Republicans in the Wisconsin Senate voted Tuesday to repeal Gov. Tony Evers’ 400-year extension of school funding — a change the Democratic governor created through his powerful partial veto in the 2023 budget. That veto struck digits and a hyphen to transform a temporary $325 per-pupil increase into one lasting through the year 2425.
GOP lawmakers have blasted the maneuver as an overreach, and although the Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld the veto in April, some justices criticized it as “extreme” and “outrageous.” The Republican bill passed Tuesday would end the $325 increase after the 2027–28 school year, according to Wisconsin Public Radio.
Ahead of the vote, Sen. Chris Kapenga, R-Delafield, accused Evers and the court’s liberal majority of exceeding their authority. “What we want to do is we want to clarify that the original intent of the Legislature in the budget was to increase school funding for the next budget,” Kapenga said. “And we allow other legislatures going forward to determine what the best funding is.”
Democrats argued the blame lies with Republicans who, they say, have constrained school budgets for more than a decade. Sen. Sarah Keyeski, D-Lodi, said districts still struggle to meet inflation despite the expanded authority to raise property taxes. “It was an effort to help right a wrong that has been perpetrated, truly, by the Republicans in this body for far too long,” she said. “There has been a gross underfunding of our public schools.”
The measure passed 18–15 along party lines and now heads to the Assembly, where Republicans hold a narrow majority. But its future is effectively sealed: it cannot take effect without Evers’ signature, and he is highly unlikely to overturn his own veto. (RELATED: Mequon Sees Spike In Crime And Break Ins As Gangs With South American Ties Are To Blame)
Republicans also advanced two higher education bills. For the third time since 2021, the Senate approved legislation to allow lawsuits against University of Wisconsin regents and technical college board members for alleged free speech violations. The bill passed with minimal debate; only one Republican, Sen. Steve Nass of Whitewater, opposed it.
Another bill from Sen. Rob Hutton, R-Brookfield, would bar the UW System from adding extra fees to online courses. It cleared the Senate on an 18–15 party-line vote. (RELATED: Wisconsin Republicans Introduce Bill to Make Grooming a Felony)