Corrinne Hess:

Act 20 was a bipartisan bill, proposed by Republicans who worked with DPI on the details. 

When it was approved, the Legislature created a separate, nearly $50 million appropriations bill for implementation. 

Then disagreements began over how that money would be used, and who would decide how to use it.

Wisconsin allows its governors to use partial vetoes on appropriations bills. Evers’ use of that power in February 2024 prompted a lawsuit in April from Legislative Republicans asking the $50 million be withheld from DPI. 

Evers and DPI then filed a counterclaim saying without the money, implementing the new law in time for the 2024-25 school year will be impossible.

In July, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 6-1 the GOP overstepped its constitutional authority by blocking Evers’ actions related to the Department of Natural Resources. But the court did not rule on the $50 million for DPI. 

Attorney General Josh Kaul has asked the high court to bypass the Appellate Court and rule on the matter. 

Joint Finance Committee co-chairs Sen.Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, and Rep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam, said legislative Republicans have consistently supported efforts to increase literacy in Wisconsin. 

“This is why we allocated $50 million to create the Office of Literacy and passed Act 100 to lay the framework for DPI to implement this important initiative,” the two said in a statement. 

Evers’ partial veto in February 2024, known as Act 100,  struck language allocating  money for school boards and charter school compliance in the early literacy program.

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