Madison, Wis. – Senator Romaine Robert Quinn (R-Cameron) voted today to override Governor Evers’ vetoes on nine bills.
“Today the State Senate took action to right the wrong of the governor’s vetoes on important issues for Northwestern Wisconsin and across the state,” Quinn said. “Whether it’s maintaining access to emergency health services, enhancing election integrity, or managing our wolf population, Wisconsinites should not have to wait to address these critical issues because the governor chose a stalemate with his veto pen.”
A veto override requires a two-thirds supermajority vote. The following bills were successfully overridden in the State Senate on Tuesday:
- Senate Bill 98 helps secure our elections by providing additional tools to stop unqualified residents from voting.
- Senate Bill 139 requires the DNR to establish a population goal in its wolf management plan, just as it does in management for other species. Without a numeric goal, it is impossible to evaluate effectiveness in managing the wolf population.
- Senate Bill 145 modernizes the standard license for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and allows these advanced practitioners to operate at the top of their scope without arbitrary barriers.
- Senate Bill 312 addresses PFAS contamination and remediation. The governor’s veto prevented $125 million to assist communities in doing the important work for clean and safe drinking water. The governor also vetoed protections for innocent landowners who did not cause the pollution on their property. Such protections will encourage more testing to identify problems and ensure contamination is addressed.
- Senate Bill 517 updates the current John Doe law, which has been used to allow limitless investigations of Wisconsin police officers, even after a District Attorney has refused to pursue charges because the evidence supported self-defense. The bill requires new evidence that the officer did not act in self-defense before new probes can be opened.
- Senate Bill 736 requires the Legislative Audit Bureau to conduct a performance audit of election processes following a general election with the assistance of the Wisconsin Elections Commission. This bill seeks to further ensure that our elections are conducted safely and securely.
- Senate Bill 917 allows a university to increase the amount of student teaching up to 4 semesters to provide flexibility in adapting to classroom settings and help alleviate the teacher shortage.
- Senate Bill 932 creates efficiencies and cost savings in maintaining and managing state-owned buildings.
- Senate Bill 1014 maintains access to healthcare in the Chippewa Valley after the HSHS and Prevea closures. The governor’s veto has stopped funding from reaching those in need at a critical time.
“All of these bills will benefit Wisconsin residents in a number of ways,” Quinn said. “Namely the $15 million which was passed back in February needs to be released for emergency services so that residents in Northwestern Wisconsin will continue to receive critical care services when they need it.”
The bills overridden today would also need a two-thirds supermajority vote in the State Assembly to become law.
Last Update: May 14, 2024 3:03 pm CDT
