Two More Referendum Questions on the August Primary Ballots

Wednesday, July 24th, 2024 -- 1:01 PM

(Rachel Hale, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) Wisconsin voters next month will have the chance to weigh in on the authority of Wisconsin governors to spend federal funds, potentially upending how billions of dollars are spent in the state, according to a new nonpartisan analysis.

Wisconsin's partisan primary election is Aug. 13, and voters will see two referendum questions on their ballots asking to give the state Legislature more power over distributing federal funding, an effort sparked by clashes over Gov. Tony Evers' power to distribute billions of dollars in coronavirus relief money.

Question 1: “Delegation of appropriation power. Shall section 35 (1) of article IV of the constitution be created to provide that the legislature may not delegate its sole power to determine how moneys shall be appropriated?”

Question 2: “Allocation of federal moneys. Shall section 35 (2) of article IV of the constitution be created to prohibit the governor from allocating any federal moneys the governor accepts on behalf of the state without the approval of the legislature by joint resolution or as provided by legislative rule?”

A “yes” vote on the first question would add to the Wisconsin Constitution an amendment prohibiting the Legislature from delegating its power to appropriate money while a “no” vote would not add that.

Voting “yes” on the second question means amending the Wisconsin Constitution to require the governor to earn legislative approval in the form of a joint resolution before expending federal funds appropriated to the state, while a “no” vote would continue to allow the governor to accept and use federal funds without that approval.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.