The rate at which Wisconsin distributes too much or too little food assistance is among the lowest in the nation, according to data released Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

According to the estimates measuring all states and U.S. territories, Wisconsin’s error rate for the last fiscal year was 5.72 percent. That’s just over half of the nationwide error rate of 10.62 percent.

Just seven other states, and the Virgin Islands, had lower error rates, according to the USDA data.

If there’s room for agreement on anything in Washington, it’s that lawmakers need to do something to make homeownership more affordable. On Tuesday, legislators on both sides of the aisle clinched the final vote in the House to pass the largest piece of housing legislation in decades.

The bill, called the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, passed 358-32 in the House. The Senate approved it Monday with similarly overwhelming bipartisan support. It now heads to President Trump’s desk for his signature.

Rather than making a single change, the bill is a hodgepodge of provisions designed to either encourage housing construction or make it easier for home seekers to buy. The flashiest part of the package is a ban that prevents corporate investors from buying up more single-family homes to rent out. If one of those groups already owns at least 350 houses, it won’t be able to buy others.

While the legislation doesn’t provide new federal dollars for homebuilding, it streamlines some of the regulations homebuilders must follow to get existing federal financing.

For example, it allows builders to skip the environmental review when a housing project is going up between two buildings that have already gone through the process.

A different provision creates a grant program for communities to develop “pattern books” of preapproved housing designs, so builders won’t need as many approvals to get up to code.

Another is aimed at making manufactured homes more affordable by getting rid of the rule that those houses must have a permanent chassis, or a steel frame that makes them movable. Manufactured homes are often installed onto permanent foundations, and housing policy experts say that removing the chassis requirement could cut $5,000 to $10,000 off construction costs and allow for designs that could more easily incorporate a second story or basement.

The bill also encourages local governments to speed up the homebuilding process by giving more federal dollars to places that build more housing.

Governor Tony Evers asked the United States Small Business Administration on Monday to declare a Rapid Disaster Declaration for Wisconsin communities hit by severe storms and flooding this spring.

The governor requested disaster assistance for Marathon, Rock, Vernon and Waupaca counties based on damage assessments. If approved, federal disaster loans from the SBA will be available for residents and businesses in those four counties, as well as their contiguous 20 counties.

Joint damage assessments were conducted by SBA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, state, county and local staff.

“As severe weather continues to affect communities across Wisconsin, my administration and I are hard at work to ensure communities and small businesses have every opportunity to get the support they need, and to make sure the state prepares for and responds to any potential emergencies in the future,” Evers said.

Governor Evers last month formally requested a disaster declaration from President Donald Trump in response to April’s severe storms and flooding. That request includes FEMA’s Individual Assistance for affected residents and families in 19 counties and one Tribal Nation, FEMA’s Public Assistance for emergency work and infrastructure repairs in 14 counties and one Tribal Nation, and FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to help reduce the impact of future disasters for the entire state. President Trump has not responded, and a declaration has not been made.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday announced that it will hold interest rates steady due to concerns about elevated inflation amid the war in Iran, as Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s tenure leading the central bank begins in earnest.

Fed policymakers voted 12-0 to leave the benchmark federal funds rate unchanged at its current range of 3.5% to 3.75%. The move follows the central bank’s decision to hold rates steady in January, March and April following three successive 25-basis-point rate cuts in September, October and December to close out last year.

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the central bank’s panel responsible for monetary policy moves, noted in its statement that inflation remains elevated above the central bank’s 2% goal, which it said was “in part reflecting supply shocks that have driven price increases in certain sectors, including energy.”

They also noted that job gains have kept pace with the workforce, while reiterating support for the dual mandate of price stability and maximum employment. Policymakers added that, “Economic activity is expanding at a solid pace despite elevated uncertainty that owes, in part, to the conflict in the Middle East.”

Warsh spoke to the media at his first post-meeting press conference on behalf of the FOMC.

“We recognize that inflation has been running well ahead of the Fed’s long-stated inflation goal of 2%. That’s been going on for more than five years. Persistently high prices are a burden for the American people, but the recent past need not be prologue,” Warsh said.

“I am pleased to report that members of the FOMC are unambiguous and unanimous – this committee will deliver price stability,” he added.

Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling issued formal letters to the governors of 53 U.S. states and territories today, demanding immediate action to combat fraud, waste, and abuse within the unemployment insurance program.

In the letters, the department announced its intent to crack down on rampant fraud and end mismanagement, improper payments, and corruption within the UI program. Acting Secretary Sonderling notified states that, in partnership with the Office of the Inspector General, the department will use every available enforcement tool—including withholding administrative funds from states for the first time in history—to ensure compliance in protecting UI system integrity and safeguarding taxpayer dollars.

In the letters, Acting Secretary Sonderling, a member of President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, led by Vice President JD Vance, detailed how years of failed oversight, outdated technology, weak identity verification, and lax controls allowed unprecedented fraud to flourish.

Among the most glaring examples:

• California – More than $20 billion in debt to the federal government after years of fraud, improper payments, and mismanagement of its UI system.
• New York – Losing an estimated $2 million every day to fraud and improper payments, while posting one of the highest improper payment rates in the nation, exceeding 20%.
• Illinois – Improperly paying out more than $320 million in taxpayer funds at a rate of more than 14%, one of the highest improper payment rates in the nation.

The Department of Labor is committed to rooting out fraud, enforcing UI eligibility requirements, and protecting American taxpayers. States that fail to safeguard these programs jeopardize benefits intended for hardworking Americans who demonstrate a legitimate need for temporary assistance.

Additional guidance and directives will be issued to the states in the coming weeks.

President Trump and Iran declared they’ve reached an agreement intended to end more than three months of war in Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The deal, scheduled to be formally signed Friday in Switzerland, marks a major breakthrough in the conflict that set the Middle East aflame and shook the global economy.

“The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all!” Trump wrote on social media on Sunday evening.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said the deal was reached “following a difficult and intensive period of negotiations lasting several months.”

If the agreement works as planned, several key developments are supposed to happen almost immediately.

The U.S. and Iran will end the sporadic attacks that have been taking place despite a ceasefire. The Israel-Hezbollah fighting in Lebanon should stop. And Iran and the U.S. will lift their dueling blockades of the Strait of Hormuz.

The text of the deal was not immediately released, but has been widely described by U.S. and Iranian officials and in media reports.

The agreement extends the current U.S.-Iran ceasefire for 60 days. The goal in upcoming talks will be a permanent end to the war.

The text of the deal was not immediately released, but has been widely described by U.S. and Iranian officials and in media reports.

The agreement extends the current U.S.-Iran ceasefire for 60 days. The goal in upcoming talks will be a permanent end to the war.

Wisconsin’s tourism economy is marking another year of growth. The state’s Department of Tourism released new figures on Tuesday showing that Wisconsin broke its tourism record for the fourth consecutive year in 2025, with more than 117 million visits creating $27 billion dollars in total economic impact.

“These numbers are a big deal for our state, our economy, and the countless hardworking folks in the industry who make it all happen,” Gov. Tony Evers wrote in a press release announcing the four-year streak of record tourism numbers.

Around the state, local events saw a surge in attendance last year. The EAA Airventure in Oshkosh brought in more than 700,000 visitors, breaking the previous year’s record by 18,000. In Chippewa Falls, the Northern Wisconsin State Fair saw its highest single-day attendance in 17 years.

The Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents approved a plan on Thursday to increase tuition across the state’s public university system for the fourth time in as many years.

The Board of Regents voted 15-1 to approve the proposal. It will raise in-state undergraduate tuition by 2 percent and student fees by an average of 3.5 percent for the upcoming school year.

Regent Timothy Nixon voted against the increase, saying he felt raising tuition would burden students and parents with higher costs.

He also said he worried it could come back to bite the university system in future state budget cycles.

“The only thing that the people who control the checkbook and the people that vote for the people that control the checkbook will hear is that we’re increasing tuition four years in a row,” Nixon said at the finance committee meeting. “I think this $22 million will cost us hundreds of millions of dollars in the budget cycle. I don’t think it’s worth it.”

Republicans at the state Capitol have already taken issue with the proposal.

The presumptive GOP nominee for governor, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, was critical of the university system on social media Tuesday, saying he would implement a tuition freeze if elected.

Republican former Gov. Scott Walker implemented a tuition freeze in 2013, which kept in-state tuition for undergraduates flat. It ended in 2023.

On Monday, the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) announced new state safety codes for electrical and plumbing work will take effect September 1. Beginning on that date, any electrical or plumbing plans submitted for review to DSPS or its delegated agents must adhere to the new code requirements.

The interim update to Wisconsin’s plumbing code provides clarity for stakeholders by addressing inconsistencies between the current state plumbing code, other DSPS rules, and some national standards the department has adopted.

The electrical code update adopts 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) standards, with specific changes and omissions to ensure it conforms to Wisconsin statutes and is consistent with DSPS procedure. The current Wisconsin electrical code is based on 2017 NEC standards.

The new plumbing and electrical codes are set to be published on June 29, 2026 and take effect
September 1, 2026.

Starting October 1, the code changes will be reflected in questions on the trades exams offered by Wisconsin DSPS and third-party testing company Pearson Vue.

On Monday, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an Interim Final Rule with Comment (IFC) requiring that certain adult Medicaid applicants and enrollees must, as a condition of Medicaid eligibility, meet an 80 hours per month work requirement, through employment, education, work programs, or community service. The rule establishes a nationwide operational framework designed to promote economic stability, self-sufficiency, and independence.

Issued under Public Law 119-21, which CMS refers to as the Working Families Tax Cut (WFTC) legislation, the rule establishes the standards states must use to implement the statutory work requirement, including clear expectations for eligibility determinations, exemptions, verification, and state reporting requirements. It reflects extensive coordination with states and builds on CMS’ ongoing work to modernize eligibility systems and improve beneficiary interactions with states, while improving accountability.

This rule defines which adults ages 19 through 64 will be required to demonstrate work requirement activities. The rule also defines which individuals are not subject to the requirement because of health-related needs and other qualifying circumstances. These exemptions include, but are not limited to, individuals who are pregnant, postpartum, disabled, medically frail, American Indian or Alaska Native, parents or caregivers of young children and people with disabilities, and those who are already complying with similar requirements through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

The rule also includes state data reporting requirements and establishes requirements for how states must assess and verify compliance and communicate the new requirement to Medicaid applicants and beneficiaries. These provisions are expected to promote transparency, reduce administrative burden, and ensure states provide clear, actionable guidance to new applicants and Medicaid beneficiaries on how to meet the new eligibility requirement.

CMS is supporting states as they implement the requirement through a combination of federal resources, technical assistance, and private-sector collaboration. This includes $200 million in Government Efficiency Grants authorized under the WFTC legislation to support state system modernization and administrative capacity, as well as more than $600 million in committed support from private-sector technology vendors to help states update eligibility and enrollment systems, and support for outreach to Medicaid beneficiaries. These investments build on CMS’ broader modernization efforts, including expanding the use of automation, data integration, and real-time verification to improve efficiency, strengthen oversight, and enhance the beneficiary experience.

The work requirement must be implemented no later than January 1, 2027, in applicable states, although some states—such as Nebraska —has already implemented, and other states are considering early implementation.