Wisconsin voters will on the same day this April choose a new state Supreme Court justice and also decide whether the state’s voter ID law will become part of the state Constitution — issues yoked by what almost certainly will happen in the months thereafter.

State Sen. Van Wanggaard, chair of the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, said during a committee hearing on Jan. 7 that the state “can be sure that a new lawsuit challenging constitutionality (of the current statute on voter ID) is coming to the Wisconsin Supreme Court.”

Wanggaard, R-Racine, introduced the original resolution asking voters to weigh in on whether voter ID should be placed in the constitution in 2023, six months after progressive Milwaukee County Judge Janet Protasiewicz won a bitter race for a state Supreme Court seat and gave liberals the majority for the first time in 15 years.

Troubled by what he calls the insanity of unchecked federal spending, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson says he will lead an effort to produce a balanced budget and restore the value of the dollar.

Congress needs to return to pre-COVID spending levels, adjusted for population growth and inflation, in order to avoid another massive deficit, said Johnson, who kicked off the Badger Institute’s 2025 Speaker Series on Jan. 17. 

Working with congressional allies, Johnson plans to use his position on the Budget Committee to use the budget reconciliation process to develop a new spending baseline.

Enrollment headcounts of children receiving a publicly funded education in Wisconsin this school year continued the trends of the past 20 years — and as of this school year, the number of children receiving their education in a traditional district-run public school has fallen below 800,000 for the first time in decades.

Meanwhile, the number of children attending an independent school through one of Wisconsin’s parental school choice programs rose by 3,800 to more than 58,600.

Segment begins around 23:35

Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge David Borowski Thursday ordered at least 25 police officers back into Milwaukee Public Schools, a comeuppance for district officials who have skirted a deal made with legislators way back in June 2023 that allowed both the city and the county of Milwaukee to raise sales taxes.   

The Badger Institute in August 2022 first brought public attention to the thousands of calls for police service placed every school year by high school officials in MPS.

As we noted in another 2022 piece:

“Students in Milwaukee’s public high schools who want a better life and know that school is their only way up are being battered, assaulted and exposed to gunfire or other reckless conduct on a daily basis. Simply put: It is an absolute moral imperative to get police officers back into Milwaukee public schools immediately. Smart, young kids striving to escape chaos can’t do it alone, surely can’t compete for spots in the best schools or even stay focused on a book or test when they’re fearful of miscreants carrying guns and shooting at each other. The essential facts are in Mark Lisheron’s piece.”

The subsequent deal specified that the district place officers back in schools by Jan. 1, 2024. The district's flouting of the deadline prompted a lawsuit filed on behalf of a district parent by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty. Borowski on Thursday rejected the district's request to have the suit dismissed and gave the district until Feb. 17 to comply with their agreement with the state or explain why it is not compliant.

A trio of Republican lawmakers intend to introduce a bill that would align the state’s education test scores with national standards, reversing the lowering of standards by the DPI last year. Sen. John Jagler, Rep. Robert Wittke, and Rep. Todd Novak are garnering support for the bill and plan to introduce it in the coming weeks.

The Badger Institute will formally advocate for the bill’s passage after it is introduced.

The Madison Federalist, a conservative publication staffed by students at UW-Madison, quoted the Badger Institute’s Pat McIlheran in a story regarding the removal of LaVar Charleston from his position as the university’s chief diversity officer.

“The whole bureaucracy Charleston headed should be disbanded. Forget ‘equity’ and other discrimination: UW should instead simply treat students equally and fairly, whatever their race or background.”

Shall section 1m of article III of the constitution be created to require that voters present valid photographic identification verifying their identity in order to vote in any election, subject to exceptions which may be established by law?

The Badger Institute has long been at the forefront of the fight for school choice, right to work, welfare reform, tax restructuring, limited government, civil society and so much more. If you appreciate the Institute’s legacy and want to support free markets, opportunity and prosperity, please consider donating today. Your support will help the Institute continue to advocate for conservative principles now and in generations to come.

The Institute never has, and never will, accept government funding. We gratefully welcome your online donation or email Mike Nichols, President.

The Badger Institute is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization funded solely by the generosity of foundations, companies and individuals.

Badger Institute
700 W. Virginia St., Suite 301
Milwaukee, WI 53204