The Wisconsin Senate voted down an $1.8 billion package late Wednesday that would have sent $300 stimulus checks to residents and increased school funding, after all 15 Senate Democrats and three Republican senators voted against it. The deal, backed by Gov. Tony Evers and GOP legislative leaders, had already passed the Assembly and the Joint Finance Committee before it stalled in the Senate.
What the Deal Would Have Included
The package would have used part of Wisconsin’s roughly $2.5 billion state surplus, directing money toward both school funding and direct payments to residents:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Stimulus checks to residents | $850 million+ |
| Special education funding | $300 million |
| General school aid | $300 million |
| Wisconsin Technical College System property tax relief | $50 million |
| Total package | $1.8 billion |
In total, more than $600 million would have gone to K-12 schools, which Gov. Evers described as the biggest win of the negotiated deal. The special education reimbursement rate would have climbed to 50% of district costs starting next school year, and 42% for the current year — up from 32%.
Who Would Have Qualified, and How Much
The proposed checks were tied to 2024 income tax filings. Individual residents who filed a 2024 tax return would have been eligible for a $300 refund, while married couples filing jointly would have received $600 — or their net tax liability, whichever was less. Because the deal failed, none of these payments will go out under this specific bill.
The Republican side of the deal also included eliminating state income tax on cash tips and overtime pay, in addition to the direct payments and property tax relief.
Why the Deal Failed
The vote broke down along unusual lines. All 15 Senate Democrats opposed the bill, joined by three Republican senators — enough to sink it despite bipartisan sponsorship at the top. Democratic critics, including Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein and Sen. Kelda Roys (who is running for governor), argued the deal was negotiated behind closed doors by outgoing officials and didn’t do enough to support schools for the long term. Roys specifically criticized using the state surplus for what she called an “election year bribe.”
Evers pushed back on that framing, saying leadership had kept others informed throughout negotiations even if the final proposal wasn’t shared publicly until the last stretch.
The Political Backdrop
The deal emerged as Gov. Evers, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu — the three officials who negotiated it — are all retiring, with control of both the governorship and the Legislature up for grabs in this fall’s elections. That timing fed directly into Democratic criticism that the deal was a political move by outgoing leaders rather than a durable fix.
The funding source was Wisconsin’s general fund surplus, not the state’s separate $2 billion “rainy day” fund — meaning the failed deal doesn’t touch the state’s emergency reserves either way.
What Happens Next
With the bill dead in the Senate, none of the $300/$600 checks, the school funding increases, or the tax changes take effect. The Wisconsin Association of School Boards said it had “deep disappointment” over the bill’s failure, noting the funding would have provided real relief for districts leaning on property taxes to cover funding gaps. Whether a revised version returns before the current legislative leaders leave office is unclear — nothing has been reintroduced as of this report.
FAQ
Will Wisconsin residents get a $300 stimulus check?
Not under this bill — it failed in the Senate. No replacement legislation has been passed as of this report.
Who would have gotten the money if it passed?
Wisconsin residents who filed a 2024 income tax return: $300 for individuals, $600 for married couples filing jointly (or their net tax liability, if lower).
Why did some Republicans vote against their own party’s deal?
The reporting doesn’t detail each senator’s individual reasoning; three Republicans joined all 15 Democrats in voting no, but public criticism largely came from the Democratic side over how the deal was negotiated.
Could this deal come back in a different form?
It’s possible, but nothing has been reintroduced or scheduled for a new vote as of this report.