Senate Democrats lay out affordability plans as special session stalls
MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) — Lawmakers in Madison were scheduled to convene Thursday to discuss a proposal from Governor Tony Evers to ban partisan gerrymandering, but the session did not move forward.
Republicans, who hold the majority in both chambers, briefly gaveled in and out, keeping the special session open without taking up the proposal.
Democrats in the Senate said they were prepared to address the special session and instead held a press conference outside the Capitol to highlight their plans to tackle affordability across the state if they gain the majority in the upcoming election.
Their “Affordable Wisconsin” agenda includes proposals that would make health care, housing, child care, energy prices and food more affordable.
On the health care front, Democrats say they would cap the cost of certain medications, like insulin and asthma medicine. They would also remove sales tax on over-the-counter medicine. When it comes to housing, they want to expand the homestead credit income limit, ban hedge funds from buying Wisconsin homes and ban algorithmic rent hikes.
Child care was also addressed during their press conference. Democrats in the Senate would like to see the Child and Dependent Tax Credit made refundable and the threshold of eligibility raised for the Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy.
The caucus say they also have a plan to lower energy prices and food prices. One policy proposal is free school meals. When asked how much all this would cost, they didn’t have an answer, but they maintain that these are all issues Wisconsinites want addressed.
“Everything we are discussing today should have bipartisan agreement. These are not fringe issues that people are talking about. These are things that we have been hearing from Rhinelander to Madison to Racine,” said Dianne Hesselbein, the Senate Democratic minority leader.
Republican leadership in the Senate did not respond to our requests for comment on whether they would support any of the proposals.
Lawmakers are scheduled to return to session Tuesday, April 21, though it remains unclear whether any action will be taken.