expand it.
Oct 29th, 2017 by State Sen. Jennifer Shilling
Big Agriculture Rewards Legislators
Industry wants high capacity wells, gives $220,000 to key committee members.
Mar 15th, 2017 by Matt Rothschild
Our Financial Watchdog
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau fined Wells Fargo $100 million for illegal practices.
Sep 30th, 2016 by State Sen. Janis Ringhand
21% of Gas Tax Will Go to Repay Debt
Debt level has doubled in a decade, yet legislators approve plan.
Nov 9th, 2015 by Steven Walters
Schools Need Help For Hungry Children
Assembly bill seeks to give more kids access to quality meals for breakfast and lunch.
Sep 1st, 2015 by State Sen. Jennifer Shilling
More Women Run for Top Capitol Jobs
The number of women candidates running for state Capitol jobs is coming back.
Sep 23rd, 2014 by Steven Walters
Redistricting Success Story?
Rep. Amy Loudenbeck’s margin of victory was almost exactly what strategists redrawing the boundaries predicted.
Sep 11th, 2014 by Bill Lueders
Pick Tuesday’s Primary Winners
Burke v. Hulsey won't be close. But the 19th Assembly District Democratic primary looks to be very competitive, who will win it?
Aug 11th, 2014 by Steven Walters
Casualties of War
The war over Act 10 may be a key reason 46% of legislators have left or will leave in just over two years.
Apr 14th, 2014 by Steven Walters
Top Lobbyists Will Replace Your Windows!
Bill Broydrick's Window Replacement Co., new women political candidates, and a MacArthur genius comes to town.
Feb 28th, 2014 by Michael Horne
Retiring With Guns Blazing
Several politicians have announced retirement, some diplomatically, others firing shots at their opponents.
Oct 21st, 2013 by Steven Walters
