Wisconsin

Governor Evers highlighted $2.3 billion in additional K-12 funding over his budgets, the largest special education reimbursement rate increase in state history, and the new Get Kids Ready program providing free state-funded pre-K programming projected to help 24,000 children. He criticized the Legislature for not setting aside enough money to meet promised special education reimbursement percentages and secured $360 million for child care including direct provider support.

Governor Evers warned that over 270,000 Wisconsinites will lose healthcare due to the federal 'Big Beautiful Bill' and the failure to extend ACA tax credits. He shared the story of Kim, a Green Bay small business owner whose coverage increased 500%, and criticized the approach of making Americans 'healthy again' while making healthcare unaffordable. He also announced Wisconsin would join the WHO's Global Response Network via executive order.

Governor Evers reported average annual wages up nearly 26% over six years with 2024 median wages at an all-time record high. He highlighted record-high employment, record-low unemployment, and over $2 billion in annual tax relief for taxpayers. He emphasized 127,000 workers receiving career training, record apprenticeship enrollment, and Wisconsin's travel and tourism industry reaching $25.8 billion in economic impact. He proposed investments in AI workforce training and clean energy.

Governor Evers celebrated improving over 9,600 miles of roads and 2,400 bridges, with nearly $600 million in local road funding this year — the largest in state history. He highlighted connecting 410,000 homes and businesses to high-speed internet, creating a new agricultural roads program supporting 90+ projects in 48 counties, and announced a partnership with UW-Madison to study nuclear energy opportunities.

Governor Evers highlighted bipartisan improvements to the justice system including expanded circuit court branches, workers' compensation for first responders with PTSD, and the largest addition of circuit court branches in over two decades. He expressed frustration that Republicans voted against making the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention permanent and noted domestic violence homicides jumped 20% between 2021-2022, reaching 99 deaths in 2024. He announced a partnership with the Milwaukee Bucks to combat domestic violence and criticized legislative inaction on gun violence and corrections reform.

Governor Evers announced a 20-year renewable energy purchase of 225,000 megawatt hours annually (enough to power over 500,000 homes) and a partnership with UW-Madison to study nuclear energy opportunities, calling nuclear a potential "game-changer." He highlighted the state's first Clean Energy Plan, the Trillion Tree Pledge (42 million trees planted), and investments in the Wisconsin Fusion Energy Coalition. He also noted removing sales tax from utility bills saved $178 million and emphasized that data center growth must not jeopardize sustainability efforts.

Governor Evers highlighted that his administration supported over 30,000 new housing units and passed the largest state investment in workforce housing in Wisconsin history. He connected housing to workforce development, noting that expanding access to affordable housing is an issue he hears about almost everywhere he goes in Wisconsin.

Governor Evers highlighted over $2 billion in annual tax relief with most going to the middle class, a 23% income tax cut for middle-class families, elimination of sales tax on utility bills saving $178 million over two years, and over $600 million in taxpayer savings from paying down $3 billion in state debt. He ended 30 consecutive years of checking account deficits and noted median wages reached an all-time record high. He called for meaningful K-12 funding and property tax relief this session.

Governor Evers announced partnerships to advance startups through the Ignite Wisconsin program, including investment in the Wisconsin Fusion Energy Coalition anchored by UW-Madison research. He secured over $7 million for workforce training in advanced manufacturing and AI, stating "AI is here to stay" and emphasizing the need to prepare Wisconsin's workforce for the future. He also announced a 20-year renewable energy purchase and a nuclear energy study with UW-Madison.

Governor Evers highlighted the creation of the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports to increase dairy, meat, crop, and other product exports by 25%, noting the state is on its way to becoming a top 10 state for agricultural exports. He also mentioned the Blue Ribbon Commission on Rural Prosperity and the First Lady's food initiatives including Food from the Farm and Ranch programs.

Governor Evers noted the creation of a holiday honoring Hmong-Lao Veterans and that students now learn about Hmong and Asian American history in schools. He highlighted bipartisan legislation ensuring firefighters and law enforcement officers can access workers' compensation for post-traumatic stress, which also benefits veteran first responders.

Governor Evers highlighted signing over 800 bills with 97% having bipartisan support, and emphasized saving taxpayers over $600 million by paying off about $3 billion of state debt. He announced plans to call a special session on a constitutional amendment to ban partisan gerrymandering, and highlighted cracking down on worker misclassification to ensure 134,000 workers received owed wages and benefits.

Governor Evers highlighted securing $360 million for child care in bipartisan budget negotiations, including the new 'Get Kids Ready' program projected to serve 24,000 four-year-olds. He noted $10 million for food security and $30 million for school mental health resources during the 'Year of the Kid.' He expressed concern about 270,000 Wisconsinites losing healthcare due to the federal 'Big Beautiful Bill' and warned of potential hundreds of millions in FoodShare penalty fees if the legislature didn't fund quality control efforts.

Governor Evers highlighted over $2 billion in annual tax relief with middle-class income tax cuts of 23% (more than double his 10% campaign promise), eliminating sales tax on household utility bills (saving $178 million over two years), and reducing the tax burden to the lowest in 50 years. He created the Get Kids Ready childcare program with $360 million for the childcare industry, supported over 30,000 new housing units, and warned that federal actions including tariffs and healthcare cuts threaten Wisconsin's progress on affordability.

Governor Evers expressed concern about neighbors "who aren't going to school or work or anywhere else, because they're scared leaving their home may mean their family will be torn apart" and worried about kids being traumatized. He noted Wisconsin's dairy industry has depended on immigrant labor for generations.