Steve Nass

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.

Steve Nass Won’t Vote For Budget

Nass making it harder for GOP colleagues to pass their budget.

Shilling Echoes Bipartisan Concerns with Fiscally Reckless Republican Budget

"The Republican budget protects tax breaks for millionaires while raising property taxes on working families by the highest amount in a decade."

The Anti-Gas Tax Gang

Why just five Republican naysayers could kill a gas tax hike.

Joint Finance Committee Passes Budget

Majority Republicans rejected many Evers proposals. Minority Democrats assail GOP plan.

GOP Budget Jacks Up Auto Fees

Vehicle title fee up 137%; higher fees would raise $393 million for roads.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos Pitches a Fit Over a State Budget, Again.

2019 Budget Complaints Echo Petulant Past Behavior

Governor’s Veto Power Looms Large

What Legislature gives, veto can take away. The battle has begun.

Senate Majority Leader Fitzgerald Announces Senate Standing Committees, Chairs

"I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate this session as we continue to pass reforms that put hard-working families first."

No Choice in 36% of Legislative Races

Gerrymandering and decline in number of candidates leaves 2.5 million residents with no choice.

Governor Walker Signs Bills to Create and Expand Outdoor Recreation, Attract Talent to Wisconsin, and Improve Medical Assistance

93 bills signed into law at the Wisconsin State Capitol

New GOP Senators Have Clout

They may decide if Walker gets last minute laws he’s pushing for his reelection campaign.

Taxis Will Be “At Your Own Risk”

State "deregulation" bill would also put hundreds of local cab drivers out of work.

Republican Bill Deregulates Taxis

All city regulations would be moot, including background checks on drivers by police.

Republican Bill Limits Wheel Tax

Local wheel taxes increased 73% in 2017; bill requires referendum approval.

Republican Bill Second-Guesses, Restricts Local Governments

Assembly bill would add restrictions to local governments raising money for transportation projects

Wisconsin Oven, TPS opens new facility in Walworth County

State, local, regional leaders join company officials in ribbon-cutting

Leah unveils 100+ Wisconsin endorsements

Elected officials, grassroots activists and business owners unite behind Leah

Memo to Robin Vos: It Wasn’t Terrorism It Was ‘Executive Favor’

Senate Republican Troika Still Needs to Answer Why They Violated WI Statute 13.06

Americans for Prosperity calls on Speaker Robin Vos to Apologize to Governor Walker and Senators

Speaker Vos Insulted Governor, Compared Senators to “Terrorists” in Interview

Did Gov. Scott Walker Issue Executive Order to Win Republican Senate Holdouts’ Budget Votes?

One Wisconsin Now Requests Investigation of Possible Violations of Law in GOP Senators’ Shady Budget Deal With Gov. Walker

AFP – WI Praises Governor Walker, Senate Conservatives for Improving State Budget

Walker pledges to veto shady PFA power grab targeted by AFP activists

Vos Goads WMC for Their Roads Plan

Business group's lobbying killed trucks fee, leaving roads budget still far short.

Big Agriculture Rewards Legislators

Industry wants high capacity wells, gives $220,000 to key committee members.

Senator David Craig Authors Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Legislation

This legislation shares many of the reforms sought at the federal level by Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner in the DUE PROCESS ACT OF 2016.

A Conservative Defends UW Academic Freedom

Curtailing “whiteness” course isn’t the answer, more diversity in offerings at UW is.

Nass’s Cheap Shot At UW Course

Legislator’s stance on "whiteness" course puts him in league with white nationalists.

Wachs Responds to Yet Another Republican Attack on UW-Madison

“...Republicans only seem to care about the University of Wisconsin when they are offended by what is being taught, and not when it comes to properly funding our UW System to compete in today’s economy.”

Hard Right Dominates GOP Senate

Eight or nine senators could dictate much of Gov. Walker's 2017-19 state budget.

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Tours Generac Power Systems for Manufacturing Month

Where it’s made matters.

Rep Nass Threatens More UW Cuts

Whitewater Republican Steve Nass upset by gay sexuality discussion in UW sociology class.

What Would Tommy Do?

A Republican governor was once UW’s greatest champion. Those days are long gone.

Governor Scott Walker Signs Family Care Bill into Law at Rock County Courthouse

Wisconsinites deserve access to quality health care options, where they need it and when they need it, Governor Walker said.

Governor Scott Walker Signs 49 Bills Into Law

Governor Scott Walker signed 49 bills into law today at the Wisconsin State Capitol.

AFP Releases Open Letter To Joint Finance Committee On Prevailing Wage

Time to Step Up And Send Prevailing Wage Repeal Bill To Governor's Desk

Conservative Power Rises in Senate

With the replacement of two key GOP moderates, Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald has far more power.

MMAC Plays Hardball on Bucks Arena

A misleading poll, pressure on legislators and more misinformation are all used to sell the NBA arena.

Bucks Arena Tough Sell for Outstate Legislators

Poll shows state residents outside metro Milwaukee and Madison oppose subsidy by 86% to 10%.

Walker Would End Oversight of For-Profit Colleges

His budget eliminates Educational Approval Board, which costs the state nothing to oversee for-profit colleges.

Governor Scott Walker Signs Freedom to Work Legislation

New law makes Wisconsin 25th state to give workers power to choose

Rep. Barca Statement on Shutting Down of Public Hearing

"I am deeply disappointed that Senator Nass and Republicans did not at least live up to their promise of holding the public hearing until 7:00 tonight."

Walker’s Funding Cuts for UW Ignite Firestorm

Lawmakers may balk at cuts and at plan to give UW System autonomy from legislature.

The Coming War Against Common Core

Top priority for Republican legislators next year is to kill Common Core educational standards.

Measure Limits Recalls But Allows Unlimited Fundraising

Republican proposal would provide great protection to incumbent politicians.

Finally, Something the Parties Agree On

Republican and Democratic legislators both support tax credits to rehab old buildings, but cost could be high.

Could The Brewers Benefit If Minnesota Loses Its Team?

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig has scoffed at complaints from Twin Cities newspapers that eliminating a baseball team there would benefit the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Sad Saga of Rep. Steve Nass

These are not good days for Rep. Steve Nass (R-Whitewater).

How Three Legislators Committed Highway Robbery

Anyone who's driven to Madison is aware the trip takes about 75 miles from downtown Milwaukee.