[ROLL CALL VOTE]

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

AHEAD OF THE VOTE TO REPEAL CHANGES REPUBLICANS MADE JUST DAYS EARLIER TO THE STATE OPEN RECORDS LAW, SENATE MAJORITY LEADER SCOTT FITZGERALD SAID IT WAS TOO HOT TO HANDLE AT THE MOMENT, BUT NOT FOREVER.

SCOTT FITZGERALD:

I WOULD SAY THAT I STILL BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE VISITED. NOT ONLY HAVE THERE BEEN ISSUES WITHIN THE LEGISLATURE, BUT IN OTHER PARTS OF STATE GOVERNMENT RELATED TO OUR OPEN RECORDS LAW.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

DEMOCRATS, ESPECIALLY ON THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, WHO FIRST RAILED AGAINST THE CHANGES, PERSISTED IN THEIR OUTRAGE.

LENA TAYLOR:

TAKE A MOMENT, I WILL, TO THANK JOURNALISTS, THE MEDIA. BECAUSE IF IT WASN’T FOR THEM, YOU WOULD NOT BE DOING THE RIGHT THING RIGHT NOW. TELL THE TRUTH. SHAME THE DEVIL. YOU’RE ONLY DOING IT BECAUSE YOU WERE CAUGHT WITH YOUR HAND IN THE COOKIE JAR.

MAN:

ALL MEMBERS HAVE VOTED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

THE FULL SENATE VOTED TO REMOVE THE CHANGES TO THE OPEN RECORDS LAW. AS FOR THE BUDGET AS A WHOLE, REPUBLICAN BUDGET WRITER SENATOR ALBERTA DARLING.

ALBERTA DARLING:

AND I’M HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE DIDN’T INCREASE THE PROPERTY TAX, THE SALES TAX OR INCOME TAX, AND WE HAVE THE LOWEST BONDING IN 20 YEARS. I’M TELLING YOU, WE WORKED HARD TO HAVE OUR PRIORITIES OF K-12 FULFILLED. WE WORKED HARD TO MAKE SURE WE COULD FILL THAT FIRST-YEAR HOLE AND THAT WE COULD ADD MONEY THE SECOND YEAR.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

BUT DEMOCRATS REPEATED THEIR INTENT FOR THE STATE TO ACCEPT EXPANDED FEDERAL MEDICAID MONEY, SAYING IT COULD HELP PAY FOR EDUCATION.

DAVE HANSON:

IT MAKES NO SENSE TO ME THAT EVERY OTHER STATE IN THE MIDWEST IS ACCEPTING THAT MA EXPANSION MONEY. THIS TIME $360 MILLION.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ALSO, THE SENATE WAS FIRST TO TAKE UP CHANGES TO THE PREVAILING WAGE LAW. SENATOR FRANK LASEE, ITS AUTHOR.

FRANK LASE:

IT’S KIND OF STRAIGHT FORWARD. IT SIMPLIFIES THE PROCESS GREATLY AND — LIFTS THE REQUIREMENT FROM ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS OF ALL SORTS. RETAINS IT FOR THE STATE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SO THERE WILL BE NO MORE MINIMUM SALARIES FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROJECTS. MINORITY LEADER JENNIFER SHILLING SAYS THE MAJORITIES’S POLICIES DRIVE DOWN WAGES.

JENNIFER SHILLING:

BUT YOU KNOW TODAY THIS IS ANOTHER MISGUIDED AND HARMFUL ATTACK ON HARD-WORKING FAMILIES IN WISCONSIN.

MAN:

THE BUDGET ACT OF THE 2015 LEGISLATURE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

THE LINES WERE SIMILARLY DRAWN IN THE ASSEMBLY. REPUBLICANS SAYING THEY IMPROVED THE SPENDING PLAN. DEMOCRATS SAYING THE MAJORITY DOUBLED DOWN ON BAD.

ROBIN VOS:

THE GOVERNOR GAVE US A CONSERVATIVE SPENDING PLAN AND LEGISLATIVE REPUBLICANS IMPROVED IT. THIS BUDGET IS GOOD FOR WISCONSIN TAXPAYERS. THERE ARE NO NEW INCOME TAXES, NO NEW SALES TAXES AND PROPERTY TAXES ARE FROZEN.

PETER BARCA:

HOW YOU COULD TAKE THIS AWFUL BUDGET THAT CRUSHES OPPORTUNITIES AND WILL MAKE IT HARDER FOR THE HARD-WORKING CITIZENS OF THIS STATE AND ACTUALLY MAKE IT WORSE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

THE BUDGET PASSED BOTH CHAMBERS, WITH 11 ASSEMBLY REPUBLICANS VOTING AGAINST IT, ALONG WITH ONE REPUBLICAN SENATOR.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

THAT WAS FREDERICA FREYBERG REPORTING.