Wisconsin lawmakers have been embroiled in a battle over $50 million allocated to fund a reading law signed by Gov. Tony Evers in 2023. The money has not been released as Republicans and Democrats point fingers at each other for the delay. The Legislature sued Evers over changes he made to the bill, and the state Supreme Court is currently deliberating on the matter.
With the ruling unlikely to come by the end of the fiscal year, the funds will go back into the state’s surplus. State Rep. Joel Kitchens had hoped to introduce a bill to release the money before the deadline but faced concerns about compromising the pending lawsuit.
Act 20, a bipartisan bill aimed at improving children’s reading skills, created the $50 million fund for implementation. Disagreements over how the money would be used led to Evers using a partial veto, prompting the lawsuit and subsequent delays.
State Superintendent Jill Underly criticized the delay, calling it a betrayal of students and a failure of leadership. Lawmakers, including Kitchens, expressed frustration over the situation, with blame being placed on both sides.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is set to hear the case but has not yet scheduled oral arguments. Attorney General Josh Kaul has requested an expedited ruling on the matter. As the debate continues, the fate of the $50 million remains uncertain, leaving the future of the reading initiative in limbo.
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