July 1, 2025 – After months of twists and turns, a final budget agreement between Republican leaders in the Senate and Assembly, Governor Tony Evers, and Senate Democratic leaders appears to be headed for passage and the Governor’s signature in the next few days. With narrower majorities this cycle, Republican legislators grappled with finding a path forward to pass the budget with only Republican votes, particularly in the Senate where it became evident that gathering the necessary 17 votes from Republican members was increasingly difficult.

The final compromise agreement included several tax reductions on income and retirement funds, in addition to increased spending on childcare, the University of Wisconsin System, and K-12 education. As part of the agreement, the Governor won’t use his powerful line-item veto pen on the agreed-upon items, but other items not covered by the agreement can be stricken.

Civil Legal Aid Funding Not Included in Final Agreement

The State Bar and Civil Legal Aid Alliance of Wisconsin (CLAAW) were aggressively advocating for increased state investment in civil legal aid. Governor Evers included increased funding in his budget proposal in February, but Republican leaders removed the funding early in the budget process. Advocates continued to work on funding, asking Wisconsin lawmakers for an increase of $9 million in General Purpose Revenue (GPR) to provide civil legal services for veterans, victims of domestic abuse, seniors, and underserved rural communities.

In addition to the GPR funding, advocates requested additional support from the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Currently, $1 million dollars per biennium is allocated from TANF dollars, designated exclusively for survivors of domestic violence to receive civil legal services. CLAAW requested an additional increase of $8 million in TANF funds and the removal of a $75,000 cap for individual provider grantees. Unfortunately, neither increase was included in the final compromise budget language.

Judicial Council Receives Staffing and Criminal Justice Investments Remain

One important but often overlooked item included in the final budget agreement was funding for a staff member to assist the Wisconsin Judicial Council. The Judicial Council is a 21-member statutory board that plays a pivotal role in the development of court rules and procedures. In 2017, funding for a staff assistant was removed by the legislature, leaving the administrative tasks to the volunteer appointees. This funding will greatly improve the Council’s effectiveness and efficiency.

Budget items for District Attorneys, Assistant District Attorneys, and the State Public Defender’s Office were already addressed in a previous budget action. Those items will remain in the final budget and include investments in pay progression to retain experienced staff, 42 new Assistant District Attorney positions across 23 counties to help address high caseloads, and 12.5 new support staff positions in the Public Defender’s office.

In the Governor and legislature’s budget agreement, Milwaukee County will receive an additional 12.5 Assistant District Attorney positions. The funding for these new positions will come from a change in state law which allows Milwaukee County to retain 100% of fine and forfeiture revenues from violations of state traffic laws instead of depositing a portion into the state’s common school fund.

What You Can Do: State Bar of Wisconsin Advocacy Network

You can contact your legislators to share your thoughts about the budget using the Advocacy Network. Select "Send a message to Wisconsin State Officials" and craft a message to your state representative, senator, and Governor Evers about funding priorities that impact Wisconsin's justice system and courts.

Don't forget to subscribe to the Rotunda Report newsletter and follow us on X (formerly Twitter) to stay informed and get involved in the legislative process.