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June 17, 2026

State news

Wisconsin’s redistricting fight continues with new lawsuits

The Daily Cardinal

Wisconsin’s protracted political redistricting fight took two turns in May: a federal court affirmed Wisconsin’s congressional district map and the U.S. Supreme Court further curtailed safeguards that have governed redistricting nationally.

A three-judge panel dismissed a lawsuit in the federal court case that challenged the congressional maps for Wisconsin. The case argued that the state’s congressional maps are “anti-competitive” and favor a Republican majority. The court ultimately ruled for the district maps to retain the district lines that resulted in a congressional delegation of six Republicans and two Democrats.

Wisconsin DOJ Secures Ruling Against $100K H-1B Petition Fee

Daily Dodge

Wisconsin is among 20 states that secured a federal court ruling against a Trump administration policy imposing a $100,000 fee on certain H-1B petitions.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice says the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts vacated the policy Monday, finding it unlawful. Wisconsin joined the multistate coalition challenging the policy late last year.

Attorney General Josh Kaul says, “This ruling stops an unlawful policy that shouldn’t have been adopted.” Kaul says the federal government should be addressing workforce shortages in health care and education, not worsening them.

Alleged Wisconsin fake elector accomplices plead not guilty as Trump seeks to rewrite 2020 election

PBS Wisconsin

As three alleged planners of Wisconsin’s fake elector scheme pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 11 forgery-related criminal charges in Dane County court, the criminal charges against them are moving forward in a national legal and political landscape that looks dramatically different from the one in which they were filed.

Agriculture

Health

Towns in Vilas County collaborating to save lives at a faster rate

ABC 9 Wausau

Rural areas of Wisconsin typically rely on volunteers to staff their EMS and fire departments. While the courage of those individuals is necessary, it can translate to longer wait times for patients in critical condition.

The towns of Manitowish Waters, Boulder Junction, Presque Isle and Winchester in Vilas County used to rely on volunteers, and have collaborated in a first-of-its-kind way to solve that problem.

“You’re hoping on people that are working full time jobs and they have families, and are they available?” said Jason Joling, Chief of the Northwoods EMS District.

Business/Technology

UW-Madison names 2026 “Year of AI Readiness and Competency”

The Daily Cardinal

The University of Wisconsin-Madison designated 2026 as the “Year of AI Readiness and Competency” on May 21, formalizing the university’s effort to better prepare students and faculty for thoughtful use of AI.

The campus-wide announcement builds off of previous university investments to further AI use and understanding this year, including a hiring blitz of 50 faculty for the new College of Computing and AI (CAI), which will open July 1, 2026 — bringing the total new faculty hired through the university’s RISE-AI initiative to over 100.