Evers pushes for legal abortions, expanded Medicaid
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Tony Evers outlined a largely liberal agenda in his second inaugural address Tuesday, calling for overturning an 1849 state law banning abortions, expanding Medicaid coverage and legalizing marijuana.
While he called for working together on the priorities he outlined, many of the issues have long divided Democrats and Republicans. The GOP returns this session with even larger majorities in the state Legislature.
Evers and other constitutional officers elected in November took their oaths of office Tuesday during a day thick on pomp and thin on substance.
Evers on Tuesday renewed his push for legal abortions by undoing a 174-year-old state ban that took effect when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The Republican-controlled Legislature last year twice rejected attempts by Evers to undo the law. Evers has promised to veto any bill that creates exceptions under the law for rape and incest, saying he will only support a full overturning of the abortion ban.
He also called for fully funding public schools, legalizing marijuana and expanding the state’s Medicaid program known as BadgerCare Plus. Republicans have opposed efforts to fund public schools as much as Evers wants, voted repeatedly not to accept federal money to expand Medicaid and killed efforts to legalize marijuana, even for medical purposes.
Evers and Democrats point to public opinion polls showing support for abortion rights, expanding Medicaid and legalizing marijuana as they try to work around, or with, Republican opponents in the Legislature.
Evers also pushed for issues more likely to find bipartisan support, including attracting more workers to the state, particularly in health care; expanding job training and apprenticeship programs; fighting water pollution from chemicals known as PFAS; and investing in public transit and transportation alternatives.
The speech was a warm-up of sorts for Evers, who will deliver his State of the State address in three weeks. And in February, Evers will release his two-year state budget plan, which will include details about the state’s projected $6.6 billion surplus.
Evers didn’t mention the surplus Tuesday, instead highlighting key priorities such as cutting taxes for the middle class and not just wealthy residents. Evers opposes a Republican plan to move toward a flat income tax rate, which would lower taxes more dramatically for those at the highest tax rate.
Evers also called for for “generational, transformative improvements as to how we invest in our local communities and keep them safe.” He has called for increased funding to local governments, while Republican legislative leaders are discussing a plan that would give counties, cities, towns and villages a portion of the state sales tax revenue.
In addition to Evers, others sworn in Tuesday included Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez; Attorney General Josh Kaul; Secretary of State Doug La Follette; and state Treasurer John Leiber. Later Tuesday, 17 members of the state Senate and all 99 members of the Assembly were to be sworn in. There are seven new state senators and 24 new members of the Assembly being sworn in.
Four former governors attended the ceremony: Republicans Tommy Thompson and Scott McCallum and Democrats Jim Doyle and Martin Schreiber. Outgoing Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes and state Treasurer Sarah Godlewski, both of whom ran for U.S. Senate rather than reelection, were also present.
Judge: People can sell candy, cakes, cookies without license
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Dane County judge has ruled that people can sell a wide range of homemade food without a commercial license or kitchen.
Judge Rhonda Lanford issued the decision earlier this week, the Wisconsin State Journal reported Saturday. The ruling expands the types of food that can be made and sold from home to items like candy, cocoa bombs, fried doughnuts and roasted coffee beans.
The ruling marks the second court victory in five years for three women who have been fighting to sell food from home.
Bed-and-breakfast owner Lisa Kivirist and farmers Dela Ends and Kriss Marion won a ruling in 2017 that a state ban on selling home-baked goods was unconstitutional. They filed a follow-up lawsuit in 2021 arguing that people should be able to sell other shelf-stable goods out of their homes as well.
The Wisconsin Cottage Food Association, which represents people who make homemade foods for sale in the state, joined the lawsuit as a plaintiff.
State law has for years drawn a line between which types of shelf-stable food items are exempted from license and commercial kitchen requirements. Statutes allow people to sell items like cider, maple syrup and pickles and allows nonprofit organizations and churches to sell all foods and meals.
State attorneys argued that food safety is the issue. But Lanford agreed with the plaintiffs’ arguments that homemade food is just as safe as other food.
