Mar 24, 2025 – The legislature’s Joint Finance Committee (JFC) will conduct four public hearings related to the state’s upcoming 2025-2027 biennial budget throughout the month of April. In the Mar. 18 announcement, JFC Co-chairs Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) and Rep. Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) said they “invite you to provide comments and input. Your feedback is an essential part of the budget process.”

As in past legislative sessions, Republican majorities in the Senate and Assembly have indicated that they will not be using Governor Tony Evers’ budget proposals, but will build their own starting from spending levels from the last budget. Because of this approach, early JFC public hearings hold great importance as a forum for people of all political and economic backgrounds to express their desires on funding topics. 

Four Public Hearings to be Held

Four hearings are scheduled and will all run from 10am to 5pm. Attendees may arrive at any time and will be asked to fill out a form when arriving to be added to the wait list to testify. The locations and details are:

• Wednesday, April 2 – Kaukauna High School
  • Auxiliary Gym (Door AA4)
  • 1701 County Road CE
  • Kaukauna, WI 54130
• Friday, April 4 – Wisconsin State Fair Park
  • Exposition Center
  • 640 South 84^th Street
  • West Allis, WI 53214
  • Parking at Gate 4
• Monday, April 28 – Hayward High School
  • Auditorium
  • 10320 Greenwood Lane
  • Hayward, WI 54843
• Tuesday, April 29 – Northcentral Technical College
  • Center for Health Sciences
  • 1000 W. Campus Drive
  • Wausau, WI 54401

The committee also has a dedicated website and email address where citizens can submit written comments: https://legis.wisconsin.gov/topics/budgetcomments/ or budget.comments@legis.wisconsin.gov.

Tips and Suggestions for State Bar Members on Advocating for Budget Proposals

The budget’s public hearing process is an opportunity for the public and for members of the State Bar to express their support or concerns about the state’s funding priorities. As you prepare written or oral comments, keep in mind that the budget is an exceedingly large and wide-ranging policy document, and it is important to keep messages concise.

Testifying in person or submitting comments to the Joint Finance Committee is an excellent avenue to share what matters to you. To be even more effective, you should also engage your elected state legislators. You can do this through a personal phone call, an in-person meeting, sending an email, or writing a letter. Many state legislators will hold their own local listening sessions over the spring. These are often published in local newspapers and newsletters, on social media, or posted locally at various locations such as county and city government buildings or other commonly used public forums.

For State Bar members, the State Bar’s Advocacy Center makes contacting your legislators as easy as possible. With just a bit of information and only a few minutes, members can introduce themselves to their lawmakers and submit comments on increased state funding for civil legal aid and addressing the rural attorney shortage. Members can also compose their own messages on whatever topics of professional or personal concern that they wish. 

Additionally, the Grassroots Advocacy Toolkit is a resource that can assist members on best practices for navigating through the legislative process. For more information on justice issues or funding, BOG policy position fact sheets summarize active issue areas. Many legislators aren’t often familiar with every topic area as they cover hundreds of issues through the legislative session. With only 10 of the 132 legislators having a background as attorneys, it is becoming more and more important for State Bar members to provide their personal experience as to what you see as members with your practice or in our courts.   

A few other tips when contacting legislators:

• Get to Know Your Legislator – Developing a good relationship with your elected official will help when contacting them when you support or oppose a legislative issue.
• Effective Communication – Personal stories and individual experience is always the most effective way to get your message seen and read. Making a brief phone call, requesting a quick personal meeting or writing a personal letter/email are always a best practice. State Bar Advocacy staff are always available to walk through this process, facilitate or attend meetings and serve as a resource to members.
• Stay Informed of Developments – Subscribe to the State Bar’s Rotunda Report and Inside Track, follow @SBWRotundaRpt on X, sign up for email alerts with the State Bar’s Advocacy Center, and always feel free to contact State Bar Advocacy staff with any questions: Government Relations Program Manager Cale Battles at cbattles@wisbar.org, Lobbyist Lynne Davis at ldavis@wisbar.org, or Grassroots Outreach Coordinator Devin Martin at dmartin@wisbar.org.

What Happens Next in the Budget Process?

Once the public hearings are complete, it is anticipated that voting on individual provisions of the budget will begin in early May, with a possible final committee vote in early June. The Legislature will then debate and vote on the proposal in late June or possibly into July. The state’s fiscal year begins on July 1, 2025 and ends on June 30, 2027.