The Wisconsin Supreme Court issued a major ruling this month, narrowing the Legislature’s authority over administrative rulemaking. In a 4-3 decision, the Court determined that legislative committees can no longer unilaterally block, suspend, or prevent agency rules from taking effect. Instead, lawmakers must pass legislation, with the governor’s signature, to stop a rule, significantly shifting power back toward the executive branch.
Separately, redistricting is once again in the legal spotlight. A bipartisan coalition of business leaders has filed a new lawsuit in Dane County challenging the competitiveness of Wisconsin’s congressional maps. They argue the current districts give certain candidates an unfair advantage and violate the state constitution’s guarantees of fair representation. Since the suit starts in a lower court, any decision is unlikely to impact the 2026 election, but could shape future maps and the state’s political landscape beyond that.
On the infrastructure side, more than $174 million in state transportation aid was distributed to municipalities and counties this month to support road repair and maintenance. This follows the signing of the 2025-27 biennial budget, which includes $1.1 billion in new funding for transportation. Local governments can expect a 3% increase in General Transportation Aids in both 2026 and 2027, further supporting critical infrastructure needs across Wisconsin. Click here for the updated list of legislation the Chamber is tracking.
by Jim Steineke, Government Affairs & Advocacy