Wisconsin’s 2025-27 Budget: Your Voice is Needed

The Wisconsin Biennial Budget is the most important legislation passed every two years.  The budget process began last fall when each department made its budget requests.  In December, Governor Evers held listening sessions to gather public input.

The next step is Governor Evers’ Feb. 18 Budget Address where he will present his Executive Budget. The Joint Committee on Finance takes it from there. If past is prologue, the JFC will strip out all non-fiscal items. They may ignore the Governor’s proposed budget altogether and build their own from scratch.

While the JFC works on the budget, they will hold committee meetings and meet with most department heads.  A number of public listening sessions will be scheduled around the state in April to allow for public input. Online comments will be accepted during this time as well. 

The JFC will debate and eventually pass the budget out of their committee. It then goes to the Senate and Assembly to be debated and passed, hopefully by early June.  Then it is up to Governor Evers to pass, veto, or do partial vetoes (which has specific restrictions). If all goes well, the new 2025-27 Budget will go into effect on July 1. If no budget is passed by that date, the previous budget amounts stand.

The important thing to remember is that your voice is important all throughout the budget process.  Establish a regular dialog with your elected legislators and with the Governor.

Wisconsin’s Budget Process

Overview Wisconsin’s budget is a biennial (two-year) budget that starts July 1 of each odd numbered year and concludes on June 30 of the next odd numbered year. The next biennial budget will start July 1, 2025, and end June 30, 2027. The process to create the next biennial budget goes through several stages of [...]

Government Relations

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Joint Committee on Finance

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/committees/joint/2920

Governor Evers' Office Number