MADISON, Wis. — Lawmakers convened on Monday for the start of a new legislative session in Madison with the slimmest Republican majorities in more than a decade.
It’s the first session since new, more competitive legislative maps were signed into law last year. Those maps shook up the balance of power during the November election, and fresh faces were plentiful on Monday as members of the 107th Wisconsin Legislature took their oaths of office.
In the state Assembly, Republicans kept their control with a 54-45 split. Thirty-one state representatives are newly elected.
In the state Senate, Republicans lead with a tight 18-15 divide. All six newly elected state senators are Democrats.
Watch: Lawmakers begin new legislative session in Madison with tighter power balance
“This is a new day in Wisconsin politics,” Democratic Rep. Kalan Haywood said.
Democrats hope that the new balance of power will lead to more bipartisan compromise on everything from gun safety to education funding. Republicans are prioritizing tax cuts early in the new session, hoping to use the state’s more than $4 billion surplus to lower the cost of living. Already, Republican leaders and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers have begun clashing over their priorities.
“While we will always seek to find common ground, rest assured we will never sacrifice our principles, and we don’t expect anyone else here to either,” Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, a Republican, said in a speech to lawmakers.
One of the largest tasks facing the new Legislature is writing a new state budget. That work is typically completed by July and requires lawmakers and the governor to agree on a spending plan.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
