(The Center Square) – A group of Wisconsin lawmakers have proposed a series of laws to create tax credits for new nuclear power facilities.
One bill would create an energy tax credit for nuclear facilities that go online after 2030 and another would create up to five years of tax credit for construction materials to build a facility.
“Wisconsin needs more power,” said Sen. Dan Feyen, R-Fond du Lac. “We are currently a net importer of energy, consuming six times more power than we can produce. With demand for energy continuing to rise, we need to do everything we can to increase production in our state.”
Assembly Bill 472 creates the 10-year tax credit based on the megawatt capacity of the facility with a $12.5 million credit each year for a facility with a capacity of 1,250 megawatts.
“It’s been a long, complicated road,” said Rep. Shae Sortwell, R-Two Rivers. “… This is a huge step forward.”
Sortwell said that another nuclear facility bill would be coming later.
Assembly Bill 618 would credit the construction materials credit for facilities that are certified by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. that is good for up to five years until the company obtains its operator license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
“We are going to need more energy and nuclear energy is clean, efficient and reliable,” Feyen said.
Wisconsin lawmakers approved a pair of bills earlier this year to create a statewide nuclear siting study and to create a temporary board to plan and hold a Wisconsin Nuclear Power Summit.

(The Center Square) – Democratic attorneys general from 22 jurisdictions sued the Trump administration Wednesday over ending food assistance for noncitizens who are legal permanent residents.
The lawsuit, which names the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins as defendants, was filed in the Eugene division of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon. The suit argues the USDA’s guidance for the Supplemental Food Assistance Program violates the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and says the federal law keeps permanent legal residents eligible for SNAP benefits. The suit also says the USDA violated its own regulations by allowing only one day, instead of 120 days, for states to adjust to the new guidance, which was issued Oct. 31. The transition period ended Nov. 1, according to the suit.
“This guidance reads like someone took notes from the Grinch, taking food from families during the holidays,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta told reporters Wednesday during a virtual news conference, which also featured attorneys general from Massachusetts, Oregon and Minnesota.
“California will not stand by while families lose access to food because of unlawful federal action,” Bonta said. “So we’re taking Trump to court.”
The new USDA guidance deprives tens of thousands of lawful permanent residents across the U.S. of help, Bonta said, adding, “SNAP recipients are still recovering from the whiplash President Trump and his administration put them through in seeking to block November SNAP benefits during the government shutdown.”
“No president has fought harder to deprive hungry Americans from food,” he said, later adding, “No group of attorneys general has fought harder to make sure they are fed.”
Although the Big Beautiful Bill Act eliminated SNAP eligibility for individuals who entered the U.S. as refugees or were granted asylum or humanitarian parole, it did not end the eligibility for noncitizens who became legal permanent residents, Bonta said. He added that under the federal law, refugees and people granted asylum or humanitarian parole become eligible for SNAP once they become legal permanent residents.
The lawsuit says the USDA guidance is contrary to the law, is arbitrary and capricious, and violates the Administrative Procedure Act.
The suit seeks a preliminary injunction to ensure families don’t go hungry, Bonta said.
Answering a question from The Center Square, Bonta said a federal court ruling could come in a matter of days or even immediately, depending on the judge. “We’ve sought restraining orders and secured them on the same day we file.”
The attorneys general are asking the U.S. District Court to rule as soon as possible, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell said.
In the meantime, Massachusetts is working with food pantries and community organizations to keep families fed until a ruling is issued, Campbell said, answering a question from The Center Square. “So food pantries and many folks are working overtime to close the gap.”
Other attorneys general said their states were taking similar actions.
“The state and food banks have been stepping up to provide more support,” Bonta said about California.
Campbell, meanwhile, told The Center Square the coalition of attorneys general succeeded during previous efforts to preserve SNAP benefits.
“We were successful, this coalition, when we fought the Trump administration the first time during the government shutdown, to make sure SNAP benefits would continue to flow for the month of November and to ensure all folks in our respective states would see benefits in November and not partial but full benefits,” Campbell said.
Bonta said the attorneys general previously wrote a letter to the USDA, believing the department simply made a mistake in its guidance.
“We gave them a chance to start over,” Bonta said, but added, “The USDA’s silence in response tells us everything we need to know.” He said the new guidance was deliberate.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield told reporters that no one in the U.S., one of the world’s wealthiest countries, should go hungry.
And President Donald Trump must follow the law, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said during the news conference. Trump is welcome to try to get Congress to change a law that he doesn’t like, Ellison said, but added, “We won’t let him rule by fiat. We won’t let him break the law.”
Attorneys general said Wednesday’s lawsuit is the 48th one in California and Oregon against the Trump administration. For Minnesota and Massachusetts, it’s the 45th and 43rd one respectively.
Democratic attorneys general are winning more than 80% of their legal actions against the federal government, Bonta said, answering questions from The Center Square. He added he doesn’t anticipate that the latest lawsuit over SNAP will end up in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Besides California, Oregon, Massachusetts and Minnesota, Wednesday’s lawsuit was filed by New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.

(The Center Square) – A pair of Wisconsin legislators are proposing legislation that would create various fees for activities on state land to help fund the state’s Department of Natural Resources.
The fees include a hiking permit, which would cost $20 for adults and $10 for children ages 12 or older for anyone graveling on foot on state land and a $40 bike permit for adults using state trails and $20 for children 12 and older, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
The proposal also includes a foraging permit that will cost $40 per adult and $20 for children over the age of 12.
The proposed bills haven’t been filed yet and are sponsored by Rep. Chanz Green, R-Grand View, and Sen. Rob Stafsholt, R-New Richmond.
The Center Square was unable to obtain comment from Green and Stafsholt before publication.
The Wisconsin State Senate Democratic Committee said that the proposal was an example of Republicans refusing to address the increasing cost of living in the state.
“In response to this universal struggle, Wisconsin Republicans have decided to levy new taxes on the millions of people across our state who prefer to spend their time outdoors,” the group said in a statement. “This blatantly out of touch effort is yet another proof point that our state’s Republican party is unable to address the struggles of working families.”
The fees also include new permit costs for non-motorized boats and cross-country skiing on state land.
The cross-country skiing fee would be $40 for an adult and $20 for a child over 12.

(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s Public Service Commission agreed to a $31.3 million increase settlement to residential rates for electricity and natural gas for Madison Gas and Electric customers over the next two years, according to preliminary estimates from the PSC sent to The Center Square.
The approval comes soon after similar approvals for Alliant Energy and Xcel Energy that amount to $300 million in increases, meaning the three combined increases will be valued at more than $330 million.
The increases will go into effect Jan. 1. The three utilities will hold 9.8% profit margins for investors.
The Madison Gas and Electric increases represented a $28.5 million decrease from the utility’s rate request.
The increase includes an estimated $19.2 million in electrical rate increases and $12.1 million in natural gas over the two-year span.

(The Center Square) – The beer man is out.
Democrat Ryan Strnad announced that he is dropping out of the Democratic primary for governor.
“I, Ryan Strnad, citing low poll numbers and the inability to raise large sums of dollars needed to compete with the sophisticated group candidates in the Democratic primary, have decided to leave the 2026 WI gubernatorial election effective immediately,” he wrote in an announcement.
Strnad was always a longshot candidate at best. He spends his summer selling beer in the stands at Brewer games, and he’d never run for office.
In fact, Strnad said he wants to focus more on his job as a beer vendor at American Family Field, though he’s not ruling out another run for office.
“I will put my focus on some newly arising labor issues affecting the vendors at American Family Field and contemplate a run for Waukesha County Executive (provided Paul Farrow chooses against a reelection),” he added.
Strnad said he is tossing his support behind Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley in the crowded race for governor on the Democratic side next year.
“I am happy to endorse Milwaukee County Executive, David Crowley for the 2026 WI gubernatorial race!,” he wrote. “David is a proven leader who has earned my respect after getting to know him over the last several months!”
Strnad’s exit leaves six other candidates, including Crowley in the race.
There are also rumors that two other Democrats, former Department of Administration secretary Joel Brennan and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes might jump-in as well.
There are two Republicans in the race, Northwoods Congressman Tom Tiffany and Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann.
Voters will make their choice in the primary in August.

(The Center Square) – The Wisconsin Supreme Court sent a pair of challenges to the state’s congressional maps to three-judge panels Tuesday.
One was a challenge from Elizabeth Bothfeld in Dane County Court and the other was from the Wisconsin Business Leaders for Democracy and a group of individual voters.
Both cases argue that Wisconsin’s current maps were gerrymandered and created in an unconstitutional way.
The Bothfeld case will be review by a group including Dane County Judge Julie Genovese, Milwaukee County Judge Mark Sanders and Outagamie County Judge Emily Lonergan.
Justice Brian Hagedorn wrote that he agreed with appointing a three-judge panel but did not agree with how that panel was selected.
He argued that a randomly selected panel would be better.
“These statutes are transparently designed to prevent forum shopping in disputes over where congressional lines should be drawn,” Hagedorn wrote. “To avoid litigants simply choosing their preferred venue and judge, the statute requires the appointment of a three-judge panel with each judge coming from a different judicial circuit, and then requires that venue be assigned to one of those circuits.”
The second case will be determined by a panel including Dane County Judge David Conway, Portage County Judge Patricia Baker and Marathon County Judge Michael Moran.
In that case, Justice Annette Ziegler argued against sending the case to a panel.
“The majority not only undermines our constitutional authority and circumvents established redistricting precedent but also, again, usurps the legislature’s constitutional power,” Ziegler wrote. “In allowing this litigation to proceed, the majority abdicates its constitutional superintending authority to Wisconsin’s circuit courts.”
Ziegler wrote that there are 260 circuit court justices in the state and they received no information on why the specific judges were selected but offered that half of those selected were appointed by Gov. Tony Evers.
“Hand picking circuit court judges to perform political maneuvering is unimaginable,” Ziegler wrote. “Yet, my colleagues persist and appear to do this, all in furtherance of delivering partisan, political advantage to the Democratic Party.”

(The Center Square) – The average price per gallon of gas is $2.73 heading into the Thanksgiving holiday, according to the American Automobile Association.
That compares to a $3.05 average across the United States and $2.85 a year ago.
Wisconsin was not in the top 10 highest or lowest average price per state.
Eau Claire had the lowest average price of a metropolitan area in the state at $2.62, according to AAA.
The lowest reported Wisconsin price was $2.39 at a Citgo in Waukesha and $2.45 at Bono’s in Kenosha and at a Citgo in South Milwaukee.
Four gas stations near Oklahoma City were at $1.99, the lowest prices in the U.S. since 2021, according to GasBuddy.
“It’s pretty compelling to see gas prices this low, falling ahead of Thanksgiving, and it signals what more Americans could experience in the coming months,” Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said in a post. “Lower seasonal demand, falling oil prices, and rising OPEC output are all pushing prices down.
“While a few stations have recently dipped below $2 through temporary offers and promotions, this marks the first time we’ve seen a regular sub-$2 price. Prices at this level may fluctuate, but more locations in low-cost states like Texas, Mississippi, and others across the Gulf region are likely to follow before the typical spring rebound we’ll likely see in 2026.”

(The Center Square) – The Slender Man stabber could be facing years behind bars once she returns to Wisconsin.
Prosecutors in both Waukesha and Dane County could fil charges after Morgan Geyser apparently cut off her court-ordered ankle bracelet and fled to Illinois over the weekend.
Waukesha County District Attorney Lesli Boese said she “fully support[s]” a move to revoke Geyser’s conditional release from the state mental hospital.
Geyser was sentenced to 40-years in the state hospital after she originally pleaded guilty to nearly stabbing a 12-year-old friend to death in 2014.
Geyser’s guilty plea was overturned when a court said she, and the other Slender Man stabber, were both mentally ill.
Boese said she couldn’t get into the specifics of Geyser’s case. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is technically in charge of Geyser’s sentence and custody.
DHS officials didn’t answer questions on Monday.
Geyser, however, could face six years in prison if prosecutors in Dane County file felony escape charges.
The group home where she lived is in Madison, and it is a class H felony to escape from custody.
Police in Madison say they are investigating, but they have not yet made any recommendations in the case.
Geyser was taken into custody in Posen, Illinois on Sunday night. The state has requested she be extradited back to Wisconsin, but no one is saying when that will happen.
It’s also not clear what charges the man who was with Geyser could face.
Investigators say it appears he helped Geyser leave the group home. Investigators say they took a Greyhound bus to Illinois, and then a local bus from Chicago to Posen.
They were arrested behind a truck stop after police said the two were trying to sleep on the sidewalk.

(The Center Square) – Wisconsin had two gun incidents, including a death after a self-inflicted gunshot, during the opening weekend of deer-hunting season, which runs from Nov. 22-30.
The fatal incident happened Saturday evening in Fond du Lac County where a 24-year-old male in a saddle stand was found after an unintentional self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest that is still being investigated.
The second gun-related incident happened Saturday afternoon in Grant County when a 57-year-old male was shot in the buttock while walking to a field to begin hunting.
The fatal gunshot was the first in the state during hunting season since 2022.
Overall, hunters registered harvesting 48,748 antlered deer for opening weekend, up from 48,063 a year before. Antlerless totals were 41,923, up 7% from a year before.
There were a similar numbers of hunters year over year with 777,843 registrations sold for all varieties of hunting.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources experts indicated that the state could see a rise in the deer harvest if snowfall occurs and remains on the ground for the second weekend of the season.

(The Center Square) – There are questions to answer after one of Wisconsin’s most famous stabbing suspects fled her group home over the weekend.
Police in Illinois say they found Morgan Geyser at a truck stop south of Chicago on Sunday night after he went missing from her court-ordered group home in Madison a little less than 24 hours after she cut-off her ankle bracelet and fled.
Geyser is the second Slander Man stabber. She and another young friend lured a third 12-year-old girl into the woods in Waukesha County in 2014 and nearly stabbed her to death.
Geyser originally pleaded guilty, but was later found to be not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. She was then sent to the state mental hospital.
In March, a Waukesha County judge ruled that Geyser’s mental health had improved enough and ordered her released. Geyser’s attorney had trouble finding her a new group home. At least two homes refused to accept her because of the publicity surrounding her case.
There is no indication that Geyser went after her former victim. In fact, police in Madison say she left with a “male acquaintance.”
But there are questions about how she was able to escape.
Geyser was last seen at her group home at about 8:15 on Saturday night. The Wisconsin Department of Corrections says it got an alert about 9:30 that night that her ankle bracelet was no longer functioning.
About two hours later, the DOC made contact with Geyser’s group home. It was about a half-hour after that that DOC issued an “apprehension request” for Geyser.
Madison Police say they didn’t find out about Geyser’s escape until almost 8 a.m. the next day. They found out after the group home called to report her missing.
It wasn’t until 8 p.m. on Sunday that police in Illinois found and arrested her.
No one has yet the delays or communication issues between the DOC and Madison Police. There has also not been any explanation as to why Geyser cut off her ankle bracelet and fled.

(The Center Square) – Gov. Tony Evers made an unprecedented move by changing characters on a bill to make a $325 per student annual school funding levy increase each year until 2425.
Now, Republican lawmakers are pushing for him to take it back.
First, it’s the Wisconsin Assembly’s turn.
The Senate approved a bill that would limit that increase to one school year, as lawmakers intended with an 18-15 vote before Senate Bill 389 heads to the Assembly and will ultimately require Evers’ approval to become law.
“The governor stepped in and did something he’s never done before,” said Sen. Chris Kapenga, R-Delafield, the bill’s sponsor. “He changed the bill in a way that no governor in the history of the state of Wisconsin has changed and that’s very concerning for us because the legislature is where the voice of the people is supposed to take place.
“He went far beyond what’s ever been done before.”
Republicans call it Evers’ 400-year property tax increase because it allows schools to raise the levy on a $325-per-child basis annually for the next 400 years.
Evers used his partial veto power to erase numbers and a hyphen to change “2024-25” to “2425” in a budget bill, a maneuver approved by the Wisconsin Supreme Court as legal in a 4-3 ruling.
“We want to clarify the original intent of the Legislature in the budget was to increase school funding for the next budget period,” Kapenga said. “We allow other Legislatures moving forward to decide what the best funding is after that.”
Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, argued that prior levy freezes have led schools to underfund local education by $3,573 per student compared to inflation.
“That means (classrooms) are overly crowded, that means teachers are inadequately compensated, that means it’s harder to attract and retain high quality teachers because they’re getting pulled in different directions and it means we’re failing our constitutional obligation to make sure every child has a quality education,” Larson said.
The League of Women Voters and Wisconsin Education Association Council lobbied against the bill while Americans For Prosperity, IRG Action Fund, MacIver Impact, National Federation of Independent Business, Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, Wisconsin Manufacturers Association, Wisconsin Property Taxpayer and Wisconsin Realtors lobbied for the bill.
“We applaud Senate Republicans for standing up for prosperity and fiscal responsibility, while Senate Democrats chose to defend a lame-duck governor instead of defending the pocketbooks of their constituents,” said AFP-WI Legislative Director Jerry Ponio. “Governor Evers’ veto was an abuse of power that put politics ahead of people. Wisconsinites deserve leaders who protect their financial future — not saddle them with 400 years of tax hikes.”