Gov. Evers Signs Executive Order, Clearing Way for Legislature to Approve Blockbuster Bipartisan Deal Announced Today
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today signed Executive Order #292, clearing the way for the Wisconsin State Legislature to approve the blockbuster bipartisan deal announced earlier today. Gov. Evers, Wisconsin State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester), and Wisconsin State Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) today, after months of bipartisan negotiations and work to reach consensus, announced they reached agreement on a blockbuster bipartisan proposal to build upon the bipartisan investments and agreements approved in the 2025-27 Biennial Budget to use a portion of the state’s readily available state surplus to invest in Wisconsin’s kids and K-12 schools, provide property tax relief statewide, and help working families afford rising costs. The bipartisan package invests over $600 million in Wisconsin’s K-12 schools, including providing the largest increase to the state’s special education reimbursement rate in state history to attain 50 percent as well as investing $300 million in general school aids; provides tens of millions of dollars in statewide property tax relief through Wisconsin Technical College System aid; makes direct payments to Wisconsin’s working families who are struggling to keep up with rising costs; and eliminates state income tax on tipped and overtime income.
The blockbuster deal negotiated and agreed upon by Gov. Evers, Speaker Vos, and Majority Leader LeMahieu:
- Includes the largest increase to the state’s special education reimbursement rate in state history to attain 50 percent, investing over $600 million in Wisconsin’s K-12 schools, on top of the already historic nearly $1.4 billion provided in the 2025-27 Biennial Budget, including $300 million in property tax relief through general school aids;
- Provides an additional $50 million in property tax relief for Wisconsinites statewide in addition to the above $300 million in general school aids;
- Eliminates the income tax on cash tips and overtime income for Wisconsin taxpayers; and
- Returns over $850 million of the surplus to Wisconsinites, providing direct support to over 3 million Wisconsinites to respond to rising costs.
The bipartisan deal will be taken up by the Wisconsin State Legislature yet this week, ensuring the state has the maximum available time to get the negotiated investments out to schools as soon as possible, some even before the current fiscal year ends at the end of June.
Under the agreement reached between Gov. Evers and GOP leaders, Executive Order #292 clears the way for the Wisconsin State Legislature to convene for the sole and exclusive purpose of approving the bipartisan deal anytime between today, Mon., May 11 at 3 p.m., and Fri., May 15 by 5 p.m.
The bipartisan deal is then set to be taken up by the Wisconsin State Legislature’s state budget committee, the Joint Committee on Finance, on Tues., May 12, 2026. The Wisconsin State Assembly and the Wisconsin State Senate are expected to take up the proposal on Wed., May 13, 2026. Gov. Evers anticipates signing the proposal as early as next week.
A copy of Executive Order #292 is available here. A copy of the bipartisan deal that will be taken up by the Wisconsin State Legislature this week, LRB-6707 and LRB-6710, respectively, is available here.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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