Wisconsin Republicans Trying Again to Limit Governor's Veto Powers

Sunday, February 4th, 2024 -- 1:01 PM

(Jessie Opoien, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) Wisconsin Republicans on Wednesday revived an effort to restrict the governor's veto powers, this time after Democratic Gov. Tony Evers used his partial veto authority in July to increase funding for public schools for the next four centuries.

According to Jessie Opoien with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a proposed constitutional amendment would bar governors from using a partial veto to increase any tax or fee.

A similar amendment was proposed in 2019, after Evers used his veto authority to steer an additional $65 million to Wisconsin schools in the 2019-21 state budget

"We narrowly crafted this legislation to address the specific situations that we believe members of the public would find the most egregious: the ability for a single person to create or raise taxes and fees on our citizens with a single stroke of a pen," the proposal's authors wrote in a memo seeking cosponsors.

The measure was introduced by Sen. Dan Knodl, R-Germantown; and Reps. Amanda Nedweski, R-Pleasant Prairie; Joel Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay; and Shae Sortwell, R-Two Rivers.

Evers' surprise move in July ensured districts' state-imposed limits on how much revenue they are allowed to raise will be increased by $325 per student each year until 2425, creating a permanent annual stream of new revenue for public schools.

He crafted the four-century school aid extension by striking a hyphen and a "20" from a reference to the 2024-25 school year, resulting in the highest single-year increase in revenue limits in state history.

Wisconsin gives its governors some of the most sweeping executive powers in the country, although partial veto authority has been scaled back over time. Constitutional amendments in Wisconsin must be passed by the Legislature in two consecutive legislative sessions and then by voters in a statewide referendum.

The governor is not involved in the process and cannot override passage.

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